Ratatouille

This delicious Mediterranean vegetable dish can be served hot or cold as a first course or an accompaniment to a main dish. It makes an economical meal if cooked with eggs and served as a light lunch or supper dish.

Ingredients:

6 zucchini
Salt
2 large onions
1 green pepper (capsicum)
1 clove garlic
3 tomatoes
1/2 cup oil

Method:

1. Wash zucchini and cut into thick diagonal slices. Place on a plate and sprinkle with salt. Peel onions and slice. Remove core and seed from pepper and slice. Crush garlic, skin, seed and slice tomatoes. Mix garlic with oil. Rinse zucchini with cold water and drain. Arrange prepared vegetables on baking dish, season between layers.
2. Pour oil and garlic mixture over, cover with a lid or foil and bake in a preheated moderately hot oven (375 degrees F/190 degrees C) for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. If you have a heavy casserole, cook ratatouille on top of the stove over moderate heat about 30 minutes. Serve either hot or cold.

Sausage and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Cook stir-fry close to serving time in either a conventional or microwave oven. Serve with boiled rice for a healthy but inexpensive family dinner. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 onion, chopped
8 ounces (250 g) cauliflower
1 red pepper (capsicum), chopped
1 green pepper (capsicum), chopped
1 stick celery, chopped
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
4 Continental sausages, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons cornflour
1 cup water
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons hoi sin sauce
2 tablespoons light soy sauce

Method:

1. Heat oil in wok or large frying pan, add garlic, ginger and onion, stir over heat for about 1 minute (or microwave on High for about 2 minutes) or until onion is just soft.
2. Cut cauliflower into florets, add to pan with remaining vegetables and sesame seeds and stir over high heat for 3 minutes (or microwave on High for about 4 minutes) or until vegetables are just tender.
3. Add sausages, stir over heat until heated through. Blend cornflour with water in small bowl, add to pan with remaining ingredients, stir over medium heat for about 2 minutes (or microwave on High for about 3 minutes) or until sauce boils and thickens.