Ratatouille with Fennel and Chickpeas

RATATOUILLE with FENNEL and CHICKPEAS

(NYT Cooking,  Mark Bittman)

This ratatouille with chickpeas and fennel is terrific! Makes a great light supper or meat accompaniment.

Given a moderate degree of freshness, most vegetables from supermarkets can be made to taste good when gardens go dormant.  Can have a great vegan meal with this ratatouille, fresh corn, and cooked greens.

Prep Time:  20 minutes

Cook Time: 35-40 minutes

Yield:6-8 servings (if side dish)

Utensils Needed:  Chef's knife, 1-2 larger shallow baking or roasting pans

Ingredients

• 1 pound eggplant (smaller is better), peeled if you like, and cut into large chunks
• ¾ pound zucchini, cut into large chunks
• 1 pound Roma (plum) tomatoes, cored and chopped, or 1 28-ounce can, drained
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 red or yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and sliced (optional)
• 1 fennel bulb (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into large chunks
• 5 garlic cloves, halved
• 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or rosemary, or 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley
• pitted black olives (to taste) Probably 8-10, sliced in 1/2 after pitting.(optional)

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine all ingredients except oil, chickpeas and herbs in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil and toss to combine. (go easy on the oil. You can always add more later.)
2. Transfer to a large roasting pan or two trying not to let vegetable overlap. 
3. Transfer to oven and roast, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are lightly browned and tender and some water has been released from the tomatoes to create a bit of sauce, 30 to 40 minutes.
4. Add chickpeas, stir and return to oven until beans heat through, 5 to 10 minutes. Add herbs and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve hot, warm or at room temperature. 
    
   
   NOTES from other cooks
   -You can add kalamata olives, capers, and.or artichoke hearts when adding the chickpeas. Add these all about 20 min before the veggies are done so they get a chance to roast a bit too.
   - Adding 1/2 cup of red wine when you add the chickpeas for a little extra moisture is a big boost in flavor.
   -Freezes well in smaller portions. Reheat thawed portion on high for approximately 2 minutes.
   -I used rosemary with the chickpeas, and the flavor was savory and delicious.
   
   
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