I love the colours that autumn brings. The bright oranges and reds, the endless pink skies. But it’s been a little wet of late, and it is getting to me. It gets to my bones and makes me ache inside. But I am lucky to be able to come back to the boat, get the fire roaring and snuggle up in front of it. Our wood burner packs some heat, and in no time I’m sat in a vest with the windows open, fanning myself with an old magazine.

This recipe is a great alternative to a good old Sunday roast, or just when you need something warm and comforting to see you through these long winter nights. It’s really easy to make, and you can play around with the herbs and spices to fit the flavours to suit your needs!

Unfortunately, we both enjoyed these so much, they barely even touched the plates. Hence the no ‘end result’ photo. But hey, use your imaginations, and serve these little beauties with whatever you wish!

Roasted Aubergine Cabbage Rolls

Makes 4-6 Rolls

INGREDIENTS:

2 Aubergines

2 Courgettes

1 Red Onion

2 Garlic Cloves

1 Tin Cannellini Beans (rinsed)

1 Savoy Cabbage

Fresh Thyme / Rosemary

Other dried herbs such as Majoram

1 tsp Cumin

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil (for roasting)

METHOD

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 5 (190 C)

Peel the onion. Roughly chop with the courgette into large chunks. Slice aubergine down the middle.

Place in a baking tray with the garlic cloves. Drizzle with oil and scatter your herbs and salt and pepper. Toss all veg in the herbs to get an even coating, but leave your aubergine flesh-side down in the tray.

Cover with foil, and roast in the oven for 35-40 mins, or until the courgette is soft.

Once cooked, leave to cool on the side.

Place a shallow pan of water on the hob to boil.

Discard the first outer layers on the cabbage. Then peel off 6/7 leaves, be careful not to break them. Add them to the boiling water and steam (covered) in the pan for 5 mins. Drain and rinse them with cold water.

Once cooked, carefully remove the thicker parts of the cabbage spine with a knife (just the lower thicker section). Leave to one side.

Scrape the aubergine flesh out of the skin, and into a food processor. Add the roasted courgette, onion and garlic. Add cumin / cayenne pepper if desired. Blitz in food processor for 30 secs. Add to bowl and mix in cannellini beans.

Lay cooked cabbage leaves on a board and add a large spoonful of the vegetable mixture to the centre of the leaf and starting at what was the stem-end, fold the sides in and roll up the cabbage to enclose the filling. Place the cabbage rolls side by side, seam-side down, in a ovenproof dish.

Bake (covered) in the oven for 35 mins. Serve on a bed of mashed sweet potato, with a big, warm helping of gravy.