Last July in Gascony, Kate Hill made an awesome veggie BBQ of aubergine, peppers, tomato and fennel – like a deconstructed ratatouille on the grill (see above). And since Kate, Tim and I have been making so much progress on our Food Stories from Gascony project this week – and since BBQs are awesome – I decided to do a version of this meal here in Wiltshire:
If I’d had fennel, I would have used it – grilled fennel is amazing. My additions to the BBQ: a red onion and some sliced polenta. To finish: a few basil leaves. The only other seasonings were salt and pepper. It didn’t need anything more: I wanted to taste the vegetables! (The aubergine was from The Organic Farm Shop and the rest from Riverford Organic who rarely let me down with their produce.)
If this meal needed anything, it’s protein: a blob of hummus, maybe, or a scatter of pine nuts. Cheese fans may like halloumi, and for fish eaters, maybe a grilled sardine or two?
My ultimate: a poached egg. And this is what I’ll be doing with the leftovers, which I’ll turn into ratatouille – more Kate inspirado. Gascony really is a place that lives on…
Kate Hill left an indelible impression I see… and your barbeque shows it. The style of your photography is uniquely you, yet a finer you after working with Tim. Of course, the best part was surely in the tasting. Grilling just heightens the flavors of these foods. Perhaps a grain of some sort, or a potato might have rounded it out with yes, a bit of protein too! Lovely, just lovely.
The grain was the polenta!
What a stunning dish of veggis Monica. And yes, Kate continues to influence me in the kitchen every. single. day.