Sunny Ratatouille

1. Arrange the aubergines on a tray and sprinkle over 1 tbsp of salt.
2. Heat a generous pour of olive oil in a large pan. Add the courgettes, peppers and tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are softened. Use a slotted spoon to lift into a bowl.
3. Pat the aubergines dry with kitchen roll before cooking, stirring occasionally, until just softened and golden in places. Lift them into the same bowl as the other vegetables.
4.  Add more olive oil if the pan looks dry, then add the mirepoix vegetables: carrot, onion and celery and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves and thyme and cook for a minute more until fragrant.
5. Return the cooked vegetables to the pan and add the tinned tomatoes, basil leaves and red wine vinegar and simmer, covered, for 30 – 35 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve alongside bread or rice.

• 2 aubergines, cut into 1cm half moons
• Olive oil, for frying
• 2 large courgettes, cut into 1cm half moons
• 2 red or orange peppers, cut into 2cm pieces
• 6 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• A few sprigs of thyme
• 1 x 400g tin plum or cherry tomatoes
• 1 bunch basil, all but a handful of leaves picked and roughly torn
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper

Check out our mirepoix (celery, carrot, onion) recipe here: https://lovecelery.co.uk/celery-recipes/mirepoix/