Smoky Fire-Charred Zaalouk with Preserved Lemon

Method

1. Prick the eggplants a few times with a fork so they don't burst, then set them directly on a gas flame on high heat for 14 min. Turn them with tongs every few minutes until the skin is blackened and wrinkled all over and the whole eggplant has collapsed. If they don't all fit on the burner, char them in batches. No gas? Use the oven grill (broiler) on maximum, on the top shelf, until they look the same. Foil around the burner makes cleaning easy.

   Add in this stepEggplants (plump and firm) 600 g

   high heat

2. Put the charred eggplants in a bowl, cover with cling film or a plate and leave for 10 min. The steam loosens the skin: split them open, scoop out the flesh with a spoon and pick out any burnt bits. Let the flesh drain in a sieve to lose its bitter juices, then chop it roughly with a knife.

3. Toast the cumin seeds in a small dry pan on medium heat for 1 min, until a shade darker and nutty-smelling. Pound them in a mortar with the coarse salt and garlic to a rough paste. No mortar? Crush everything on a board with the flat of a knife.

   Add in this stepWhole cumin seeds 1 tspCoarse sea salt ½ tspGarlic cloves 3

   medium heat

4. Halve the tomatoes and grate them, discarding the skins. Heat the olive oil in a 24 cm pan on medium heat, fry the garlic-cumin paste for 30 seconds, then add the tomato and paprika and cook for 10 min, until the oil separates and glistens and the tomato turns thick and jammy.

   Add in this stepExtra-virgin olive oil 2⅛ tbspRipe tomatoes 400 gSweet paprika 1 tsp

   medium heat

5. Scrape out and discard the pulp of the preserved lemon and finely chop the rind. Add the chopped eggplant, preserved lemon and half the cilantro to the pan and cook on medium-low heat for 7 min, stirring, until moist but not runny. Taste now: preserved lemon is salty, so adjust the salt only at the end.

   Add in this stepPreserved lemon ½Fresh cilantro (coriander) 6 g

   medium-low heat

6. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and the rest of the cilantro. Spread it on a shallow plate, make swirls with the back of a spoon, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and top with halved olives. Serve warm or at room temperature.

   Add in this stepLemon juice 2 tspFresh cilantro (coriander) 6 gExtra-virgin olive oil 0.9 tbspGreen olives 6