West African ratatouille
ingredients
3 cups olive oil
3/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
15 cups sweet potato, peeled and cubed
15 cups eggplant, skin on and cubed
15 cups plantains
3/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
For spicy red pepper sauce
9 red bell peppers, cleaned, seeded, and destemmed
5 habanero peppers, destemmed
9 roma tomatoes
9 ounces onion
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
preparation
1. In a bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper; mix well.
2. Toss the cubed sweet potato, eggplant, and plantains separately in the olive oil mixture and place them separately onto a parchment-lined sheet pan.
3. Place into a convection oven at 350°F for 12 minutes or until the products are golden and roasted.
4. On a service plate, place 1/2 cup of the roasted sweet potato in the center of the plate. Nappe 1 tablespoon of the red pepper sauce on top, add 1/2 cup of the eggplant, repeat with sauce, top with 1/2 cup of the plantains, and add 1/4 cup sauce on top.
5. Garnish the ratatouille with a pinch of microgreens. Around the base of the plate, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of pumpkin seeds and finely diced yellow pepper around the base.
To prepare the spicy red pepper sauce
1. Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until blended.
2. Transfer to a sauce pot and simmer on low to medium heat.
3. Reduce the sauce to a tomato sauce consistency (by about half).
4. Store the sauce hot, ready for use in a ratatouille meal.
