A meat cheat? Recipes with aubergine Aubergines have something of a bad reputation - and not without reason. They're one of those vegetables that, in the wrong hands, can be truly unpleasant. When undercooked or underseasoned, they can be hard to stomach. Yet when prepared correctly, cooked until soft and given plenty of seasoning and flavour, aubergine can be a wonderful thing to eat. I like to use them as a substitute for meat, as they have a certain body to them that is almost as satisfying as a prime steak. These recipes are all vegetarian, but even if you are a staunch carnivore you'll barely notice. The hot and sour curry is an aubergine version of a south Indian fish curry I often make. It's perfect with rice or frozen parotta. Parotta is a layered Indian flatbread that is time-consuming to make, but you can buy an excellent version frozen from Indian grocers - just don't tell anyone. Fatteh is not usually a vegetarian recipe. I make it for celebrations, usually with chicken, but it really doesn't need the meat. It's a brilliant dinner-party dish. Caponata is one of my favourite things to cook in the summer. It's a perfect antipasto or light lunch on its own or with some mozzarella. I distinctly remember it as one of the first things the chef Rose Gray taught me to make when I was 16 and had just started at The River Café. I can hear her talking me through it as I make it even now. You may think it an oversight on my part not to have included a recipe for the celebrated baba ganoush, or moutabal. But while I love making it, the recipe is barely a line long. You barbecue a few aubergines until the skin is completely black and burned, then cool and peel. Season them with crushed garlic, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice then eat as you would hummus. It's pretty special, so worth firing up the barbecue for, even though it works fine under a grill.