CAPONATA ON TOAST

2 HRS

SERVES 6

— 2 aubergines

— ½ tbsp sea salt

— olive oil, for frying and drizzling

— 2 garlic cloves

— 1 red onion

— 1 stick of celery

— 4 ripe tomatoes

— 1 tbsp tomato purée

— 1 tsp chilli flakes

— 30g dark chocolate, at least 70 per cent cocoa solids, plus extra to serve if you like

— 1 tbsp small capers, drained

— 40g raisins

— 3-4 tbsp red-wine vinegar

— 40g toasted pine nuts

— a few sprigs of mint or basil

— 1 ciabatta loaf

Trim the aubergines and cut them into 2-3cm chunks. Toss with the salt and leave in a colander for half an hour.

When 30 minutes is up, pat the aubergine dry with kitchen paper. Place a wide saucepan on a medium heat and pour in 1cm of oil. Add the aubergine and fry for about 15 minutes, until golden and beginning to soften.

Meanwhile, finely chop the garlic and onion. Trim and finely chop the celery. Finely chop the tomatoes.

After 15 minutes, add the garlic, onion and celery to the pan and fry for a further five minutes.

Stir in the tomato purée, chilli and chopped tomatoes. Add 200ml boiling water, break in the chocolate, and stir in the capers and raisins. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally.

One the caponata is ready, stir in three tablespoons of red-wine vinegar along with the pine nuts, and taste to check the seasoning. Add more vinegar if needed.

Tear in the mint or basil, then set aside to cool – this needs to be eaten at room temperature.

When you are ready to serve, toast 1½cm slices of the ciabatta on a hot griddle pan or under a grill. Drizzle with olive oil and top with generous spoonfuls of caponata. Finish with a couple of shavings of chocolate, if you like.

SERVES 6

— 1.2kg beef brisket

— olive oil, for frying

— 3 red onions

— 6 garlic cloves

— 2 red chillies

— 2 tbsp chipotle chilli paste

— 1½ tsp ground cumin

— 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika

— 1 tsp dried oregano

— 1 cinnamon stick

—2x400gtinsplum tomatoes

— 300ml beef stock

— 25g dark-brown sugar

— 40g dark chocolate, at least 70 per cent cocoa solids

— 2 red peppers

— 2 x 400g tins kidney beans, drained

— ½ bunch of coriander

— sour cream, limes and rice, to serve

Cut the brisket into large chunks, slicing against the grain. Place a wide casserole or saucepan on a medium heat, add a few tablespoons of oil and sear the meat all over until nicely browned.

Meanwhile, slice the onions into 2cm wedges and finely chop the garlic. Halve, deseed and finely slice the chillies.

When the meat is browned, transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat a little and add the onion, garlic and chilli to the pan. Sauté for five minutes, then add the chipotle paste, cumin, paprika, oregano and cinnamon. Fry for a couple of minutes, then add the tomatoes, stock and sugar.

Break in the chocolate, break up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon and turn up the heat. Bring to the boil and nuzzle in the brisket. Season and cover the pan, turning the heat down to low. Simmer for two hours, until the meat is starting to soften.

After two hours, chop the peppers. Stir them into the chilli with the kidney beans. Cover and cook for 1-1½ hours. When the beef is tender, shred it using two forks. Taste for seasoning.

Serve with torn coriander, sour cream and lime wedges – plus a bowl of steaming-hot rice.