I make the most of cooking just for myself, with a supper of intense frugality that might not appeal to others. A favorite is a bowl of white rice seasoned with Vietnamese fish sauce and masses of mint and cilantro, eaten from my most fragile and precious bowl. A humble meal of consummate purity. A baked eggplant may not sound like an indulgence, but its luxury and richness lie in its texture rather than its price. A simple supper that feels more expensive than it actually is. Some soft Middle Eastern bread would be good here.

　　

Ingredients

enough for 1

　　a large, firm eggplant

　　olive oil, a good everyday one

　　garlic – 2 cloves

　　yogurt, sheep’s if you can – 3 or 4 tablespoons

　　paprika – a pinch or two

　　mint leaves – a small palmful

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).Wipe the eggplant, removing its leaves, and slice it lengthwise down the middle. Score across the cut sides, going deep down into the flesh, in a lattice pattern. This will help the heat and olive oil penetrate the eggplant.

　　

Step 2

Place the halves, cut side up, in a small baking dish or roasting pan, then drizzle generously with olive oil. Grind over a little salt, then flip the eggplant halves over, so that their cut sides sit flat on the dish. Put the garlic cloves, whole and unpeeled, into the dish too. Bake until the eggplant is tender and melting, the flesh translucent with oil. This will take a good forty-five minutes, but much will depend on the size of your eggplant, so keep an eye out.

　　

Step 3

When the eggplant is totally soft and juicy, lift it onto a plate, squeeze the soft garlic flesh from its skin, and smooth it into the eggplant. No need to make a big deal of this, just wipe it over the flesh. Spoon over the yogurt, dust very lightly with paprika, and scatter the mint leaves on top. Scoop the flesh from the skin as you eat it, mashing it with the yogurt and mint.

　　Tender