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Colorado Ratatouille orchestrated by Chef Aaron
Last year we had the honor to meet Chef Aaron Lande at a fundraising dinner to support our local public school. The food was sensational and we learned that Chef Aaron only uses the best local ingredients. You might have encountered him at a symphony orchestra throughout Colorado as he is also a professional violinist. You can reach Chef Aaron at landogger66@gmail.com for inquiries about this recipe, private dinners, and violin performances.

About this Colorado Ratatouille, Chef Aaron says:

"We are blessed here in Boulder County with a fantastic array of summer squashes, eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes grown by our amazing local farmers during the summer. I love doing various takes on ratatouille to highlight different heirloom varieties of these vegetables, sometimes spicy, sometimes herby, and always incredibly delicious. This recipe is meant as a formula, not an exact measurement of everything, and should be a springboard for your creativity. The most important part of this is going to farm stands or the farmers market to source all of your vegetables. Although I’m suggesting a farm for each vegetable, this is in no way steadfast, nor is the specific variety of vegetables."


We have taken the liberty to simplify it a little, and below the recipe, you'll find Chef Aaron's specific suggestions on what ingredients to use in the coming weeks using the finest ingredients from local farms!

Ingredients

- 4 small squashes
- 1 zucchini from Red Wagon Organic Farm
- 2 eggplants
- 2 Anaheim peppers
- 1 Inferno Banana pepper
- 2 bell peppers (different colors if possible)
- 1 red onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 3 heirloom tomatoes (different colors if possible)
- 12 cherry tomatoes
-15 fresh basil leaves
- 2 Tablespoons (or more) oil for sautéing
- salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions
1. Mince the garlic and set aside.
2. Cut the rest of the vegetables into medium dice (1/2 inch squares), OR cut summer squashes and eggplants into rounds (fairly thin) and julienne the peppers and onions. (Keep the squashes and eggplants separate).
3. Salt the summer squashes and eggplants (fairly aggressively) and set in a colander for at least 15-20 minutes. This will help draw water out, season, and set texture. After letting them sit squeeze them aggressively, and water should come out of them.
4. Get a big frying pan hot, then add oil and immediately add summer squashes and ground black pepper. Cook on high heat quickly, making sure they don’t cook long enough to get soft (they should be just barely cooked and the pan should be hot enough that they get a little bit of color). Set aside and repeat using eggplants. Set aside and repeat using peppers, but add salt and pepper to the peppers as they have not yet been seasoned. Set aside and repeat using onions. Set aside.
5. Get the pan hot again and start by adding garlic to your hot oil, cook for 10 seconds, then add all the tomatoes. Cook just long enough that they start to break down. Then combine all of the now cooked vegetables in a big bowl.
6. Taste, and add salt and ground black pepper if necessary.
7. Spoon onto plates and top with finely julienned fresh basil.

This dish should be served barely warm or at room temperature (it’s not meant to be served piping hot). Goes perfectly with Hävenly Rustic Toast! Enjoy!

Chef Aaron's Vegetable Suggestions:
-2 small Patty Pan squashes from Cure Organic Farm (1 yellow and
1 green)
-2 small Zephyr squashes from Cure Organic Farm
-1 zucchini from Red Wagon Organic Farm
-1 Violetta di Firenze eggplant from Toohey and Sons Organic Farm
-1 Japanese eggplant from Cure Organic Farm
-2 Anaheim peppers from Red Wagon
-1 purple bell pepper from Red Wagon
-1 Inferno Banana pepper from Red Wagon
-1 white or red bell pepper from Red Wagon
-1 red onion from Red Wagon
-2 cloves of garlic from Toohey
-3 heirloom tomatoes from Red Wagon, different colors if possible
-12 orange “Sungold” cherry tomatoes from Red Wagon
-15 fresh basil leaves from Cure Organic Farm

"Again, this a formula, varieties of summer squashes, eggplants, peppers and tomatoes are totally interchangeable, so use whatever varieties are available and awesome. Enjoy!"

Chef Aaron recommends his favorite seasonal vegetables from local farms for his Colorado Ratatouille. Photo courtesy of Chef Aaron