Eggplant

"Admittedly, on the surface this dish seems a bit odd," says Achatz. "Cocoa, pumpkin, cardamom, lamb? This is a perfect example, however, of a technique we use frequently at Alinea called 'flavour bouncing'."

Let Damien Pignolet guide you through how to make ratatouille, a Provencal classic that's endlessly versatile.

Served with mountain bread, the smoky eggplant flavour of Blue Nile's Ethiopian eggplant dip is the perfect way to start your evening.

Very ripe tomatoes make all the difference in our okra, eggplant and turmeric stew. Serve with bread or on a grilled fillet of fish.

Steaming eggplant gives it a lovely silky texture and makes a lighter alternative to frying. The dressing can be made with a curry paste for extra spiciness. Begin this recipe a day ahead to soak the chickpeas.

Just meat on a stick? Hardly. With a few pointers from Turkish chef Somer Sivrioglu, of Sydney's Efendy restaurant, the humble kebab becomes so much more.

Bondi Trattoria's Joe Pavlovic perfects the meatlover's pizza; fior di latte cheese, charred eggplant, pork and fennel sausage, and salty jamón ibérico.