Ratatouille with Black Quinoa

Every Sunday we go to Newburyport's Farmer's Market. For lunch, I usually go to Revitalive Cafe - vegan, gluten free place - for a quinoa bowl. I usually get their Mexi-bowl which is avocado, homemade salsa, lettuce, hot sauce and some vegan bean dip on top of quinoa. Last week, a young chef obsessed with our donuts stopped by the tent for a chat and we got to talking about quinoa and I realized how versatile it is. Any salad or anything can be mixed with quinoa. So, when I came across a recipe from Alice Waters for ratatouille I decided to mix it with some black quinoa I had. Delicious. and Healthy. 

Alice Waters' Ratatouille from The Art of Simple Food mixed with Black Quinoa

1 cup quinoa 1 medium or 2 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch dice 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more to taste  2 medium onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice  4 to 6 garlic cloves, chopped  1/2 bunch of basil, tied in a bouquet with kitchen twine + 6 basil leaves,chopped  smattering of dried chile flakes, or to taste  2 sweet peppers, cut into 1/2-inch dice  3 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice  3 ripe medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice  Salt to taste

Toss the eggplant cubes with a teaspoon or so of salt. Set the cubes in a colander to drain for about 20 minutes.

Put the quinoa in a small pot and cover with 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring to the boil then simmer for about 20 minutes until the water has evaporated and the quinoa is al dente/soft depending on your preference. Fluff with a fork and set aside. 

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Pat the eggplant dry, add to the pan, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown and a bit crisp around the edges. Add a bit more oil if the eggplant absorbs all the oil and sticks to the bottom of the pan. Remove the eggplant when done and set aside.

In the same pot, pour in 2 more tablespoons olive oil. Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, basil bouquet, dried chile flakes, and a bit more salt. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir in peppers (if using). Cook for a few more minutes, then stir in summer squash. Cook for a few more minutes, then stir in tomatoes.

Cook for 10 minutes longer, then stir in eggplant and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more, until all the vegetables are soft. Remove the bouquet of basil, pressing on it to extract all its flavors, and adjust the seasoning with salt. Stir in the chopped basil leaves and more extra virgin olive oil, to taste. Pour in the quinoa and toss to coat. Serve warm or cold.

* I did not have any sweet peppers. Also, the tomatoes could probably be peeled for aesthetic reasons or personal preference. There were little strips of tomato peels mixed in, which is fine with me, but just came off as the small-diced tomatoes were cooking. To peel tomatoes, cut an x at the base of the tomato, blanch in boiling water then remove as soon as the skin begins to unfold. Dunk in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking (and for an easy to handle touch) then peel back the skin easily.