Take One Tin cookbook: Recipes from lentil ragu to courgette bean dip

When I was growing up, my aunty Sophie often made a big pan of tomatoey lentils when we went round. This version is a nod to a traditional Italian meat ragu, but I have added aubergine instead and served with soft polenta and wilted greens.

Serves 6

6tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 aubergines, cut into 2.5cm cubes
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½tsp fennel seeds
2 bay leaves
Pinch of chilli flakes
200ml red wine
2 x 400g tins beluga lentils, drained and rinsed
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil, add the onions and soften over a low heat for about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another frying pan, heat the remaining oil, add the aubergines and a pinch of salt, then fry on high for 5-10 minutes, stirring often until the aubergine cubes are golden. Set aside.

By this point, the onions should be soft and tinged golden. Add the garlic, fennel seeds, bay leaves and chilli flakes. Fry for a further 2-3 minutes, then tip in the wine. Bring to the boil and boil until it has reduced by two-thirds in volume (this shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes).

Last but not least, add the lentils, tomatoes and the browned aubergine cubes. Season and reduce the heat, then simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has thickened a little and the aubergine is buttery soft.

Just before serving, fish out the bay leaves. This ragu is great with soft polenta, pasta or served simply with a hunk of bread.

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This is quite like hummus and it’s delicious eaten warm or cold with soft flatbreads or veg crudites. Za’atar is magic – try sprinkling it on grilled fish, roasted veggies or salads.

Serves 4

4 courgettes, sliced into chunky rounds
4tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Juice of ½ lemon
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2tbsp tahini
400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1tsp za’atar spice mix
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 220C.

Spread the courgettes over two baking trays, drizzle with half the olive oil, season and then roast for 20-25 minutes until golden and tender. The undersides seem to brown much more quickly, so check after about 10-15 minutes and flip if necessary.

Blend two-thirds of the roasted courgettes with the remaining olive oil and the lemon juice, garlic, tahini and cannellini beans until smooth, then season. Tip into a bowl and top with the remaining courgettes.

Sprinkle over the za’atar and drizzle with extra olive oil.

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These sweet and mellow corn cakes go beautifully with the punchy, spicy and tart chutney. This is a perfect brunch dish or light supper.

Serves 3 generously

For the chutney

50g fresh coriander, leaves picked
20g fresh mint, leaves picked
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
Juice of ½ lemon
40g desiccated coconut
1 green chilli, finely chopped and seeds left in if you like spice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the corn cakes

2 x 198g tins sweetcorn (drained and half roughly blitzed)
2 eggs
100g self-raising flour
2tsp mild curry powder
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1tbsp flavourless oil (such as sunflower)
1 lemon, quartered (optional)

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To make the chutney, put the coriander, mint, garlic, lemon juice, coconut and chilli with 2-3 tablespoons of water into a blender or food processor. Blitz until smooth, adding more water if needed (the final consistency should be like pesto). Season and set aside.

To make the corn cakes, in a large bowl, mix all the sweetcorn, eggs, flour, curry powder and onion, then season.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then dollop in a heaped tablespoon of mixture for each cake. Flatten each slightly and fry for 3-4 minutes per side until golden.

‘Take One Tin’ by Lola Milne is published by Kyle Books, £14.99