Baked fennel and aubergine with shallots

Ingredients:

• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 4 tablespoons (60ml) sun-dried tomato paste
• 10 tablespoons (150 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoons (15 ml) lemon juice
• sea salt / freshly milled black pepper to taste
• 3 fennel bulbs
• 1 large aubergine
• 12 shallots
• 400g (1 can) chickpeas
• 75g (3oz) Parmesan, grated
• 1 bunch spring onions

Preparation Time:

10 min

Cooking Time:

40 min

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. 425°F. Gas Mark 7.

2. In a screw top jar place the garlic paste, tomato paste, three tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and black pepper. Shake thoroughly.

3. Top and tail fennel, reserving green feathery bits. Slice thinly lengthways and put into large bowl. Top and tail the aubergine, halve lengthways and cut into chunks.

4. Peel and quarter the shallots. Add to the fennel with the aubergine and chickpeas. Next add the garlic mixture to the vegetables and stir together.

5. Cook the vegetables for 30 minutes in the ceramic dish, sprinkle with Parmesan and cook for a further 10 minutes until melted and golden.

6. Meanwhile, chop the feathery fennel and slice the spring onions across into 1/4 in pieces.

7. Before serving scatter the feathery fennel and spring onions over the vegetables.

8. Drizzle over the remaining oil and serve.