Thanksgiving Upgrade: Mesquite Fall Ratatouille

 

Mesquite Fall Ratatouille

 Purée Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons mesquite flour

1 small white onion, thinly sliced

¾ cup orange sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4 in thick rounds

¾ cup yellow potato, peeled, cut into 1/4 in thick rounds

½ cup gala apple, peeled roughly chopped

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¾ cup vegetable stock, divided

 

Ratatouille Ingredients:

3 small orange sweet potatoes, 1½ inch wide, cut into 1/8 in thick rounds

3 small yellow potatoes, 1½ inch wide, cut into 1/8 in thick rounds

3 small purple potatoes or white potatoes, 1½ inch wide, cut into 1/8 in thick rounds

3 yellow squash with skin, 1½ inch wide, cut into 1/8 in thick rounds

3 gala apples with skin cut into 1/8 in (3 mm)

1 5oz. bag of baby spinach

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon mesquite flour

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 sprigs fresh thyme

 

Instructions: 

Preheat the oven to 375°F

In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, add potatoes, apple, thyme, mesquite flour and salt. Sauté for 10 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften.

 Add ½ cup of vegetable stock and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20–25 minutes, until the vegetables are completely softened. Remove the pot from the heat.

 Remove the thyme stems and discard. Add the remaining ¼ cup of vegetable stock and blend with an immersion blender until completely smooth. If needed, season with extra salt to taste.

 Spread the purée over the bottom of an 10-inch cast iron skillet. Arrange the orange sweet potatoes, yellow potatoes, purple or white potatoes, yellow squash in skin, apple slices with skin about 5-6 spinach leaves in an alternating pattern on top, working from the outside in. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of mesquite flour and olive oil over the top and season with the salt, pepper, and thyme.

 Cover the pan with foil and bake the ratatouille for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 20–25 minutes, until the vegetables are softened and starting to brown. Serve warm.

 

Mesquite Apple Sauce

Ingredients:

4 large apples sliced with skin

1 lemon

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup light brown sugar

¼ cup mesquite flour

 

Directions:

In a medium size bowl fill half way with water and squeeze juice of one lemon to prevent apples from browning. Working with 1 apple at a time, cut around the core, discarding the core and removing the "cheeks." Slice the cheeks. (I like to slice mine thin but you don’t have to.)

Next in a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar and mesquite flour. Stir to combine. Add the sliced apples, stir to coat, and let sit for 30 minutes.

In a large pot over medium heat sauté apples for approximately 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.  Next, purée in a food processor or blender until smooth. Store in the refrigerator and serve by itself, over pork chops, baked ham, ice cream, pancakes, oatmeal, toast, yogurt and more.