In recent years, chefs and home cooks alike have been putting their own spin on the classic ratatouille recipe. My twist is this Ratatouille-Inspired Orzo Salad. This recipe combines roasted vegetables with orzo pasta, basil and red pepper hummus instead of a red pepper sauce, creating a light and fresh dish that is perfect for a summer meal or meal prep.

To make this salad, start by roasting a mix of diced eggplant, summer squash, zucchini, red and yellow bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. While the vegetables are roasting, cook the orzo according to the package instructions. Once both the vegetables and orzo are cooked, combine them in a large bowl with minced shallots, sliced basil, and a red pepper hummus dressing made with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and paprika.

This Ratatouille-Inspired Orzo Salad is great for meal prep because it can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can also customize the recipe to your liking by swapping out the vegetables for any seasonal favorites, such as butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, or sweet potatoes. If you need to make the dish gluten-free, simply substitute the orzo with a gluten-free pasta or rice. I also love how this is a vegan recipe!! Of course, you can add the dairy (goat cheese or feta would be delicious here.)

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MAKE AHEAD: If you want to make these ahead of time, fry them until they are golden, then refrigerate after they come to room temperature. Reheat in the oven at 450 for about 10 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.

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Anyway, at this Mediterranean bar, I found Peruvian sweety drop peppers (which are the size of caperberries with the flavor of a sweet pepper.) I also am familiar with Peppadew peppers, which are sweet pickled peppers. So, I thought, this is it. I must make a butter with these, garlic, herbs and lime. Then this recipe was born! But don’t worry, if you can’t find Peruvian sweety drop peppers, jarred pimentos, Peppadew peppers or just fresh sweet red peppers also work great here. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

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This is a great meal to make ahead. Make the quinoa ahead of time, steam the veggies ahead of time and make the dressing ahead of time. All you have to do at lunch is assemble and enjoy. Huge fan of that! I also love the veggies with the dressing (sans quinoa) for a fun family style salad at a dinner party. However you want to serve this, I hope you love it.

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If you’ve ever had a bad experience with rhubarb—like discovering the brutally tart flavor of a raw rhubarb out of season—you can rest assured that this recipe will change your opinion of this “fruit.” Yes, it’s a fruit! Well, legally at least, even though it’s technically a vegetable. Rhubarb is confusing and moody. She changes with the seasons and has more than one identity, kind of like me, to be honest. After being categorized as a veg for her whole life, Rhubarb was officially declared a fruit in 1947 by a New York court since it is most often cooked as a fruit in the United States. This may have served to lower the taxes for businesses importing rhubarb as well. Regardless, I am happy that rhubarb has ended up where she’s ended up. On my pancake.

Speaking of rhubarb on my pancakes… rhubarb goes into a *magical* transformation this time of year. The official rhubarb season (for field-grown rhubarb) is from April-May until the end of summer. It develops a rich, sweet flavor that’s perfect for desserts. Little rhubarb consumption tip: make sure that you only eat the stems and not the leaves as they contain oxalic acid which is poisonous. I also recommend stocking up on rhubarb and freezing them wrapped in tin foil in plastic bags for delicious Christmas desserts. 

So that’s the scoop on rhubarb.  Now let’s talk about the Dutch baby!!! No, not like a human Dutch baby. Dutch baby is a term for a large baked Dutch pancake. In terms of flavor and texture, Dutch pancakes are big, puffy, crepe like in the middle, sweet, and buttery. But why are the called Dutch pancakes? The pancakes derived from the original German pancakes and were served in Manca’s Cafe in Seattle Washington during the first half of the 1900s. It is said that one of the daughters of the owner of the café coined the name Dutch Baby. We don’t know how, but somewhere along the way, it turned into a giant, inflated version of the original.

What should I do if I don’t have a blender for the batter?

Making this poofy masterpiece is pretty simple. You blend the batter until it’s smooth, making sure that all the ingredients are fully combined. I recommend a blender for this, but if you don’t have one you can make it happen with a whisk and some muscle. You can start by whisking the eggs for around 2 minutes until they are foamy and less yellow. Then whisk like a champion until you have mixed the rest of the ingredients.

Do I have to use a cast iron?

I do recommend using a cast iron for this because they are oven and stove top safe and they retain heat EXTREMELY well. Make sure you heat the iron cast skillet in the oven for 10-15 minutes before putting it on the stove, just to make it nice and hot for the cooking process to start. I was gifted mine from Cravings by Chrissy Teigen and I love it! You can use my code : SKYLER10 to get a lil discount. Honestly, nothing beats a good, solid cast iron skillet (except if you’re cooking with lemon, wine or tomatoes) and Chrissy Teigen’s pan is SUCH a good price.

What if I don’t like rhubarb? 

Rhubarb is very tart and not everyone likes it. No problem! If you are making this outside of rhubarb season, or if you’re not a rhubarb fan, I recommend strawberry or raspberry compote instead. The beauty of this recipe is that you can go with any fruit on top like bananas, blueberries, or anything you want. You can have a lot of fun with it! I used rhubarb because it is in season and I love the tartness with the sweet pancake.

Can I just use store bought jam or compote instead?

ABSOLUTELY. You can always take short cuts. I will never judge you!!!

What if I can’t find mint?

Mint is optional. I used it because I had it at home and I like the way it adds another flavor to the dish.  I’m a sucker for a pop of color and herby influence.

 

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Needless to say, I am one of those people who loves a classic latke. A few weeks ago I was hanging out at home and craving them for brunch. Sadly, I only had a head of cauliflower in the fridge and no potatoes!! Aaaand that’s how this recipe came to be. If I must say so myself, these cauliflower latkes are extremely delicious and crispy. Of course cauliflower is a lighter, healthier alternative to the potato and has a less starchy texture and consistency, which affects the final result. These aren’t going to be as crispy on the outside and fluffy in the center as traditional latkes. However, they are still delicious and I personally love them! I like to top these with avocado, tomato, lime juice and salt. But you can totally eat them plain or with whatever you want on top!

What are some good toppings for these?

Top with scrambled eggs, lox, cheese, sour cream, chives, scallions, sriracha, ketchup….honestly anything you enjoy with hash browns or latkes would go with these!

 Can I use frozen cauliflower? 

I do suggest you go with fresh here just because it’s much more crunchy and less soggy than frozen. Frozen cauliflower always ends up being fulllll of water and that will impact your latkes.

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