Here are three more recipes for traditional Provencal vegetable dishes.

They are excellent either as a light luncheon dish or as an accompaniment to plain grilled meat or fish.

Légumes de Provence Rotis Au Four:

(Oven-Roasted Provençal Vegetables)

Ingredients (for 4 servings): 2 large, firm aubergines (eggplant); 4 medium-sized, firm courgettes (zucchini); 2 large red peppers; 2 large yellow or orange peppers; 1 large bulb of fennel; 4 cloves garlic; 24 cherry tomatoes; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; juice of ½ lemon; 4-5 tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence; salt and freshly-ground black pepper; large handful fresh basil leaves.

Method: Pre-heat the oven to 190C/ 375F/ Gas Mark 5.

Peel the onions and garlic. Chop the onions into quarters. Crush the garlic. Cut the aubergine, courgettes, peppers and fennel into roughly 1 cm chunks. Put all the prepared vegetables into a large mixing bowl. Add the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients very well together (using your hands is best).

Put the vegetables into a large, heavy roasting tray, and spread them evenly. Put the tray into the pre-heated oven. Roast for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the cherry tomatoes into the now-empty mixing bowl and mix them about in the oil and seasoning residue remaining in the bowl. Leave to one side until required.

After 30 minutes, take the tray out of the oven and mix the vegetables about a bit. They should be starting to brown and soften.

Add the cherry tomatoes, return the tray to the oven and bake for a further 15-20 minutes.

Take the tray from the oven and add the roughly torn basil leaves .The vegetables should be soft but not mushy and starting to char a bit at the edges.

Tian de Courgettes et de Tomates:

(Oven-baked Courgettes & Tomatoes)

Ingredients (for 4 servings): 0.5 kg onions; 40 ml olive oil; 4 large tomatoes; 4 large courgettes (zucchini); 1 clove garlic; pinch fresh thyme; salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

Method: Preheat the oven to 170C/ 325F/ Gas Mark 3.

Peel and finely slice the onion. Slice the tomatoes and courgettes (unpeeled) into quite thick rounds. Peel and crush the garlic.

Precooking the onions and garlic isn't essential, but will certainly make the dish more digestible. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying-pan and cook the sliced onions and crushed garlic until well-softened but not browned, stirring frequently.

Remove the onion mixture from the pan and distribute evenly over the base of a shallow gratin dish.

Arrange alternate slices of tomato and courgette, overlapping, on top of the softened onions and garlic. Season well with the salt, pepper and fresh thyme.

Drizzle an extra tablespoon of olive oil over the top, cover the dish with foil and bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 30 minutes.

Remove the foil and cook for a further 35-40 minutes until very well-baked and sizzling.

Excellent as a starter or to accompany roast lamb or baked fish.

Fenouil a la Tomate:

(Fennel with Tomato)

Ingredients (for 4 servings): 4 heads of fennel; 1 medium onion; 2 cloves garlic; 4 large, ripe tomatoes; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 glass dry white wine; 1 bay leaf; salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

Method: Peel and slice the onion. Peel and crush the garlic. Peel, deseed and chop the tomatoes.

Fry the onion in the olive oil in a large frying pan until soft but not browned.

Cut the fennel lengthways into quarters. Add to the pan with the softened onions.

Add the crushed garlic, the tomatoes, the bay leaf and the white wine. Season. Cover the pan and cook over a very gentle heat for about 45 minutes.

Remove the fennel from the pan. Raise the heat and reduce the sauce, if necessary.

Put the fennel in a serving dish and pour over the reduced tomato sauce.

Serve hot or cold.