Confit Byaldi (Ratatouille) Recipe

Confit Byaldi is a type of modern spin on Ratatouille – a French food served as a main dish or side dish. It has thin slices of vegetables such as Roma tomato, eggplant and squash. It is baked with a delicious sauce made of bell peppers, white onion and some herbs. Enjoy this flavorful dish for dinner!

Ingredients:

• 6 large Roma tomatoes
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 1 large yellow bell pepper
• 1 large orange bell pepper
• 5 parsley leaves
• 2 garlic cloves (peeled)
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 1/4 white onion (chopped)
• olive oil
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 2 medium yellow squash
• 2 medium green squash
• 2 medium eggplants
• 2 rosemary sprigs (finely chopped)
• salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Set a large pot of boiling water.
Add 3 large Roma tomatoes.
Blanch for 30 seconds.
Once done, remove from the pot and peel away the skin of the tomatoes.
Set aside.

Cut off the head of each bell pepper.
Remove the seeds and membranes.
Roast the bell peppers over high heat on a stove.
Char all sides until they turn black.
Once all sides are black, remove them from the stove.
Cover them with foil for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, remove the foil.
Start to peel away the black skin of each bell pepper.
Set aside.

Prepare a blender.
Add the blanched Roma tomatoes.
Add the bell peppers.
Add parsley leaves, garlic cloves, sprigs of thyme and chopped white onion.
Start to blend, then pour 1/2 cup of chicken stock.
Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil.
Pour 1/2 cup of hot water.
Blend on high while pressing the vegetables down the blender until a smooth sauce forms.
Once done, set aside the sauce.

Preheat oven to 225 F.

Meanwhile, cut the remaining 3 large Roma tomatoes into thin slices.
Do the same with the eggplant, yellow squash and green squash.
Set aside.

Prepare a baking dish.
Pour a thin layer of the blended sauce on the bottom of the dish.
Spread evenly.
Arrange the thin slices of tomato, eggplant, yellow squash and green squash alternately in the dish, starting around the edge.
Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil on top.
Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Sprinkle chopped rosemary leaves on top.
Cover with a parchment paper.
Place inside the preheated oven.
Bake for 90 minutes.
Once done, remove from the oven.

Prepare a plate and a ring mold.
Stack the baked vegetables vertically, then horizontally.
Carefully remove the ring mold.
Plate with some of the remaining sauce, then drizzle some olive oil.
Serve and enjoy!

Images – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roCX0AfBseQ

Quick and Easy Salsa Recipe – Homemade Salsa From Scratch

Prepare this quick and easy salsa as a sauce for your favorite nachos and tortillas. It takes about 15 minutes to prepare. This homemade salsa can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.

Ingredients:

• 2 x 15 oz cans fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1/3 cup white onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1-2 jalapeno (sliced and seeds removed)
• 1 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
• juice of 1-2 medium limes
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Instructions:

This recipe takes about 15 minutes to prepare.

Drain liquid of 2 x 15 oz of fire-roasted tomatoes.
Set aside.

Prepare a food processor.
Add two cloves of garlic.
Pulse until garlic is minced.
Add fire-roasted tomatoes, chopped white onions, and sliced jalapeno.
Season with fine sea salt and juice of a lime.
Add fresh cilantro.
Pulse until well combined.
You can season with fine sea salt and juice of a lime again to taste.
Pulse to mix well.
Transfer salsa to a bowl.
Serve with your favorite tortillas or nachos.
Enjoy!

Tips and ideas:

You can use freshly chopped tomatoes as an alternative for fire-roasted tomatoes.

Keep refrigerated.

Images – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTOMv9RhEE0

Sausage & Bean Casserole Recipe

Here’s an easy and flavorful sausage and bean casserole for the whole family for dinner. The mix of sausages and chorizos in a sauce of tomato and spices will get everybody full! Serve with your favorite side dish and a glass of wine.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 20-30 chipolata sausages
• 1 large red onion (chopped)
• 2 red bell peppers (chopped)
• 20 bite-size chorizos (halved)
• 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 chicken stock cubes (crumbled)
• 3 x 14 oz chopped tomatoes
• 1 x 14 oz haricot beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 x 14 oz cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
• 120 ml red wine (optional)

Instructions:

This recipe takes about 50 minutes. The quantities listed make enough for ten people.

Set a frying pan over medium heat.
Add 2 tbsp olive oil and warm it up.
Add 20-30 chipolata sausages and cook for 6-8 minutes until browned.
Add chopped red onions and cook for 3 minutes until onions soften.
Add chopped red bell peppers, 20 halved bite-sized chorizos.
Stir and cook for 3 minutes.
Season with minced garlic, paprika, and dried thyme.
Stir and cook for a minute.
Pour 120 ml red wine.
Let it cook for 2-3 minutes or until sauce is reduced slightly.
Sprinkle crumbled chicken stock cubes into the mixture.
Add three cans of chopped tomatoes and mix.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
Add cannellini and haricot beans.
Stir and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and transfer to a plate.
Serve and enjoy!

Images – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urzjl8XMlH4