PROVENCE MARINATED EGGPLANT
A dry Provençal rosé brings a depth that you cannot replicate with water or white wine. 
This recipe comes straight from the South of France, where simple, honest ingredients and a good bottle of rosé are all you really need. In Provence, this preparation is typically made with the long, slender Lebanese-style aubergine, the kind you find piled up in the market stalls in summer. If you can get your hands on those, use them. If not, the smaller standard aubergines work well, just cut them down to a proper bite-sized piece.
What makes this recipe interesting is the rosé. It is not there for show. A dry Provençal rosé brings a subtle savouriness and a depth that you genuinely cannot replicate with water or white wine. Once you taste it, you will understand. The whole process takes about 30 minutes, and then you leave the jar in the fridge for 24 hours to let everything come together. What you end up with is a jar of gently pickled, herb-scented aubergine that will keep for up to 10 days and works beautifully as a condiment, a side dish, or spooned onto a sandwich with a little mortadella and a drizzle of the marinade oil. It is one of those things that is much greater than the sum of its parts.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4 AS A SIDE OR A CONDIMENT
100 ml (3½ fl oz) dry Provençal rosé wine
100 ml (3½ fl oz) white wine vinegar
200 ml (7 fl oz) good-quality olive oil
3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
2 to 3 bay leaves
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tsp fine sea salt
A few turns of black pepper
1 tsp honey
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) aubergine, cut into 4 to 5 cm (1½ to 2 in) chunks
MISE EN PLACE
Make sure your jar is heatproof and suitable for pickling or preserving. Standard canning jars or Kilner-style jars are ideal. Do not use a standard glass jar or container as you will be pouring very hot liquid directly into it.
Have a slotted spoon ready for transferring the aubergines.
Method
Combine the rosé, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, and honey in a wide sauté pan or shallow saucepan. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Leave the concoction to simmer for 10 minutes while you prepare the aubergines.
Cut the aubergines into chunks of roughly 4 to 5 cm (1½ to 2 in). Aim for bite-sized pieces that are even in size. Do not cut them too small, as they will soften considerably during cooking and you want them to hold their shape. Do not peel them.
Once the 10 minutes are up, add the aubergine pieces directly into the simmering concoction. Stir gently to coat, then reduce the heat to a low, steady simmer. You do not want a rolling boil here, as the aubergine will break apart. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, turning the pieces gently every 5 to 7 minutes to ensure even cooking. They are ready when they are completely tender but still just holding together.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the aubergines into your heatproof jar. Then carefully pour in all of the hot marinade, including the herbs and garlic. Seal the jar tightly.
Leave the jar to cool at room temperature until lukewarm, then transfer to the refrigerator. Leave for a full 24 hours before opening. This resting time is important. It is what allows the flavours to properly infuse and develop.
NOTE
Use a dry Provençal rosé if you can find one. Some rosé wines, particularly from the New World, tend towards sweetness and will throw the balance of this recipe off. A wine from Aix-en-Provence or the Var region is ideal.
The aubergines will shrink noticeably during cooking, so do not be alarmed if they look like a lot going in and very little coming out. This is normal
Stored in the sealed jar in the refrigerator, the aubergines will keep well for up to 10 days. Serve at room temperature for the best flavour, as the olive oil tends to thicken when cold.