Ratoulli - sort of- stuff from the garden

[Charlie B53]

Getting to be that time of year the clay soil here is beginning to dry and I start thinking about tilling it up getting ready to plant 'stuff'.

Of course this depends on the rain.  Too much and this clay can't be touched, it turns into a muddy bog that will suck your shoes or boots right off your feet.

I don't grow a lot of 'stuff'.  Melons, I like.  Yellow flesh watermelons.  Honeydew, and cantaloupe or musk melon, they are pretty close to the same.

Zucchini and yellow squish are great if you catch them before they swell up too big.  Not too many tomatoes. A big red, a big yellow, maybe one cherry.  That's plenty.

I like to take a couple of zucchini and a couple of yellow squash, cut into bite size pieces in a large Pyrex bowl, add a very large sweet onion, maybe a bit of tomato,, both colors, cover with plastic wrap and nuke it til all soupy and tender.  Season to taste if needed.  I use a bit of lemon pepper.

This makes a great soupy vegetable some call a type of ratoulli.  A bowl of this alongside a large piece of dead animal flesh and I'm happy.   Sometimes I'll lay a slice of buttered whole wheat bread in the owl so to soak up some of the juice.   It's all good.

Raw we add bites of zucchini and squash to salads.  Tender and I think far better than the cucumbers the Wife likes.

I rather have the cukes soaked in vinegar, more or less half pickled.  And with onion slices and pepper.

My spell checker is trying to convince me that it is ratatouille.  I don't know, I just eat it.

[Zach]

YUM!
 

[Jean]

Nuke it until it is all soupy, hmmmm, sounds interesting. I may try that one.

[Charlie B53]

Maybe I should have mentioned,  Our microwave is HOT.  It will EXPLODE  two cups of water in a Pyrex measuring cup.   Something about the surface being so smooth with no irregularity there is no place for a bubble to  form.  The water continues heating well past the steamy stage and somere even past the boiling temp, enough so that when it does try to boil it instead instantly flashes off into steam.  Sort of like an explosion.

Warnings have been issued to be extremely carefull when heating only water in glass dishes as it can get that hot and still appear clam.  Then the slighest movement, is in taking the container out, it can flash off and severly burn you.  It is recommended to reach in with a long handled spoon and touch the water before moving the container to be sure it is safe to move.

I've exploded water a couple of times.  As I result I seldom use ours on a 'High' setting as it will actually burn a black hole in many food items.

I always use the 'Low' setting and set the timer for 3 to 4 times any time specified in directions.

I am never in that much hurry that I can't wait a few more minutes.

I cook lots of fresh vegetables in ours.   Carrots till tender.  Stand an onion on end with a small pat of butter on top and cook till tender.  This is neat to watch as the onion insides telescope up like a tower.  Once about totally done it falls over.  Cuts with a fork.

Eggs, oysters, clams, explode.  And stink for DAYS.