Escalavada

(post, David Silva)
primary-image, l
I had bought a ton of fennel in the Bronx (they were on a MASSIVE sale!) and decided that I was going to make Escalavada, a mixture of braised vegetables Spanish-style. Buy some bread (or make your own) to eat the veggies and sop up all the goodness you'll find on your pan after you're all done. MMM MMM MMM. (P.S. Those cubes you see are tofu. I know it's not authentic, but this boy needed some protein.)

1. Take a fennel bulb, zucchini, red bell peppers, onions, garlic cloves and throw them in a pan. Sprinkle with olive oil. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze out the juice over the vegetables. Sprinkle with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cumin. Throw it into an oven at 450. 

2. Meanwhile, take six tomatoes (plums are the best) and quarter them.

3. After 30 mins, take the veggies out. Add the tomatoes, a couple splashes of sherry (I used a white Rioja), and return it to the oven for 20-30 more minutes.

4. Take out the vegetables and let them cool for 15 minutes or so. 

¡Listo para comer!

Check out photos from this cooking adventure at http://www.flickr.com/photos/37131131@N03/