One of our favourite places to visit in Lebanon is Zahle, the Malouf family’s home town. Zahle lies between Beirut and Damascus, in central Lebanon. It is surrounded by mountains, and is a popular summer resort. In winter though, the town is often snow-bound. People here are big on self-sufficiency and home-preserving – in the fruitful summer months they bottle, pickle and preserve in preparation for the cold, dark winters. It was in Zahle that we first tasted these eggplants pickled with walnuts and chillies. The recipe comes from Greg’s sister-in-law Amal Malouf.