Mediterranean Vegetable Garden Ratatouille with Couscous Pressure Cooker Recipe

Mediterranean Vegetable Garden Ratatouille With Couscous Pressure Cooker Recipe

Ingredients

SERVES 4 – Cooker: 5- to 7-quart – Time: 3 minutes at HIGH pressure

RATATOUILLE:

• 4 Japanese eggplant, unpeeled, or 2 regular eggplant, peeled
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 4 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut across into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium bell peppers of any color, seeded and sliced into strips
• 3 cups seeded and diced plum tomatoes, or 2 (14.5-ounce) cans chopped tomatoes in juice, drained
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram or ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar

COUSCOUS PILAF:

• 2½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2½ cups couscous
• ¾ cup crumbled feta or soft goat cheese

Method

1. Cut the eggplant into 2-inch cubes and transfer it to a paper towel-lined colander
2. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt and leave it to drain for 30 minutes
3. Rinse the salt thoroughly from the drained eggplant and pat dry
4. In a 5- to 7-quart pressure cooker, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the onion, and cook, stirring a few times, until soft, about 5 minutes
6. Add the rest of the oil, eggplant, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 5 minutes
7. Add the broth, then the zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, herbs, black pepper to taste, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt
8. Close and lock the lid
9. Set the burner heat to high
10. When the cooker reaches HIGH pressure, reduce the burner heat as low as you can and still maintain HIGH pressure
11. Set a timer to cook for 3 minutes
12. Remove the pot from the heat
13. Open the cooker with the Quick Release method
14. Be careful of the steam as you open the lid
15. Stir
16. The eggplant and zucchini should be tender but not mushy
17. If there is too much liquid, simmer with the lid off to evaporate some
18. Drizzle with the vinegar
19. Make the couscous
20. Combine the broth, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil
21. Remove from the heat, add the couscous, stir, cover, and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes
22. Mound the couscous on large serving platter or portion into the center of individual dinner plates, and make a well in center
23. Use slotted spoon to transfer the ratatouille vegetables on top of the well
24. Ladle some juice over the vegetables and couscous
25. Sprinkle with the cheese and serve immediately
26. Moroccan Ratatouille with Dates: Add 10 ounces pitted dates, sliced in half lengthwise, in Step 2 with the tomatoes
27. Substitute 2 to 3 teaspoons ras el hanout spice mixture (available in Middle Eastern groceries) for the basil, marjoram, and thyme
28. Ratatouille with Olives: Add 12 pitted black olives (such as Greek) and 12 pitted green olives (such as Sicilian), halved, in Step 4 along with the vinegar

Full List of Pressure-Cooker Recipes
Full List of Mediterranean Recipes