Nigel Slater's recipes for aubergine, lemon and parsley couscous, and for pear, walnuts and gorgonzola

My heavy cast iron casserole has proven itself this winter. The enameled interior stained by decades of curries, stews and long, slow cooking, barely a week ago it sits not on the hob or in the oven, its contents sliding gently into tenderness. This week my dear old friend (he must be at least 25) fed a dish of spiced aubergine seasoned with bay leaf, chili flakes and spices, its sauce a deep brick red of a recipe that included red wine and tomatoes.< /p>

I should have waited to lift the lid until the pot was on the table, when everyone could share the smell steam and its sweet notes of earthy spices. But, as a cook, there's always a natural temptation to peek at your work.

The lid up and a ladle pushed deep into the sauce , we scooped it all up with mounds of couscous flecked with lemon zest and parsley. The next day, I snaffled the leftovers, eaten fresh, like a caponata with flatbread, and followed by warm pears, gorgonzola, and toasted walnuts.

Couscous simmered with eggplant, lemon, and parsley

For 4 people as a main course.

For the aubergines: aubergines 800 golive oil 100 m onions 2, medium garlic 4 bay leaves 4 sprigs of thyme 6 chilli flakes 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp salt 1 tsp tomatoes 350 g tomato purée 2 tsp wine 250 ml vegetable stock 500 ml="dcr-1b64dqh">Remove and discard the stems from the eggplants. Cut them in half lengthwise and then into quarters. Cut each quarter into 3 cm long pieces.

Heat a griddle (you will have to turn on the hood or open the window). Place half of the eggplants on the griddle, cook for a few minutes until dark lines appear on the underside, then flip and repeat. Lift them with kitchen tongs and set them aside. Continue with the remaining eggplant.

Peel and coarsely chop the onion. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet that will also go in the oven. Add the onions. Let them cook for about 10 minutes until they are tender and translucent. Peel and finely chop the garlic, then add it to the onion and continue cooking for a minute or two. Preheat the oven to 190 C/thermostat 5.

Add the bay leaves, thyme, chilli, cumin, coriander and salt. Continue cooking for a few minutes until everything is shiny.

Roughly chop the tomatoes and add them to the pan, then stir in the tomato purée. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, then pour in the wine and broth, increase the heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for about 45 minutes until the eggplant is tender and the sauce rich and thick.

To make the couscous: turn on the kettle. Put the couscous in a heatproof bowl, pour enough boiling water to cover the grains by 2 cm, cover and let stand for 10 minutes until the couscous is puffed up and has absorbed all the water. Finely chop the parsley, grate the lemon zest and stir into the couscous with a fork. Serve with eggplant.

Pear, walnuts and gorgonzola