Another good way to use my favorite eggplant. I used cod as the fish. I've also done this with halibut.
Roast Fish with Ratatouille
Raratouille
2 3/4- to 1-lb eggplants (aubergines), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
salt
8 tablespoons pure olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 red or green bell peppers (capsicums), seeded, deribbed and sliced or diced
3 zucchini (courgettes), diced or sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 to 4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Fish
3 lb fish steaks or fillets such as halibut, tuna, sea bass or cod, about 1-inch thick
3 cloves garlic, cut into thin slivers
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 to 4 bay leaves
3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup dry white wine
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
Ratatouille
Sprinkle the eggplant cubes with salt and place in a colander. Let stand for 30 minutes. Quickly rinse off the salt and pat dry with paper towels.
In a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add half of the eggplant and sauté, turning often, until tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining eggplant and 2 more tablespoons of the oil. Heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the onions and garlic to the bowl holding the eggplant.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan over medium heat. Add the bell peppers and zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Return the eggplant, onions and garlic to the pan and add the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are very soft, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the basil.
Fish
Preheat an oven to 400°F.
Lightly oil a baking dish large enough to hold the fish pieces in a single layer with the ratatouille. Make slits 1/4-inch deep in the fish and insert the garlic slivers into the slits. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in the prepared dish. Tuck the bay leaves and thyme sprigs around the fish and drizzle evenly with the white wine. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully transfer the fish to a platter. Place most of the ratatouille in the dish, set the fish on top and cover with the remaining ratatouille. Bake until the fish is opaque throughout when pierced with a knife at the thickest point, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Sprinkle with the basil or parsley and serve at once.
Serves 6
Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library: Mediterranean Cooking
Roast Fish with Ratatouille
Raratouille
2 3/4- to 1-lb eggplants (aubergines), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
salt
8 tablespoons pure olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 red or green bell peppers (capsicums), seeded, deribbed and sliced or diced
3 zucchini (courgettes), diced or sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 to 4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Fish
3 lb fish steaks or fillets such as halibut, tuna, sea bass or cod, about 1-inch thick
3 cloves garlic, cut into thin slivers
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 to 4 bay leaves
3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup dry white wine
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
Ratatouille
Sprinkle the eggplant cubes with salt and place in a colander. Let stand for 30 minutes. Quickly rinse off the salt and pat dry with paper towels.
In a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add half of the eggplant and sauté, turning often, until tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining eggplant and 2 more tablespoons of the oil. Heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the onions and garlic to the bowl holding the eggplant.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pan over medium heat. Add the bell peppers and zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Return the eggplant, onions and garlic to the pan and add the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are very soft, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the basil.
Fish
Preheat an oven to 400°F.
Lightly oil a baking dish large enough to hold the fish pieces in a single layer with the ratatouille. Make slits 1/4-inch deep in the fish and insert the garlic slivers into the slits. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in the prepared dish. Tuck the bay leaves and thyme sprigs around the fish and drizzle evenly with the white wine. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully transfer the fish to a platter. Place most of the ratatouille in the dish, set the fish on top and cover with the remaining ratatouille. Bake until the fish is opaque throughout when pierced with a knife at the thickest point, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Sprinkle with the basil or parsley and serve at once.
Serves 6
Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library: Mediterranean Cooking