Chef Remy At Your Service

Are you sick of my summer recipes yet? I just can't get over my love for fresh summer produce that I can pick right outside my door.  This year we have tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, strawberries (someone help), and herbs.  After the BIT of rain we've had, haha, my eggplants all of a sudden exploded and I was able to grab the first few of the ripe tomatoes and peppers as well. With zucchini from my CSA share at Three Part Harmony farm, I figured it was the perfect time to make my quick stove-top ratatouille. You can find the baked version here, if you're trying to impress someone.  I've discovered that I like eggplant more when it's peeled - it gets caramelized and roasty and it's just delicious in this recipe. Defrost a few salmon filets and use up the rest of that pesto reserve for the perfect weeknight dinner. 

Also, this recipe was highly requested during an Instagram story, so I'm aware that my photos are sub par.  I have a full-time job and can't take beautiful photos with natural light when I get home at 7pm. :) But I CAN cook.

Stove-top Ratatouille with Pesto Baked Salmon

Hangry Timer: 20 minutes
Feeds: 2
Cost: Varies depending on your garden ;)

What you Need:

5 Fairy-tale Eggplant, peeled and cubed*
2 Zucchini, cubed
1 handful of Cherry Tomatoes, halved
Peppers - whatever you have, quartered
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
2 Salmon Filets
Pesto (recipe below)
Fresh Basil, chiffonade

Pesto

2 cups Fresh Basil
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 cup Nuts (I used pecans and almonds)
Garlic Cloves to taste
Salt

In a food processor pulse together the basil and nuts. Then add the cheese and garlic and pulse a few more times. Stream in the olive oil to desired consistency and salt to taste. Voila!

What to do with it:

Preheat your oven to 400º.

Heat a cast iron skillet to medium high heat with 2 Tbsp. oil (vegetable or olive oil will do).  Toss the eggplant in the pan and leave it untouched for a few minutes so that it can caramelize.  Stir the eggplant every few minutes until all sides are caramelized, moving them carefully so they don't stick. Add salt. Next add the zucchini and let brown on all sides, season with salt.

While the zucchini and eggplant brown (they take the longest), put the two salmon filets in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and then top with a heaping Tbsp. of pesto. Spread the pesto all over the salmon.  Pop the salmon in the oven for 8 minutes and continue with the ratatouille.

Add the peppers to the eggplant mixture and cook for about 3 minutes.  Salt!

Turn off the heat and add the tomatoes and some of the fresh basil. Stir to warm the tomatoes through and finish with a little salt and pepper.

Plate the ratatouille and place the pesto salmon on top with the rest of the fresh basil.

Dig in!

Not in the mood for meat? Serve the ratatouille with a dippy egg instead!

Watch Hangry Michelle make this recipe on Instagram @hangrymichelle under the Recipes highlight :)

*You can use any type of eggplant, just peel it first! This recipe really works with any type of summer vegetables - squash, peppers, onions, beans - GO CRAZY!

★★★