My heavy cast-iron casserole has been earning its keep this winter. The enamelled interior stained from decades of curries, stews and long, slow cooking, there is barely a week it doesn’t sit on the hob or in the oven, its contents puttering gently towards tenderness. This week, my dear old friend (it must be at least 25 years old) nurtured a spice-scented aubergine dish seasoned with bay, chilli flakes and spices, its sauce a deep brick red from a recipe that included red wine and tomatoes. I should have waited to lift the lid until the pot was on the table, when everyone could share the scent of the steam and its soft, earthy spice notes. But, as a cook, there is always a natural temptation to peep at your handiwork. The lid lifted and a ladle sunk deep into the sauce, we scooped everything up with mounds of couscous freckled with lemon zest and parsley. The next day, I snaffled the leftovers, eaten cool, like a caponata with flatbread, and followed it with warm pears, gorgonzola and toasted walnuts. Slow-cooked aubergine, lemon and parsley couscous Serves 4 as a delicious main course. For the aubergines: aubergines 800g olive oil 100ml onions 2, medium garlic 4 cloves bay leaves 4 thyme sprigs 6 chilli flakes 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp salt 1 tsp tomatoes 350g tomato purée 2 tbsp red wine 250ml vegetable stock 500ml For the couscous: fine couscous 150g lemon 1 coriander leaves 4 tbsp Remove and discard the stems from the aubergines. Cut them in half lengthways and then into quarters. Cut each quarter into 3cm-long pieces. Warm a griddle (you will need to put the extractor fan on or open the window). Put half the aubergines on the griddle, let them cook for a couple of minutes until dark lines appear on the underside, then turn and repeat. Lift them off with kitchen tongs and set aside. Continue with the remaining aubergines. Peel and roughly chop the onion. Warm the oil in a large, deep pan that will also go in the oven. Add the onions. Leave them to cook for 10 minutes or so until soft and translucent. Peel and thinly slice the garlic, then add to the onion and continue to cook for a minute or two. Preheat the oven to 190C/gas mark 5. Stir in the bay leaves, thyme, chilli, cumin, coriander and salt. Continue cooking for a few minutes until everything is glossy. Roughly chop the tomatoes and add them to the pan, then stir in the tomato purée. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, then pour in the wine and stock, turn the heat up and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Leave to bake for about 45 minutes until the aubergine is soft and the sauce rich and thick. To make the couscous: put the kettle on. Put the couscous into a heatproof bowl, pour in enough of the boiling water to cover the grains by 2cm, cover and set aside for 10 minutes until the couscous is swollen and has soaked up all the water. Finely chop the parsley, grate the lemon zest and stir into the couscous with a fork. Serve with the aubergines. Pear, walnuts and gorgonzola When adding the walnuts to the pan, cook them only briefly, just enough to warm them. Overcooking a walnut will make it bitter. If you happen to have walnut oil in the house, use half olive and half walnut oil in the dressing. Serves 2 sourdough or other open-textured white bread 200g olive oil 4 tbsp walnut halves 25g Comice or other large pears 2 butter 20g gorgonzola 200g lettuce or chicory leaves 6 For the dressing: Dijon mustard 1 tsp honey 1 tsp cider vinegar 2 tbsp olive oil 4 tbsp Make the dressing: put the mustard in a small mixing bowl, add the honey and a generous pinch of salt. Pour in the vinegar then, using a small whisk or a fork, beat in the olive oil. Grind in a little salt and black pepper and then set aside. Slice the pears in half, then cut each half into 3 thick slices from stem to flower end, removing the cores as you go. Remove the crusts from the bread, then tear the bread into small rough-edged pieces. Heat the olive oil in a shallow pan over a moderate heat, place the bread into the hot oil and cook it for a couple of minutes on each side until it is crisp and golden. As you turn the bread, add the walnuts to the pan and let them warm through. Remove the bread and nuts from the pan and drain them on some kitchen paper. Place the sliced pears in the pan, with the butter and a little more oil if the bread has soaked it all up, then cook them for 5 or 6 minutes on each side until the pears are tender and have coloured nicely. Transfer the cooked pears to the dressing, add the crisped bread and walnuts and toss gently to coat everything with the dressing. Put the leaves on 2 plates, add the pears, nuts and bread. Spoon the gorgonzola next to the pears, trickle over any remaining dressing and serve.