Zucchini and Tomato Fans

According to Quick Cuisine "the late George Garin, a great Provencal chef, is the source of this unusual and delicious hors d'oeuvre, vegetable side dish, or first course". This is very attractive-zucchini cut not all the way through with tomato wedges inbetween the cuts. Notice that you bake it 30 minutes, then turn off the oven for 30 minutes, but leave it in the oven. Interesting technique-time for a glass of vino! After I made this I wondered about subbing in different herbs--in particular tarragon and omitting some of the other ones?

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2  teaspoons olive oil
• 1  large red onion, halved and thinly sliced-divided
• 5  garlic cloves, very thinly slice-divided
• 2 -2 1⁄4 lbs zucchini
• 6  small tomatoes
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  coriander seed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2⁄3 cup white wine, dry
• 1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Prepare the zucchini by washing, trimming the stem ends, splitting in half crosswise,and each half sliced lengthwise to within 1 1/2 inches of untrimmed end to form fan shapes, making 3 or 4 long cuts in each half.
3. Prepare the tomatoes by halving each stem end to root end and thinly slicing.
4. Oil a 2 to 3 quart casserole dish with the 2 teaspoons of oil and scatter half of the sliced onion and half of the garlic on the bottom of the dish.
5. On top of onion place the fanned out zucchini, then wedge the tomato slices in between the zucchini cuts.
6. Sprinkle the zucchini and tomatoes with herbs.
7. Scatter the remaining onion and garlic slices on top of this.
8. Pour the white wine over all, sprinkle on parmesan, cover tightly with foil, and bake for 30 minutes.
9. Turn off the oven and let the dish come to room temperature in the oven (about 30 minutes) if you have the time.
10. If not, remove when done.
11. Serve warm or at room temperature with crusty bread.