Can this ratatouille be saved?
I just made a batch of ratatouille using green bell peppers. There is a bitter metallic taste. Is there anything I can do to salvage this batch?
This is what I did. Olive oil was used throughout.
Peeled eggplant, sliced in chunks, salted, rinsed
Cut slender young zucchini in same size chunks; Did not salt
Cut an onion and green pepper in chunks
Defrosted frozen Roma tomatoes from last year's garden. Rough chopped
Sauteed eggplant , added to casserole dish
Sauteed zucchini with an garlic clove, added to casserole
Sauteed green peppers, onion
Added last year's frozen Roma tomatoes to the onion/pepper mix, reduced and added to casserole
(I tasted the tomatoes after they defrosted; no issues there) Added some Herbs d'Provence, covered casserole and baked.
It is bitter and metallic. What happened ? Can it be rescued?
How to avoid this next time?
(I really like fresh made ratatouille in the summer)
Thank you
Best Answer
What you're tasting is likely the eggplant -- eggplants with more seeds can have a distinct metallic taste, and can definitely ruin a dish. There's probably nothing that can be done for this batch, but for next time:
Look at the bottom of the eggplant when you're picking it out -- if it has a small round indentation, then it's a "male" eggplant and will have less seeds; if it's a larger horizontal indentation, then it's a "female", and will have a higher seed content (and ruin your Ratatouille). Once you look at a couple, you'll see the difference -- they're distinctly different and easy to pick out once you know what you're looking for. Google "male vs female eggplants" and you'll find plenty of pictures of this.
One note: the "male/female" nomenclature isn't exactly correct: What they call a "male" is an eggplant that was less pollenated and therefore generated less seeds, though the eggplants don't technically have any gender -- but, this is the common terminology used to describe the difference.
Pictures about "Can this ratatouille be saved?"
How do you fix bitter eggplant after cooking?
Salt it. Regardless, sprinkling a good amount of salt over eggplant slices or cubes before they're cooked does draw out some of its moisture and lessens the bitterness.What is the secret for a good ratatouille?
Ratatouille requires ripe vegetables, a liberal hand with the olive oil, and patience: only long, slow cooking will give you the creamy soft vegetables, and intense, almost jammy sauce that sings of the sun. Anything else is just plain vegetable stew.How do you fix bitter zucchini?
You'll also find that larger, older eggplant and zucchini have more seeds. Salting helps combat the bitterness of both of these water-dense vegetables by drawing out some of the excess moisture and the bitterness, aiding with the overall texture as well. Just don't forget to lightly rinse some of the salt off.How do you make ratatouille less bitter?
Key IngredientsThe smaller the eggplant, the less bitter it tends to be. Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes, like cherry tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, or roma tomatoes are best, but canned whole tomatoes or diced tomatoes will work in a bind.Ratatouille 2007 Linguini Saved Remy
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Answer 2
I just saved mine, just ad about a teaspoon of sugar, some basil tomato pasta sauce and spices like basil or Italian seasoning.Boil for a few minutes and cover. Let it rest for a few minutes.The bitterness will be gone
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