Ingredients

Juice of ½ lemon

¼ cup DaVinci® Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 clove garlic, minced

4 chicken breasts

For the ratatouille:

3 tablespoons DaVinci® Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch dice

1 large purple eggplant, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice

2 small zucchini, cut into ¼-inch dice

1 medium to large green bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch dice

1 cup sundried tomatoes packed in olive oil (see Chef’s Tips), cut into ¼-inch dice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ cup Chardonnay

1 to 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar or Pomegranate Infused White Balsamic Vinegar

¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Eggplant Ratatouille with Lemon-Marinated Chicken Breasts

Maria Hines - Tilth, Seattle

Serves 4

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In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, and garlic. Place the chicken breasts in a small baking dish or a large zipper bag. Add the lemon mixture and coat the chicken thoroughly. Set aside.

Preheat the grill for direct heat.

To prepare the ratatouille:

In a large pan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion, and sauté until the onion starts to soften, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper and tomatoes. Stir to combine. Season with salt and black pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and let cook for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Remove the chicken from the marinade; discard the marinade. Place the chicken on the grill and grill for about 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until done. Remove from the grill.

To finish the ratatouille, add the Chardonnay and stir to combine. Let the wine cook off, gently scraping the pan to deglaze it. Taste, and adjust the seasoning by adding salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 or 2 teaspoons vinegar. Add the parsley and give the ratatouille a final stir.

Spoon the ratatouille onto 4 plates. Add the chicken breasts and serve.

CHEF’S TIPS: If you can’t find sundried tomatoes packed in olive oil, use 4 Roma tomatoes (or an equivalent amount of another variety), seeded and diced.

Ratatouille can be served cold and paired with cold meats - perfect for the day after if you don’t feel like cooking.

It’s hard for the body to digest the cellulose in raw onions, so it’s always better to eat cooked onions.