AUBERGINE CHICKPEA MELANGE WITH CHARD & RICOTTA

Serves 4-6

2 good glugs of olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 small to medium-sized aubergine, sliced, then cut into 2cm dice

2 celery sticks, stringy bits removed with a peeler, cut into roughly 1cm slices

2 garlic cloves, crushed

4 baby courgettes or 1 medium courgette, quartered lengthways, and cut into roughly 1cm chunks 2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked, or a generous pinch of dried thyme Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

150ml (5fl oz) fresh vegetable or chicken stock (or use ½ a stock cube)

100g (3½oz) chard, stems and leaves separately cut into 1cm pieces respectively (halve any extra-wide stalks lengthways) Juice of ½ a lemon

100g (3½oz) ricotta cheese A small handful of parsley or basil

leaves, roughly chopped or torn

Heat a good glug of olive oil in a 24cm sauté pan (ideally about 6cm deep), then add the onion, aubergine and celery. Cook on a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until soft but not coloured. Add the garlic, courgettes, thyme and some salt and pepper, and then cook for a few minutes more – the courgettes should be tender yet still retain some crunch. Stir the rinsed chickpeas through.

Add the stock and chard stems, and then bring to a simmer. Gradually stir in the chard leaves, a handful at a time, to wilt them for about 2-3 minutes. If you think more liquid is needed at any time, splash in a little water. Add the lemon juice and check the seasoning – be generous with both the salt and pepper.

Just before serving, nestle little teaspoonfuls of the ricotta cheese into the top of the mixture, spreading it out slightly with the back of a spoon. Finally, swirl with another good glug of olive oil and scatter with the fresh herbs to serve.