Aubergine caviar

Trim any black patches from the aubergines and cut each in half lengthways.

Score the cut faces with a small knife in a shallow crisscross to speed the cooking.

Brush the cut faces with olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper.

Turn the halves skin side up so the skin protects the flesh under the grill.

Preheat the oven to 200C, about 400F, on the grill or broiler function only; a modern oven can be dropped to 180C.

Set the tray on the very top shelf, about five centimetres from the grill plate.

Grill for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the onion and garlic gently in a saute pan with a spoon of oil over medium heat, with a little salt and pepper, without browning, 10 to 15 minutes.

Reported at around 12 minutes, heat reduced to low because it had started to brown.

Add the chopped tomato with its juice removed and mix only until coherent; keep the chunks of tomato and onion, do not let it become a tomato sauce. Cook a few minutes more and turn the heat off.

Grill heat was raised to 220C to get a brown burn mark on the skin; total time 25 minutes at two inches or five centimetres from the grill.

The flesh is cooked when it tears apart with a spoon and is no longer spongy.

Leave to cool, then scrape all the flesh out into a bowl.

Mix by hand rather than in a food processor for a rustic texture.

Season with salt and pepper, add the mustard and the lemon juice.

Pour in three to four tablespoons of olive oil a little at a time, mixing as for a mayonnaise; a whisk or a wooden spoon.

Refrigerate at least two hours until really cold before serving.