This dish transports me straight to Zübeyir Ocakbaşi, a historic terrace in Istanbul, on a side street near the main shopping boulevard of Istiklal Caddesi. You can smell the restaurant before you see it, as most of the food is grilled over coals in the centre of the downstairs dining room. This side is a slightly more refined version of their ‘Special Aubergine Salad’. Here it’s accented with the crunch of walnuts and sweetness of softened onions. Over time I’ve discovered the best way to get the soft texture and smokey aroma in the aubergine is to place it whole, directly over a gas burner, occasionally turning it until the skin is withered and the insides are as pulpy as an over ripe piece of fruit. I like to eat this with simple charred meat or offal (in Istanbul we had skewers of liver, which were sublime) and perhaps the Cauliflower ‘Couscous’ with Almonds, Currants and Mint as part of a wider mezze or barbecue feast for a group.