A veggie feast packing a protein punch
Next year, Nice is scheduled to host the finale of the Tour de France, where fans will line the streets to witness the first last-day time-trial since LeMond v Fignon. Will it be as memorable as 1989? Who knows. Will there be ratatouille served up in the local restaurants? You betcha. That’s because the star of this month’s recipe emerged from Provence, created by farmers as a means of not wasting overripe vegetables.
Cycling Chef Alan Murchison is a big fan, but be warned: the key to this dish is to cook each veg separately to avoid a mushy mess.
For those who like their numbers – be it power meters or nutritional facts – the bell peppers here provide 169% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C, key in maintaining a strong immune system, while one courgette boasts 40% of the RDI of vitamin A, which is associated with sharp eyesight (sorry, carrots).
While we can’t say that adding those two together will equate to a 17-watt advantage at 57kmh at 15° yaw (although if you’re facing a last-day coastal time-trial, anything’s worth a go), we can guarantee that as a standalone dish this is incredibly nutritious, and if you need extra protein, lean pork chops go very well.
Ratatouille ‘Murch-style’ with lean pork chops
INGREDIENTS
750g pork loin chops (allow 2 chops per person, about 150g each)
2 courgettes
1 large red onion, peeled
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 green pepper
1 large aubergine
400g chopped tomatoes
75g good-quality pitted black olives
4 garlic cloves
2tbsp olive oil (for vegetables)
1tsp olive oil (for meat)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Makes 4 portions
NUTRITION PER SERVING
Energy 710kcal
Total carbohydrate 13g
(of which sugars 12g)
Fat 54g (of which
saturates 17g)
Fibre 6.6g
Protein 39g
Salt 0.71g
Method
• First, dice all the vegetables
