Spicy aubergine and tomato with poached eggs recipe This was originally a dinner thing, served at a party on a warm spring night with some couscous. Like so often with soups and stews that have spent a night in the fridge, it was even better the following morning. Maybe it was just the hangover, but I looked at this and thought, 'Hmm, I bet that would be good with some eggs on top.' It was, and remains so, even stone-cold sober. 1 large aubergine 2 tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped ½ tsp smoked paprika 250g (9oz) tomatoes, chopped 1 tsp tahini 1 tsp brown sugar splash of white-wine vinegar 4 eggs 1 tbsp lemon juice handful of fresh chopped parsley Cut the aubergine into bite-sized chunks and soak for about 20 minutes in a bowl of cold water with a few large pinches of salt. Drain and rinse and pat dry. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat a tablespoon of oil, add the garlic and onion, and cook for a few minutes until softened. Add the aubergine with the rest of the oil, making sure it is thoroughly coated, then add the paprika and cook on a very low heat, covered, for about half an hour, turning occasionally. Add the tomatoes, tahini and brown sugar and cook for a further 10 minutes, mixing it all through. Taste and season accordingly. Keep warm to the side. Poach the eggs in a pan of gently boiling water (a splash of white-wine vinegar should stop them separating). You should poach them for about three minutes if you want them soft in the middle, five if you want them stern and unyielding. At the last moment, add the lemon juice and parsley to the aubergine mixture. Serve in shallow bowls with the poached eggs on top and perhaps a hunk of sourdough to sop up the juices.