subject: Ever Heard of Ratatouille? [print this page] Have you ever heard of Ratatouille? If you like watching movies, then you should know that it is an animated film about a hard working rat whose ambition is to become a chef. However, before it became a movie, Ratatouille was already known as a vegetable stew. This vegetable stew finds its origins in France and has a wide variety of uses and nutritional advantages.
Ratatouille, the vegetable stew, has its origins from a region in Southern France. There is a lot of debate on its specific origin. However, everyone agrees that its popularity has raised quite a lot in France. It has always been considered as a peasant food. This is due to the fact that the ingredients used are cheap and are usually over ripe ingredients. Over ripe ingredients are used to avoid rotting.
The popularity of Ratatouille has risen due to various factors. The preparation of this dish is very easy. The summer ingredients that are used are very abundant. And this meal can either be served hot or cold. Tomato is the primary ingredient that is used. It is usually mixed with other ingredients such as garlic, onion, courgettes, aubergine , bell peppers, carrots, basil, bay leaf, thyme, and various Provencal herbs. Then all of these are stewed in olive oil.
The various uses of Ratatouille are wide. It can be used as a side dish, main meal or as a filling. However, it is commonly used as a side dish. At other times it is also used as the main dish. When used as a main dish it is commonly eaten with pasta. Another use for it is as a filling for crepes and omelettes.
Eating this dish offers a lot of nutritional advantages. First off, it is high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Potassium. What's more is that it is low in saturated fat and cholesterol. On the flip side, people with high blood pressure ought to stay away from this stew since it has extremely high sodium. And we all know that sodium has the potential to increase blood pressure.
