La Chatte Gitane (or The Gypsy Cat) was the name we chose for our cottage in France at the time. We chose it while on the road, moving house the first time round, from Ireland to France with 2 dogs and 7 cats in the car.
This blog began its insignificant life as a recipe book for friends and family who would ask me repeatedly for a recipe of this, that and the other.
Since then it has taken many different directions, like we did and like gypsies tend to do. Sometimes making a U-turn and revisiting familiar roads and taking a break when necessary.
You'll find recipes here, but also musings about the places we've called home, the gardens that we've established, not always successfully, the homes we've improved and the environments we've lived in. Currently, after yet another stint in Ireland, we're back in France @ Le Mas d'Ayen

Monday, September 10, 2012

Ratatouille with Grilled Prawns - (366 cal) - 5:2


When you get this kind of still life from your garden, there is only one dish that springs to mind. Ratatouille !  



Ingredients  231 cal per person
serves 4
  • 130 grs onions, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped or grated
  • 850 grs courgettes, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
  • 370 grs aubergines, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
  • 330 grs red peppers, cut into 2.5 cm squares
  • 2 to 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • thyme
  • rosemary
  • vegetable stock 250 ml
  • red wine vinegar, a dash
  • 620 grs tomatoes, red and yellow, roughly chopped
  • seasoning
  • a pinch of sugar (or do what I did, use Stevia)
  • fresh basil, as much as you like

Preparation
  • In a pan deep-ish pan, heat a tbsp of olive oil and sautee the onions with the garlic.
  • In the meantime use another pan to heat up another drizzle of olive oil. Fry off the courgettes.
  • When they are nicely coloured, add them to the onions which are still on the hob on a low heat.
  • Next into the pan are the aubergines. Brown on all sides. Add to the onions.
  • Repeat for the peppers.
  • Now add bay leaf, thyme, rosemary and stock to the vegetables, together with the vinegar.
  • Leave to simmer till the veggies are soft but not falling apart (20 minutes or so)
  • You then drain the vegetables off the cooking liquid, preserving the liquid, which will go back into the pan on the hob to be reduced untill it tickens. Take off the heat.
  • Add the vegetables again with seasoning and stevia. Top with the tomatoes, lid on for 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the basil and serve.

Prawn skewers  135 cal pp
serves 1
  •  12 frozen tiger (or other) prawns, defrosted and shell removed. 150 grs (shelled)
  • a drizzle of olive oil (you should have some left from the ratatouille)
  • season with seasalt, curry powder

  • Stick the prawns onto wooden skewers - 2 skewers of 6 prawns, each.
  • Drizzle with the oil and season
  • Put in a preheated griddle pan. Griddle on both sides till they have completely changed colour.
  • Don't overcook as they become rubbery.
  • Serve with ratatouille


Patricia xxx...x
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