Ratatouille

This colorful Provençal vegetable ragout is traditionally made with simple, easily accessible ingredients: courgettes, eggplants, green and red peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and parsley. The name ratatouille stems from the old Occitan word ratatolha, and the French word touiller, both meaning to toss, or to stir up, referring to the cooking process in which the ingredients are first simmered separately—seasoned with salt, pepper, and olive oil—and then tossed together and stirred into a vibrant vegetable medley. Though it wasn't until the 1930s that ratatouille was popularized, by the 1980s, the dish had become the star of any dinner party. Ratatouille can be enjoyed on its own, served either hot or cold, along with toasted garlic bread, or it can be dished out as a side to roasted or grilled meat mains, especially lamb and chicken.