Spring and Summer...Finally Here

Summer is finally here and despite the fact that it has rained for oh, 40 of the last 45 days, the Union Square Greenmarket is finally moving beyond the winter root vegetables to gorgeous spring onions, tender greens, and zucchini. Tomatoes are still $4 lb. (and therefore still out of reach) but walking through the greenamarket today was pure pleasure. I filled my arms with yukon potatoes, zucchini, purple onions and baby beets. At home a ratatouille, inspired by the recipe in Molly Wizenberg's A Homemade Life**, served over a crushed potato and topped with a spoonful of fresh ricotta, was the perfect dinner after an exhausting yoga class.

It seems that all I want lately are fresh, light flavors redolent of the spring and summer bounty to come. I experience this every year as the weather shifts from the cool days of spring to the heat of summer. I am fortunate enough to date a chef (or "cook" as he prefers to call himself for he does not yet run his own kitchen ) who loves the city as much as I do but has a penchant for a more rural life. During the rainy months of April and May Patrick escaped the city on his days off from the restaurant to hunt for morels and ramps in a nearby state park. I am the lucky girl who was forced to be the guinea pig for homemade gnocchi with ramp pesto, bacon, and morels (yes, feel free to hate me). What can I say...I love that he has the soul of an italian grandma trapped in the body of 20-something man. So this is an ode to a meal that I could not get enough of...thank goodness marathon training started otherwise I may have regreted that second bowl of gnocchi.

**Molly writes one of my favorite food blogs - http://orangette.blogspot.com/
I bought her book the week it came out (impressive for a cheapo like me to not wait for it to come out on paperback!) and have read it several times over already.

Ratatouille Recipe:

Start by cubing and sauteing your zucchini in olive oil. I like to cook it separately from the other vegetables until it has some color and is starting to soften. Set the zucchini aside on a separate plate. If you have eggplant repeat and set aside. I did not have eggplant on hand when I made my ratatouille but I have heard some people like to brush the eggplant with olive oil and bake in the oven until tender. This seems like a good way to reduce the amount of fat in the recipe as eggplant soaks up oil like a sponge.

Next, cook some chopped onions and garlic until they are translucent and start to soften. I like to add chile d'arbol once the onions have started to cook down but any spicy pepper will do. I tend to like all my food to have a little spice or acid so this may not be for everyone. If you have anchovies on hand (stop wrinkling your nose, anchovies are not only good for you but add a phenomenal depth of flavor to any dish) add them in as the onions cook and they will melt down into a delicious slightly salty addition to your ratouille. If you do use anchovies be less liberal when you add salt to the dish.

After you have cooked the onions down add tomatoes and continue to cook until the tomatoes start to break down, approximately five minutes. I like to add a touch of tomato paste if my tomatoes are not in top form. Add the eggplant and zucchini back in and cook down another 10-15 minutes until all the vegetables have softened (but are not mushy) and melded together. Season with salt, pepper and a splash of red wine vinegar. I like to fold in some slivered basil or mint after I take the ratatouille off the heat. Eat immediately or let cool to room temperature - enjoy!