Mr. Ratatouille Meets Ms. Scampi on a Bed of Pasta

Two well-loved, old favorites of mine got together last night, and discovered they never want to separate.  It is true love.  I am serious here, folks.  Take a look at these recipe cards, if you don't believe me.  They've been around for awhile.  Sadly all on their own. 

You don't have to depend upon having some left-overs for this dish.  However, keep in mind that Ratatouille is better on the second day, and just know from the start what a good thing a merger can be.  I did have the left-overs, and happened to pick up some locally raised Kauai shrimp, when the light bulb went off in my brain.

Something Fishy?

This stuff will grow on you too.

What is fish sauce all about anyway? I became vaguely interested in it, when I heard that remnants had been found in old amphorae retrieved from Roman shipwrecks and at Pompeii. Apparently, people have been using it from ancient times to give food that special something, that je ne sais quoi. I didn't know what and you may not either. Probably it all started with a glut of fish in the village. The ancient Greeks and Romans called their version garum from the Greek word garos or garon. And no, anchovy paste is not an equivalent as it is not fermented. Given my fascination with things fermented, (cacao, fruit wines, vinegar, sourdough) this might be considered a natural. However, judging from what I've read about the process, I don't think I'll do my family the favor of fermenting fish guts around here.

However, for those of you brave enough, who might want to experiment, I am including a recipe for the old Roman stuff.