While lots of people aren’t great fans of aubergines, the husband and I can’t get enough of them. I love the way they look before they’re cooked, all shiny and purple, and I love the way they taste, almost as much. One of our favourite auberginey suppers is caponata – a Sicilian vegetable stew made with the shiny, purple beauties, tomatoes, olives, capers, onion and a good dose of fragrant oregano.

I’ve tried a number of versions of this tasty dish, but my favourite by far is Jamie’s Oliver’s caponata recipe from Jamie’s Italy.

It’s a relatively easy dish to throw together making it perfect for a quick mid-week supper. Once the aubergines are cooked the other ingredients are added and the caponata pretty much looks after itself.

While Jamie suggests that it’s usually served warm as a side-dish, or cold as a kind of antipasto, the husband and I go a little off piste and eat it as a main course with a couple of chunks of crusty bread. Delicious and comforting in equal measures.

I don’t bother offering it to the toddler, he’d probably burst into tears if I did. He’s doing a lot of that at the moment. But the husband seemed to like it.

The verdict from the husband: ‘Is there any more?’ I think you call that a success!