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By Mat Follas from Vegetable Perfection (Ryland Peters & Small) photography by Steve Painter

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The babaganoush & red cabbage in this Middle Eastern inspired dish can be made individually as delicious side dishes or served together for a larger vegetarian meal.

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Serves 4

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Prep time 20 mins

Cooking time 45 mins

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Ingredients

½ red cabbage, core removed & thinly sliced

200ml red wine

50g dark brown sugar

50ml / 3½ tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 aubergines

1 onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tomatoes, cut into 8 pieces

8 pitta breads, quartered

a small bunch of fresh, flat-leaf parsley, chopped

olive oil, for frying, plus extra to serve

salt, to season

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Method

Put the cabbage in a small saucepan with the wine, brown sugar & balsamic vinegar.Ìý

Cover, set over a medium heat & bring to a low simmer for 20 mins.

Remove the lid & continue to simmer for a further 20-30 mins.Ìý Stir regularly, until the cooking liquor has thickened & reduced to just 5mm / ¼ inch deep in the bottom of the pan.Ìý Leave to cool.

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Trim a thin slice from opposite sides of one of the aubergines & then discard these 2 slices.Ìý Then slice the remainder of the aubergine into 4 long equal strips, making sure the skin is around the outside & you maintain the oval shape of the aubergine.

Cover the base of a frying pan with 3mm / â…› inch of olive oil & set over a medium heat until the oil starts to shimmer.

Put the aubergine strips in the pan & leave until they are golden.

Turn & cook on the other side.

Once cooked, drain on paper towels to mop up any excess oil.

Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / Gas 4.

To make the babaganoush, preheat a heavy based frying pan with no oil in it over a medium heat, until it feels hot when you hold your hand about 15cm / 6 inches above the surface.

Peel the other aubergine & slice it into 5mm / ¼ inch strips.Ìý Lightly oil, then carefully place the strips in the hot frying pan & leave until they start to blacken.

Turn & blacken the other side.

Remove the pan from the heat & transfer the aubergine strips to a large mixing bowl.

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Using the remaining oil in the frying pan used to blacken the aubergine, fry the onion, garlic & tomatoes over a low heat for about 15 mins, until the onion is translucent; add a little more oil if needed.

Add the onion, garlic & tomatoes to the blackened aubergine strips in the mixing bowl.Ìý

Purée them using a handheld electric blender until nearly smooth.Ìý Add a pinch of salt to taste & set aside.

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To finish, arrange the reserved cooked aubergine slices on a baking sheet.Ìý Arrange the pitta quarters on another baking sheet & heat both in the preheated oven for 10 mins.

Place a hot aubergine slice on each plate with a generous covering of babaganoush & red cabbage.

Finish with a sprinkling of parsley.

Place the pitta bread on the side of the plates with a small pot of olive oil for dipping.