This grilled aubergine with tomato and anchovy salsa is inspired by Sicily, where aubergines, tomatoes and anchovies are taken very seriously. Soft, golden aubergine rounds seasoned with oregano and black pepper, topped with a fresh, punchy salsa of ripe tomatoes, anchovies, garlic, fresh oregano and good olive oil. It’s simple, generous Mediterranean cooking, and one of my favourite dishes for entertaining.

It’s perfect if you love hosting but hate being stuck in the kitchen, because it actually improves as it sits. Once the warm aubergine is topped with the salsa, it slowly soaks up all the tomato juices, olive oil and vinegar, becoming silky and full of flavour. If you can, leave it for 20 minutes before serving. It’s just as good at room temperature as it is warm, so it can be made well before guests arrive.

Cutting the aubergines into thick rounds gives you a soft, creamy texture inside with golden edges. Make sure they’re well coated in olive oil before cooking, as aubergines soak up oil and can turn dry and leathery without enough. You can roast them in the oven, cook them on a hot griddle pan or grill them on the barbecue for a smokier flavour. Either way, cook them until they’re completely tender all the way through. Undercooked aubergine is spongy and bitter, while properly cooked aubergine is soft and sweet.

For the salsa, use the ripest tomatoes you can find. There’s no need to deseed them, as the juice around the seeds is full of flavour and helps make the dressing. Anchovies bring a deep, savoury saltiness that melts into the tomatoes rather than tasting fishy, and the red wine vinegar adds brightness. Tomatoes are at their best from July to September, which makes this a perfect late summer dish. For a vegetarian version, swap the anchovies for chopped capers or olives.

This is lovely as a sharing starter with crusty bread, part of a summer spread, or alongside grilled lamb, fish or chicken. It’s naturally gluten free and dairy free.