Sunday, May 29, 2011


you know what i'm saying, that like, every time i hear the term 'nightshades' i'm reminded of a certain nostalgic bob seger song? ya you do! it's 'cause we totally think the same.

anyway. the family of plants that bear this moniker are referred to more scientifically as 'solanaceae' and will likely NOT help with making the front page drive-in news, nor with losing those awkward teenage blues, though on second thought, some nightshade plants contain toxic, possibly deadly, alkaloids...eek.. 
riiight. point? edible nightshades account for most of the veggies that constitute a proper ratatouille, so take note.

ratatouille is an animated pixar movie about a rat with ambitions of becoming a chef. yuck-o. 
ratatouille is also a french dish which is basically a cook-down of zucchini (not a nightshade), tomato, eggplant, peppers (nightshades), flavoured by onion, garlic, fresh thyme, salt/pepper, and i added worcestershire sauce because i'm a bad-ass. yum-o.
i also added a spicy sausage. that's just how i roll.
the whole thing cooked in some olive oil for aprox 20 minutes and was then laid upon a bed of brown rice for my mouth to enjoy. a healthy, hearty, flavourful meal. 
unless you're allergic to nightshades, in which case, keep off the 'touille.

with summer slowwwwwwwly approaching, and these veggies growing in the garden and cropping up in farmers markets, it's time to get local on your produce and work on those nightshades.