July to October Aubergines

The Italian classic, aubergine parmigiana (baked aubergine with cheese, or Parmesan aubergine, if you–re being literal with the translation) is one of my all-time favourite dishes (find the recipe), and aubergines are a really versatile veg – a sponge for all kinds of flavours. I just wish that they grew better in our climate. We have tried, but without artificial heat (which we consider environmental madness) even under plastic or glass their season is vanishingly short. Almost our entire crop comes from Spain, for which I make no apology as they have a lower carbon footprint and taste better than 99 per cent of those grown in the UK.