BABY GEM LETTUCE WITH BURNT BRINJAL YOGHURT, SMACKED CUCUMBER AND SHATTA

This works well either as a standalone starter or as part of a spread or side. It’s lovely with some hot-smoked salmon or trout.

Getting ahead: Make all the elements well in advance, if you like: up to a day for the cucumber and the brinjal yoghurt, and the shatta needs to be made in advance, so you’ll be all set.

Playing around: Some crumbled feta on top works very well.

Serves 4 generously

A LITTLE EFFORT

GREAT VALUE

Preparation: 25 minutes, plus 3 days for the shatta

Cooking: 20 minutes

baby gem lettuces 5–6, bases trimmed

shatta 1½ T, see right (red or green, or rose harissa, as an alternative)

Urfa chilli flakes ½ t (or a small pinch of nigella seeds or black sesame seeds) sea salt and black pepper, to taste

For the brinjal yoghurt: large brinjals 2 (500 g) Greek-style yoghurt 3T garlic ½ clove, roughly chopped lemon juice 1½ T tahini 1½ T salt ½t

For the smacked cucumber regular English (i.e. not a small Lebanese) cucumber 1, peeled, sliced in half lengthways and seeded (180 g) parsley 25 g, roughly chopped mint 25 g, roughly chopped garlic ½ clove, roughly chopped olive oil 4T salt ¼t

1 To make the brinjal yoghurt, there are two ways to chargrill the brinjals: on an open flame on the stovetop, or in a chargrill pan on an induction hob followed by 10 minutes in a hot oven. Once cooked, the scooped-out flesh should weigh about 160 g. Place this in the bowl of a food processor along with the yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice, tahini and salt. Blitz for about a minute, until completely smooth, then set aside until needed. 2 Prepare the cucumber by placing each half on a chopping board, cut side facing down. Using the flat side of a large knife, lightly “smack” them until bruised but still holding their shape. Cut the cucumber into roughly 1 cm dice and set aside. 3 Clean the food processor, then add the parsley, mint, garlic, olive oil and salt. Blitz for about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides a couple of times if you need to, to form a smooth paste, then add to the cucumber. Set aside for at least 20 minutes (and up to a day in advance if kept in the fridge) for the flavours to infuse.

4 Slice each head of baby gem lengthways to make 8 long thin wedges (per lettuce). When ready to assemble, arrange the lettuce on a round platter, overlapping the outer and inner circle to look like the petals of a flower. Lightly sprinkle the wedges with salt and a grind of black pepper, then splatter over the brinjal yoghurt. Spoon over the cucumber, drizzle with the shatta, sprinkle over the chilli flakes and serve. HEALTH-CONSCIOUS, MEAT-FREE, WHEAT- AND GLUTEN-FREE

WINE: Muratie Unwooded

Chardonnay 2019