Fennel and pepper ratatouille

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 onion(s)
• 1 bulb(s) of fennel
• 3 bell peppers, colored
• 300 g tomatoes, firm, ripe
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 large eggplant(s)
• 8 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper, black
• curry powder
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 15 minutes

Peel the onion. Wash the fennel and bell peppers, pat dry, and cut into small cubes. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water, rinse in cold water, peel, and finely chop. Peel the garlic cloves and chop very finely. Remove the flower and stem ends from the eggplant, wash, dry, and cut into small cubes. Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and fry the eggplant cubes until lightly browned. Season with salt, pepper, and a touch of curry powder. Drain on kitchen paper. Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan and fry the onion until translucent. Add the fennel and bell pepper cubes and sauté gently. Add the eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper, and simmer covered for about 15 minutes. Add a little vegetable stock if desired. The vegetables should still have some bite. Remove the bay leaves from the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. The vegetables taste best when they have cooled down, reheated and served lukewarm with crème fraîche.