VEGETABLE GATEAU

Vegetable Gateau image

Provided by Food Network

Time 1h10m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

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2 medium eggplant
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound spinach, wash and remove stems
1 large onion, peeled and sliced thin
6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 medium fennel, core removed and sliced thin
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon each of dried or fresh chopped thyme and oregano
6 large ripe tomatoes, large dice
10 basil leaves, washed and sliced thin
Salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

Remove stems and peel eggplants. Slice each lengthwise 1/4 inch thick. Lay out on a baking tray, slightly overlapping each other. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over them and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, until fairly soft. Bring 2 ounces lightly salted water and 1 tablespoon olive oil to boil. Add spinach and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. Later squeeze out all water. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium sized pot, add onion, garlic, fennel, bay leaves, thyme, and oregano. Saute a few minutes then add fresh tomatoes and basil and season to taste. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes and strain tomato compote, reserve juices. In a lightly oiled baking dish cover the bottom with half of the eggplant, slightly overlapped, then all of the spinach. Add the tomato compote. Cover with the remaining half of the eggplant. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve hot. Top with reduced juices of tomato compote