Fennel Mousse with Bell Pepper Salad

For the mousse, trim the fennel, rinse and coarsely chop (keep fennel leaves aside). Mix the chopped fennel with lemon juice and vegetable broth in a saucepan, season with salt, and cook until tender for 20-25 minutes.

Soak the gelatin for 5 minutes in cold water. Puree the cooked fennel and season with salt and pepper. Mix the soaked gelatin into the hot fennel puree and let cool.

Rinse the fennel leaves and chop. Stir mascarpone cheese and chopped fennel leaves into the fennel puree. Beat the cream until stiff and fold into the fennel puree to form the mousse. Season with salt and pepper. Chill the fennel mousse in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

For the salad, rinse the bell peppers, cut in half, remove seeds and ribs, and cut into thin strips. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan. Mix the vinegar with rice wine, sugar and vegetable oil, and season with salt and pepper to form a vinaigrette. Toss the bell peppers strips with the vinaigrette.