CHEF JEFF — ONE BYTE AT A TIME: Ratatouille

This is a very hearty and tasty dish.

Ratatouille

2½ pounds beef shoulder or chuck, sliced

¼ cup oil

3 medium onions, peeled and quartered

1 clove garlic

1 28-ounce can tomatoes

1 tablespoon oregano

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon pepper

1 pound fresh mushrooms

1 medium eggplant, peeled

2 zucchinis, ends trimmed

Cut beef into thin slices. Set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in large saucepan. Add half beef; brown over medium-high heat. Remove meat; add remaining oil, beef; brown. Set aside meat. Chop onions, garlic. Put in pan; saute 1 minute. Return beef to pan with cut-up tomatoes, oregano, salt, pepper. Heat beef mixture to boiling. Reduce heat, cover, simmer 1½ hours or until beef is tender, stirring. Rinse mushrooms, cut off tips of stem ends; slice. Peel, dice eggplant. Slice zucchini. Add mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini to beef mixture in pan. Cover, simmer until vegetables are tender, stirring.

Yield: Serves 8 to 10.

Grab more food tidbits at the Chef Jeff blog at GrandForksHerald.com.

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