- Serving: Makes one 12-inch cake
Vegetable Cake with Tomato Coulis
Fennel, garlic, onions, and bell peppers add their flavors to this delicious cake made entirely of vegetables. A single slice makes a wonderful appetizer; serve several slices and it can be the basis of an entire meal. Fresh vegetables and chilling make this a wonderful summer dish.
Ingredients
- Olive oil or olive oil spray
- Eggplant - 1 large
- Zucchini - 2 large
- Yellow Squash - 2
- Fennel roots - 2, cleaned and julienned
- Yellow Onion - 1 medium, julienned
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper
- Fresh Thyme - 1 tablespoon
- Garlic cloves - 4, minced
- Tomatoes - 3, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
- Yellow Bell Pepper - 1, seeded, deribbed, and julienned
- Green Bell Peppers - 1, seeded, deribbed, and julienned
- Shiitake Mushrooms - 2 cups, roughly chopped
- Red Bell Pepper - 1, seeded, deribbed, and julienned
- Tomato Coulis
- Tomatoes - 6, peeled and seeded
- Tomato paste - 1 tablespoon
- Virgin olive oil - 1/2 cup
- Red Wine Vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- Basil Oil
- Basil Oil
- Basil - 1/2 bunch, stemmed
- Virgin olive oil - 1/2 cup
- Salt to taste
Instructions
To make the vegetable cake: Preheat the broiler to highest setting. Cut small discs from the ends of the eggplant and squashes, then cut the vegetables in long1/8-inch thick slices. Spray or drizzle a sheet pan with olive oil and spread the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, fennel, and onion slices on the tray. Drizzle or spray with olive oil again and season with salt, white pepper, and a little thyme. Place under the broiler for 30 - 60 seconds, until slightly softened and beginning to brown. Broil in batches if necessary.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray or oil a 12-inch springform pan. Lay the eggplant slices in the pan, extending over the edge, midpoint at the rim of the pan, all the way around. Put the zucchini in the bottom of the pan, and then overlapping the eggplant, saving a few slices to seal the cake at the end. Repeat with the yellow squash. Sprinkle with thyme, half of the garlic, and white pepper. Fill with the fennel, tomatoes, yellow peppers, onions, the remaining garlic, green peppers, shiitakes, and red peppers. Press down gently. Fold the overhanging strips over the top of the cake and close the center with the reserved zucchini strips. Bake 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Drain any juices which have accumulated. Cover the top with plastic wrap and place a large heavy flat object on top to press down. Refrigerate overnight.
To make the coulis: In a medium pan over medium-high heat, combine the tomatoes, tomato paste, and olive oil. When the mixture begins to bubble, lower the heat to medium and add the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Cook until the mixture has thickened and reduced in volume by at least a fourth. Press through a fine-meshed sieve and set aside.
To make the basil oil: In a food processor or blender, blend the basil and olive oil until well pureed. Adjust seasoning with salt. Press through a fine-meshed sieve and put into a squeeze bottle.
To serve: Take the cake out of the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Open the springform pan and remove the vegetable cake. Cut in wedges. Place a slice on each serving plate and pour tomato coulis around the sides. Drizzle with basil oil and garnish with a rosemary sprig.
