艾蜜莉的異想世界

秋天是茄子的季節，那天一時興起，上菜市場買了兩條，這次回彰化，婆婆又給了四小條，天啊！我們吃到臉色都發紫了！

正好拿來做這道Julia Child的普羅旺斯燉菜～好久沒做了，普羅旺斯燉菜是法國東南部農民的家常菜，通常是將家中各類蔬果一起燉煮的即興料理，原是一道上不了台面的菜，每家的媽媽各有各自傳承的風味，但隨著時間的推演，漸漸變成一道當地知名的菜色了。

Julia Child的Ratatouille食譜與一般的燉菜多了幾道手續，就像她所提到的，"A really good ratatouille is not one of the quicker disher to make, as each element is cooked separately before it is arranged in the casserole to partake of a grief communal simmer." 意思是說要將每一種菜分開處理，既然要學做菜，就得學得像一點，我迷戀經典，嚴格遵守她的方式來製作，當然這樣的作法絕對不適合趕時間的職業婦女啦～

食材方面，吃起來軟軟的Zucchini (節瓜) 在一般的傳統市場上並不容易找得到，所以我用黃瓜替代，反正雜匯嘛～想加什麼就加什麼吧！

程序與原著有些許不同，我的作法如下：
1. 煮一鍋熱水，將蕃茄放進去約半分鐘，撈起來去皮，將蕃茄捏碎或切成丁狀做成蕃茄漿，備用。
2. 茄子及黃瓜切塊，灑點鹽醃30分鐘。
3. 將茄子及黃瓜的鹽沖掉，拿紙巾擦乾水份，用少許油將茄子及黃瓜分別煎至表面金黃，放旁邊備用。
4. 用同一個鍋來炒洋蔥丁至半透明，加入青椒、紅椒及其他蔬菜丁約十分鐘，加入蒜泥調味。
5. 將備好的蕃茄漿鋪於上層，用少許鹽及黑胡椒調味，加蓋燉煮5分鐘。
6. 準備一個可燉煮的鍋子，放入1/3 剛煮的蕃茄醬燉菜，灑上一層西洋芹(我用芹菜替代)，再鋪上一半煎過的茄子及黃瓜，再灑上一層西洋芹，然後再鋪一層1/3的蕃茄醬汁燉菜及西洋芹，再鋪上剩下的茄子及黃瓜，最後將剩下的1/3蕃茄醬汁燉菜及西洋芹鋪上。
7. 加蓋用小火燉煮10分鐘，開蓋稍微攪拌一下以免底下燒焦，直到湯汁稍微收乾即可。

整個程序都不需加一滴水，所產生的湯汁是蔬果天然的甜味。普羅旺斯燉菜是一道家常菜，香料可以是芹菜、百里香或是自己喜歡的味道，是一道每個人都可以創造出自己特色的料理喔～

燉菜可以熱食，放冰箱隔天當冷盤食用也非常美味。隔天我將燉菜平鋪在烤過的法式麵包上，磨些起士，又是一道特色異國料理了～

以下是由網路上節錄Julia Child's Ratatouille recipe，有興趣參考一下吧～

Ingredients:
1 lb. eggplant
1 lb. zucchini
1 tsp. salt
4-6 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1/2 lb. (about 1 1/2 cups) thinly sliced yellow onions
2 sliced red or green peppers (about 1 cup)
2 cloves mashed garlic
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 lb. firm, ripe, red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and
juiced
3 Tbsp. minced parlsey

Directions:
Peel the eggplant and cut into lengthwise slices 3/8" think, about 3" long and 1" wide. Scrub the zucchini, slice off the two ends and cut into slices about the same size as the eggplant. Place the vegetables in a bowl and toss with 1 tsp. salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain and dry each slice in a towel.

One layer at a time, saute the eggplant and then the zucchini in 4 Tbsp. hot olive oil in a 10-12" skillet for about a minute on each side to brown very lightly. Remove to a side dish.

In the same skillet, cook the onions and peppers (add an additional 2 Tbsp. of olive oil if needed) for about 10 minutes, until tender but not browned. Stir in the garlic and season with salt & pepper to taste.

Slice tomato pulp into 3/8" strips. Lay them over the onions and peppers. Season with salt & pepper. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until tomatoes have begun to render their juice. Uncover, taste the tomatoes with the juices, raise heat and boil for several minutes until juice has almost entirely evaporated.

Place a third of the tomatoe mixture in the bottom of a 2 1/2 quart casserole (about 2 1/2" deep). Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. fresh, minced parlsey over tomatoes. Arrange half of the eggplant and zucchini on top, then half the remaining tomatoes and parsley. Put in the rest of the eggplant and zucchini and finish with the remaining tomatoes and parsley.

Cover the casserole and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, tip the casserole and baste with the rendered juices. Correct seasoning if necessary. Raise heat slightly and cook uncovered about 15 minutes more, basting several times, until juices have evaporated leaving a spoonful or two of flavored olive oil. Be careful of your heat; do not let the vegetables scorch in the bottom of the casserole!. Serves 6-8.