Season’s End Ratatouille

Author: Allison Anneser

My grandmother was one of those people who used everything to the fullest. A roasted chicken dinner first became leftovers, then sandwiches, a casserole, and finally, soup. She made it last the whole week. Even before “Victory” gardens became popular during WWII, she saved her food scraps, coffee grounds, grass clippings, and leaves to make rich compost for her garden. My father and his three older siblings helped with the garden chores: planting, weeding, harvesting, and chasing away rabbits and other pests and as a result, my grandmother’s garden overflowed every summer with huge tomatoes, beans, peppers, onions, zucchinis, summer squash, and herbs.

My grandmother always looked for ways to manage this abundance with others in mind. She gave away armloads of produce to family, friends, and neighbors; she formed an assembly line with her children to can beans, carrots, and stewed tomatoes which usually ended up in other people’s kitchens; and she cooked recipes which allowed her to use the surplus vegetables from her plentiful garden.

One of her favorite recipes was Season’s End Ratatouille. This hearty vegetable stew was perfect for her because it adapted to whatever the garden gave her. The measurements were flexible and nothing was wasted. She used bacon grease (which she also saved to mix with lye for laundry soap) to sauté the vegetables for extra flavor. She would cut the vegetables into large chunks and let them simmer for hours, filling the room with a wonderful aroma.

My parents continued my grandmother’s traditions by renting a plot every year at a nearby school as our yard was not suitable for a garden. My brothers and I learned how to tend the garden and fend off critters. We cooked big pots of garlic and water to pour around the edges hoping the strong smell would discourage hungry animals. At the end of every season, we’d make batches of Grandma’s ratatouille. We would eat some, freeze some, and give the rest to family and friends.

Now, with children of my own, our family belongs to a community farm. We buy a “share” during the growing season and stop by weekly to pick up our portion of the harvest. We often pitch in to help plant, weed, and harvest. My children choose vegetables right from the garden to go into the pot. We use turkey bacon instead of bacon grease and sometimes sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil instead. We like to fill large bowls and top each serving with grated cheese and then save the rest to eat cold the next day. Ratatouille makes an excellent side dish or, with a little added Italian sausage, a meal in itself.

I look forward to the end of every season when our kitchen overflows with vegetables. I think of my grandmother’s bountiful garden and her overflowing heart; then we get to work cooking her Season’s End Ratatouille.

Season’s End Ratatouille Recipe

Ingredients

4 strips bacon, cut into pieces
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 green peppers, cut into strips
3 cups tomatoes, diced (about 2 pounds)
1 eggplant, diced
2 yellow squash, cut into chunks
2 zucchini, cut into chunks
2 teaspoons dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Instructions

In large stew pot, fry the bacon until crisp.
Add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, squash, zucchini, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Simmer 30 - 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all vegetables are tender.
Top each serving with cheese.

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