Here’s the recipe for the final dish of my Turkish lunch. For those of you not familiar with Purslane or Verdolaga as it is called here in Spain and have vegetable gardens, it is a salad plant that is well worth cultivating as it is succulent even in the hottest months. You only have to sow it once and let it go to seed, then it will appear every summer.

In Turkey a particularly large leafed variety has been developed, and its leaves are regularly made into a salad with just goats milk yoghurt and salt. If you can’t get hold of Purslane, then substitute Corn Salad (Canónigos), or Watercress.

For 4 portions

1 large black aubergine

purslane or corn salad

2 large black figs – diced

2 tablespoons finely diced sweet onions

juice of 1/2 lemon

sea salt

2 -3 tablespoons goats yoghurt or vegan yoghurt

Either roast or microwave the aubergine until soft. If you have never cooked an aubergine in the microwave, it is a good fast way to get soft creamy flesh. Prick the aubergine all over with a fork to prevent it bursting while cooking. Cook on a high setting for a couple of minutes, then turn and cook for a couple more minutes. Keep doing this until you can feel that it is soft all the way through.

Leave the aubergine to cool, then cut it into quarters lengthways, remove the flesh discarding the skins and dice the flesh.

Put the flesh in a large salad bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Check the seasoning and serve.