普羅旺斯的天空下 Living in Provence

這道普羅旺斯燉菜也是在一個多月前做的, 是我家夏天的必備。

基本上普羅旺斯燉菜所使到的四個關鍵蔬菜為茄子、櫛瓜、紅椒和蕃茄加上大蒜和洋蔥等辛香料調味。在法國, 這道菜的烹飪方式有兩種: 第一是將所有的蔬菜加入一起煮, 另一則是將每一種蔬菜先分開調理後最後再混合。

在今日時時求新求創意的料理界, 這道普羅旺斯燉菜是可以完全隨著個人喜好來呈現的。 而我的詮釋方式則是以使用初春的有機蒜苗 (leek)和白酒來帶出蔬菜的甜。

* 我喜歡在春季的時後到自家附近的有機農場買大約1-2公斤的有機嫩蒜苗 (leek), 冬天的蒜苗是最為甜美的但初春的嫩蒜苗(較瘦小)除了甜美更軟嫩, 是可以整根使用的。  回到家後, 這些嫩蒜苗的處理方式為先以大量清水徹底洗去沙土, 然後再以紙巾完全擦乾, 接著切細絲放於數個小塑膠盒中冷藏。 這樣一來我便可以持續在夏天享用到初春的嫩蒜苗。

 

250-300 公克 帶藤櫻桃蕃茄, 去皮、從頂部對切成4份(1/4 瓣)
(因剛好剩下一顆熟透的蕃茄便順手切丁一起使用)
2 條 中型櫛瓜, 切丁 (約1.5 公分)
1 條 小型茄子, 切丁 (約1.5 公分)
1 顆 大型紅椒, 去籽、切丁 (約1.5 公分)
1 根 有機嫩蒜苗 (leek)*, 切細絲
200 ml 乾白酒
少許特級橄欖油
1小撮鹽之花

*  可以1 顆小洋蔥和1瓣較肥的大蒜代替蒜苗


1.  先在一鍋內分批以少許特級橄欖油將茄子丁煎呈金黃, 放於一備用盤

2.  同時於另一鍋內以1大匙特級橄欖油, 慢炒蒜苗絲至軟

3.  加入紅椒丁, 以中小火炒3-4分鐘

4.  轉大火, 倒入乾白酒煮沸2分鐘讓酒精揮發; 加入蕃茄

5.  轉中火, 加入茄子丁, 拌煮約5分鐘

6.  加入櫛瓜丁並拌勻, 略蓋 (非包住) 上一張鋁箔紙或烤紙以中小火燉20分鐘

7.  移除鋁箔紙或烤紙, 若鍋中帶有過多汁水, 以中火收汁數分鐘; 熄火後以1小撮鹽之花調味

這道普羅旺斯燉菜微溫時最具風味; 圖中看到的是我們某2晚的晚餐, 分別搭配了嫩煎小牛肉和鐵板嫩煎鮮花枝(淋上以義式扁葉香芹pesto)。

My take on Ratatouille

Here is another Provençal summer dish that was made a while ago.

Generally speaking, the key vegetables in a ratatouille are aubergines, courgettes, capsicums and tomatoes aromatised with some garlic and onions.  There are two ways of cooking these vegetables; one is to cook all of them at once and the other is to cook each vegetable separately and mix them together at the end.  

There are no rules of making ratatouille and my favorite way of making this classic Provençal summer dish is using leeks and white wine.  I find this combination enhances the sweetness of these summer vegetables.

*  I like to buy 1-2 kg of organic spring young leeks from the nearby organic farm as they are extremely sweet and tender.  I would first wash and drain these leeks thoroughly, and then finely slice and store into several freezer containers and freeze.  This allows me to enjoy this delicate sweetness through out the summer months.

250-300 g cherry tomatoes on the vine, skinned and quartered
(I also threw in a very ripe tomato, skinned and diced)
2 medium courgettes, diced (1.5 cm)
1 small aubergine, diced (1.5 cm)
1 large red capsicum, seeds removed and diced (1.5 cm)
1 finely sliced organic young leek*
200 ml cooking white wine
Some extra virgin olive oil
fleur de sel to season

*  Substitute leek for 1 onion and 1 fat garlic clove.

1.  Fry aubergine cubes in batches with enough oil in a frying pan.  Transfer the fried aubergine to a plate.
2.  At the same time, slowly fry the leeks with 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan until soft.
3.  Add capsicum to the large frying pan and cook for 3-4 minutes over a low-medium heat.
4.  Increase the heat to high and pour in the white wine.  Let it boil for 2 minutes and then add the tomatoes.
5.  Add the fried aubergine and cook for 5 minutes over a medium heat.
6.  Add the courgettes and mix to combine.  Cover loosely with a piece of cooking paper or foil and cook for 20 minutes over a low-medium heat.
7.  Remove the cooking paper or foil and reduce the liquid in pan for a few minutes if necessary.  Season with a pinch of fleur de sel.

This ratatouille is best served lukewarm.  As seen in pictures, this ratatouille was served with very briefly pan-fried veal steak and fresh squid drizzled with flat-leaf parsley pesto the other two nights.