Grilled Ratatouille Skewers

A rugged take on the classic French Provençal stew, these ratatouille skewers are pretty to look at and fun to make. You can even involve the kids for the task of “kebabing” them in the camp kitchen! The key to grilling all the vegetables evenly— and making them look good—is ensuring they’re more or less the same girth. If you can’t find suitable summer squash, try golden zucchini, which tends to be more uniform in shape.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS

For the Sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 2 pounds/900 g; see Note) 
• 1/4 cup (56 g) butter
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Note: Don’t want to deal with fresh tomatoes at camp? Substitute a 28-ounce (800 g) can of diced tomatoes for the fresh.

For the Skewers

• 3 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch (1-cm) slices (about 11/2 pounds/680 g)
• 3 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch (1-cm) slices (about 11/2 pounds/680 g)
• 2 medium Chinese eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch (1-cm) slices (about 1 pound/450 g; see Note)
• Olive oil spray
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Note: Chinese eggplant is a thin-skinned, long and slender version of the vegetable found in most Asian and specialty markets. If you aren’t able to source it, substitute Japanese eggplant or slice a conventional eggplant to size.

Preparation

To make the sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Swirl in the oil, then add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion starts to turn translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, butter, Italian seasoning, and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the skewers are done.
Prepare a grill for medium-high heat.
To make the skewers, thread the zucchini, yellow summer squash, and eggplant onto 4 skewers, alternating the colors. Lightly spray the vegetables with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the skewers for about 20 minutes, turning frequently so all sides cook evenly. Pour the tomato sauce over the vegetables before serving.

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Author

Linda Ly is the blogger behind the award-winning gardenbetty.com. Her new book, titled “The New Camp Cookbook.” will be released on July 1st and is available for pre-order at Amazon.com.

Publication of this recipe is thanks to Voyageur Press, an imprint of The Quarto Group

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