Name: Ratatouille Niçoise with poached egg
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 70 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 500 ml (2 cups) vegetable oil; 1 large eggplant, cut into 2cm dice; 2 large zucchini, cut into 2cm dice; 1 large red capsicum, cut into 2cm dice; 50 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve; 1 onion, diced; 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 4 ripe tomatoes, cores removed, coarsely chopped; 1 piece dried orange peel, finely ground in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder; For poaching: white vinegar; 4 eggs; To serve: extra-virgin olive oil, chervil sprigs and grilled sourdough bread

Ratatouille Niçoise with poached egg

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for ratatouille Niçoise with poached egg by David Young from Cafe Nice in Sydney.

Serves 4

Prep

30M

Cook

1H 10M

Total

1H 40M

“Sweet braised vegetables with a hint of orange, paired with a runny-yolked egg and sourdough toast – no wonder it’s a classic Niçoise dish,” says Young. When savory is in season, add a sprig or two to the ratatouille.

Ingredients

500 ml (2 cups) vegetable oil

1 large eggplant, cut into 2cm dice

2 large zucchini, cut into 2cm dice

1 large red capsicum, cut into 2cm dice

50 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve

1 onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

4 ripe tomatoes, cores removed, coarsely chopped

1 piece dried orange peel, finely ground in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder

For poaching: white vinegar

4 eggs

To serve: extra-virgin olive oil, chervil sprigs and grilled sourdough bread

Method

Main

1.Place vegetable oil in a large saucepan to no more than one-third of the way up the pan, and heat over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add eggplant and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden (4-5 minutes). Remove eggplant with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper. Repeat with zucchini and then capsicum. Discard oil.

2.Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add onion and garlic and stir occasionally until very tender (8-10 minutes), then add tomato and orange peel and bring to the simmer. Add fried vegetables, stir to combine, reduce heat to low and simmer until very tender (25-30 minutes). Season to taste and keep warm.

3.Bring a saucepan of water to the simmer over medium heat and add a splash of white vinegar. Crack each egg into a separate teacup and set aside. Swirl the simmering water with a spoon to create a whirlpool, then carefully add an egg at a time and poach until cooked to your liking (3 minutes for soft-poached). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper.

4.Top portions of ratatouille with a poached egg, drizzle with oil, scatter with chervil and serve hot with grilled sourdough bread.

This recipe is from the May 2013 issue of .
Drink Suggestion: 2010 Domaine Lathuilière-Gravallon Beaujolais-Villages, Villié-Morgon, France. Drink suggestion by Rebecca Colegrave
Notes