Autumn Ratatouille + Taleggio Polenta

in the kitchen with karen small

Karen Small, founder and chef at The Flying Fig, welcomed the fall season by sharing with us one of her go-to dishes—ratatouille. Sautéed autumn veggies and cheesy polenta served hot for a cozy night in.

To thank Karen for her time, BurkleHagen has donated $100 to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank—we’d love you to do the same.

Food Styling: Claire Vredevoogd

Autumn Ratatouille + Taleggio Polenta

1/2	zucchini, diced
1/2	yellow squash, diced
1/2	red, yellow and orange peppers, diced small
1	yellow onion, diced small
4 Cloves	garlic, sliced thin
1	eggplant
1 tbsp	tomato paste
4—5	large heirloom tomatoes
2 tbsp	fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp	oregano
	honey to taste
1 tbsp	fresh marjoram, chopped
1/2 tsp	crushed red pepper
1 cup	water
4 cups	vegetable stock
2 cups	heavy cream
	grating of nutmeg
1/2 TSP	cayenne pepper
1 1/4 CUPS	cornmeal
2 OZ.	pecorino romano
1—2 OZ	taleggio
1—2 OZ	butter
3 TBSP	chiffonade of fresh basil
1 TSP	fresh mint, chopped
6—8 TBSP	olive oil
	salt + pepper

Instructions

Prep

Peel, dice and salt eggplant. Let sit for 1 hour. Rinse and pat dry. Peel, seed and chop tomatoes.

Vegetables

In skillet, heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Sauté zucchini and squash, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 minutes and stir frequently. Repeat this process with peppers and onion, stir in garlic near the end and set aside. Sauté eggplant until tender and golden brown. Set aside.

Sauce

In saucepan, heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Stir in tomato paste and cook until simmering. Squeeze tomatoes into saucepan. Add thyme and oregano. Cook 10—15 minutes until sauce begins to thicken. Add sautéed eggplant and cook for 8—10 minutes. Add honey if desired. Toss remaining sautéed vegetables into sauce. Add marjoram and crushed red pepper. Cook another 1—2 minutes to complete ratatouille.

Polenta

In saucepan, bring water, stock and cream to a boil. Add nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper. Place ½ cup cornmeal into large bowl and add 1 cup of boiling liquid. Stir bowl contents back into pan and slowly add the remaining cornmeal. Stir frequently over low heat for 30—40 minutes to thin, add stock or cream to polenta.

Serve

Stir cheeses and butter into polenta and transfer to serving dish. Top with prepared ratatouille and drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with pecorino gratings, basil and mint.