Sultry Southern France Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Trim and dice the eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. Dice the onion and roughly chop or peel and core the tomatoes. Mince the garlic and pick leaves off thyme sprigs.

Sweat aromatics

In a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant (do not brown).

Cook vegetables in stages

Add the diced bell peppers to the pan and cook 4 minutes until softened. Push vegetables to the side, add 1 tablespoon oil if pan looks dry, then add eggplant. Sauté eggplant, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften and brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add zucchini and cook another 4 minutes.

Add tomatoes and herbs

Stir in the chopped tomatoes (or canned crushed tomatoes) and tomato paste. Add thyme sprigs, chopped rosemary, bay leaf, sugar (if using), 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Simmer gently

Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and flavors have melded. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning; stir in torn basil leaves at the end.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Toss the bread cubes with 3 tablespoons olive oil, dried herbes de Provence and sea salt until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes, tossing once, until crisp and golden. Remove from oven and, while still warm, rub with the cut side of the garlic clove for a subtle garlic aroma. Set aside.

Prepare fish

Pat fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides lightly with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Zest and juice the lemon, keeping both aside.

Sear

Heat a large nonstick or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons olive oil until shimmering. Place fillets skin-side down and press gently with a spatula for 20 seconds to avoid curling. Cook skin-side down until skin is crisp and edges are opaque, about 4–5 minutes depending on thickness. Flip carefully and add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan.

Finish with lemon and capers

Spoon melted butter and pan juices over the fish, add the capers and a splash of lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon) to deglaze. Cook for another 1–2 minutes until fish registers 125–130°F (52–54°C) for medium; remove from pan. Spoon a little of the pan sauce over each fillet and sprinkle with chopped parsley and a light zest of lemon.

Cook potatoes and green beans

Place new potatoes in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender when pierced, about 12–15 minutes depending on size. In the last 3 minutes of the potatoes' cooking time, add the green beans to the pot to blanch. Drain and cool briefly under cold water to stop cooking; halve potatoes if large and set aside.

Make dressing

In a small bowl or jar whisk together 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper until emulsified.

Assemble salad

On a large platter or individual plates arrange mixed baby greens. Scatter halved new potatoes, blanched green beans, halved hard-boiled eggs, and Kalamata olives over the greens. Toss lightly with some of the dressing (reserve some for the fish). Top with torn basil leaves and a few of the herbed croutons for crunch.

Plate and serve

Place a warm sea bass fillet atop each portion of salad or alongside. Drizzle reserved dressing over the fish and around the plate. Spoon a generous ladle of warm ratatouille beside or under the fish (ratatouille may be served slightly warm or at room temperature). Finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and additional cracked black pepper to taste.