- 1 aubergine
- 1 red pepper
- 1 onion
- 1 celery stick
- 2 vine tomatoes
- A handful of flat leaf parsley
- 1 tbsp capers
- 2 pork loin steaks
- 50g peppery salad mix
- 4 tsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 4 tbsp + 100ml cold water
- 1-2 baking trays
- Medium pan with lid
- Measuring jug
- 1.
Preheat your grill to high. Line a baking tray with foil. Trim the green top off the aubergine, then slice it into bite-sized chunks. Spread them out on the baking tray. Drizzle with 2 tsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Halve the red pepper and scoop out the seeds and white pith. Place the pepper halves on the tray, skin-side up. Slide the tray under the grill and cook for 10-12 mins till the aubergine chunks are golden brown and the pepper skin is blistered and charred. When cooked, take out from under the grill and set aside. Keep the grill on.
- 2.
While the veg cook, peel and finely chop the onion. Trim any dry ends off the celery stick, then finely slice it. Warm a medium pan on a medium heat. Add the onion and celery with 4 tbsp water and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pop a lid on the pan and sweat the onion for 10 mins, stirring often, till the veg are glossy and starting to soften. If you don’t have a lid, use a baking tray to cover the pan.
- 3.
Meanwhile, dice the tomatoes. Finely chop the parsley stalks, setting the leaves to one side. Rinse 1 tbsp capers with cold water.
- 4.
Stir the tomatoes, parsley stalks and capers into the pan. Fry, stirring often, for 5 mins till the tomatoes start to become pulpy.
- 5.
The aubergine and pepper should be grilled by now. Set the pepper halves to one side. Add the aubergine to the pan and pour in 100ml water. Pop on the lid and simmer for 10 mins, stirring now and then. If the sauce seems too dry, add an extra splash of water.
- 6.
While the veg simmer, pop the pork loin steaks on the baking tray. Slide under the grill and cook for 10-12 mins, turning halfway through, till the pork is golden brown and cooked all the way through – there should be no pink if you slice into a pork steak.
- 7.
Toss the salad leaves with 2 tsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pull the charred skin off the pepper (it’s OK if you can’t get it all off – it will add smoky flavour). Roughly chop the pepper.
- 8.
Stir the pepper into the aubergine caponata and add a pinch of salt or pepper if you think it needs it. Spoon the caponata onto 2 warm plates. Top with the pork steaks and serve with the salad leaves. Tear over the parsley leaves to garnish.