Ratatouille that stands up to the fire

When it comes to ratatouille, there is no shortage of recipes. There's the traditional, time-consuming kind in which you saute all the vegetables separately, then stew them together slowly in a casserole. There's the shortcut method of simmering everything at once. There's roasted ratatouille, microwaved ratatouille and even steamed ratatouille, although that one doesn't tempt me at all.Finally, there's grilled ratatouille, a recipe with many charms both in the method and the result. Grilling takes the whole process outside, allowing you to enjoy the last handful of temperate nights.The grill also adds a lovely smoky nuance to the finished dish without overpowering the essential flavors of vegetables, olive oil and herbs.And grilled ratatouille is relatively fast to make - maybe not as quick as using the microwave, but tastier.All of this said, grilling vegetables for a ratatouille takes some finesse. The first time I tried, I did it all wrong. I built a very hot, very high fire; coated the peppers, zucchini and eggplant in olive oil; then plopped them onto the grill, only to watch my poor vegetables blaze up and burn.So the next time, I took things more slowly. I built a less-intense fire and spread out the coals more evenly. I left off the oil, at least while the vegetables cooked. Then I hung around them, sipping wine and keeping an eye on their various states of doneness, pulling off each piece as soon as it was charred in spots and very tender. No one wants al dente ratatouille.Once everything was thoroughly cooked and slightly cooled, I chopped up the vegetables and doused them in olive oil, which is as essential to good ratatouille as the eggplants and peppers. I also stirred in copious amounts of basil and garlic.What I got was something less stew-y and more salad-like than a typical ratatouille, but with a concentrated flavor and velvety texture, along with a garlicky kick.I served it with herbed goat cheese and crisp toast while it was still warm, then ate the cold leftovers the next day with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of chili powder. Like the original, it will keep for many days in the fridge, getting better as it sits.Grilled ratatouille may not replace the other ratatouille variations in your repertory, but it's a nice, deeply flavored addition to the list.Grilled Ratatouille with Crostini and Goat CheeseTime: 35 minutesYield: 6 to 8 servings1 white onion (about 8 ounces), peeled and halved lengthwise through the root2 lemons, halved, seeds removed1 yellow or orange bell pepper (about 8 ounces), halved lengthwise, stem and seeds removed1 red bell pepper (about 8 ounces), halved lengthwise, stem and seeds removed2 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces each), sliced lengthwise 1/2-inch thick2 medium eggplant (about 10 ounces each), sliced lengthwise 1/2-inch thick8 slices crusty bread2 to 3 large garlic cloves, peeled6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed1/4 cup chopped fresh basil2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, more for garnish1/2 teaspoon kosher sea salt, more to tasteBlack pepper, to taste8 ounces soft, fresh goat cheeseFlaky sea salt, for serving1. Heat the grill. Place vegetables and lemon on grill, making sure onion and lemons are cut side down, and cover. Grill lemon halves until lightly caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes total. Grill onion until it is heavily charred, about 7 to 15 minutes total. Grill peppers, zucchini and eggplant until charred and very soft, about 3 to 8 minutes per side total. Transfer to a cutting board.2. Grill bread until lightly charred and toasted, about 1 minute per side. Halve 1 or 2 of the garlic cloves and rub cut sides on the grilled bread. Mince remaining garlic clove and set aside.3. Chop vegetables into bite-size pieces and transfer to a large bowl; toss with the juice of three of the grilled lemon halves, the minced garlic, olive oil, basil, thyme leaves, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some black pepper to taste. Adjust seasonings as needed, adding more lemon juice (from remaining lemon half), salt or oil, or both, as needed. Set aside.4. To serve, arrange ratatouille, grilled bread and goat cheese on a large platter. Sprinkle thyme leaves, pepper and flaky salt over goat cheese. Or spread goat cheese on toasts, sprinkle with thyme, pepper and flaky sea salt, then top with some of the ratatouille to make crostini.© 2013 New York Times News Service