Wild Garlic, Gooseberries and Me: A chef’s stories and recipes from the land. Denis Cotter

hit and then serve it with another, milder curry, either yoghurt or coconut based, and of course some rice or bread.

      Cook the spinach in boiling water for 2 minutes, then cool it under cold running water and squeeze gently to remove most of the liquid. In a food processor, chop the spinach to a coarse purée.

      Heat half the olive oil in a large pan and cook the onion, chickpeas, garlic, chilli and spices for 5 minutes over a medium heat. Add the remaining olive oil and the aubergine. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the aubergine is coloured. Add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt, then cover the pan, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the aubergine is soft. Stir in the spinach purée and serve.

Serves 4
1kg(2 1/4 lb) spinach
4 tbsp olive oil
2 medium red onions, diced
200g(7oz) cooked chickpeas,from dried or canned
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped