PISTOUILLE

SOURCE: JULIA CHILD AND SIMONE BECK. MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING, VOLUME II.

With food portmanteaus becoming fashionable during the 20th century, Julia Child and Simone “Simca” Beck were timely in contributing a word to the expansion of the French and English dictionaries. Enter the Pistouille, a lexical blend of Pistou and Ratatouille conceptualized and coined by Julia and Simca while working on the sequel to their seminal cookbook. The “Pistou'' element refers to the finishing touch of minced garlic and fresh basil leaves. On the other hand, the vegetarian medley of eggplants, peppers, onions, and tomatoes comprises the “Ratatouille” aspect. By combining two vastly different but equally delicious Provençal dishes into one tasty hybrid that also evokes the same provincial French flavors and atmosphere, the delivery of Pistouille is quite effective in every gustatory and linguistic sense.

Ingredients

2 pounds/900 grams eggplants

1 1/2 teaspoon/3 grams salt

2/3 cup/100 grams finely chopped onions

2/3 cup/120 grams diced green bell peppers

2 tablespoons/30 mL olive oil

2 pounds/900 grams tomatoes, peeled, seeded, juiced, and chopped OR 1 16-oz/454-gram can of diced tomatoes, drained off its canning juices

Olive oil

2 cloves or more garlic

12-14 large basil leaves, preferably picked fresh on the same day for best results

Salt to taste

3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

OPTIONAL: Fresh sprigs of basil leaves for garnish

OPTIONAL: 1 fresh tomato, peeled, seeded, juiced, and chopped, for garnish

Specific Equipment

Colander set over a bowl

Paper towels

2 1/2 quart saucepan

12-inch/30-cm sauté pan

Mortar and pestle

Serves 4 to 6

Instructions

1. Peel the eggplant. Cut into 3/4-inch/1.9-cm thick lengthwise slices; cut slices into 3/4-inch/1.9-cm wide strips; cut strips into 3/4-inch/1.9-cm cubes.

2. Toss eggplant cubes with 1 1/2 teaspoon/3 grams salt and macerate for 20-30 minutes. Drain the eggplant cubes in a colander to remove its bitter juices, and dry in paper towels.

3. Set the saucepan under moderate heat, and pour in 2 tablespoons/30 mL olive oil. Add the onions and peppers into the oil, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until both are soft and translucent but not brown. Add the chopped fresh tomatoes or diced canned tomatoes, and simmer the pan with the lid on for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, and continue simmering for 5 minutes or more under moderate until the tomato juices have almost entirely reduced. Set the saucepan aside.

4. Pour olive oil into a sauté pan and heat the oil until hot but not smoking. Add one layer of the eggplant to the pan, making sure that the cubes do not overcrowd in the pan. Sauté for 5 to 8 minutes by tossing and turning the eggplant from frequently shaking and swirling the pan until the eggplant is tender and lightly brown. Transfer to a colander to drain out the olive oil, which can be returned to the sauté pan for reuse if the eggplant cubes are cooked batchwise.

5. Return all sautéed eggplants to the sauté pan, and pour in the tomato mixture. Continue simmering for 10 minutes or so to blend and thicken the eggplant and the tomato mixture.

6. Grind the garlic into a purée using a mortar and pestle. Add the fresh basil leaves into the mortar and continue mashing until the basil and garlic become a smooth paste or the Pistou.

7. Fold the Pistou into the eggplant and tomato. Correct seasoning by adjusting the salt. Fold in the minced parsley, and transfer to a serving dish. Decorate with fresh sprigs of basil and chopped fresh tomatoes, if desired.