Aubergine stuffed with brown rice and cherry tomatoes

With this lovely weather, we are not quite ready to get out the stewing pots yet, so we thought we'd share one of Lily's favourite late summer dinners. Aubergines go out of season in October so best make the most of them in September. Lily serves this dish with a fresh, zingy, lemon soya yogurt which works really well with the smoky aubergine and spiced brown rice.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 aubergines

1 tsp rapeseed oil

Pinch salt and pepper

For the rice:

200g brown rice

2 spring onions, finely chopped

1 celery stick, finely diced

1 handful golden raisins

½ tsp ground cumin

1 handful coriander, finely chopped

1 handful mint finely chopped

Pinch of salt and pepper

Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tbsp sesame seeds

Pinch of chili flakes

For the yogurt dressing:

3 tbsp soya yogurt

Zest and juice ½ lemon

Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.Slice the aubergine in half-length ways and place on a baking tray, flesh side up. Drizzle with a little rapeseed oil, salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes until the flesh is tender.

2. While the aubergine is cooking, place some brown rice in a pan and cover with three times the amount of cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes until tender. Drain and mix with the spring onions, celery, raisins, cumin, coriander, mint, salt and pepper.

3. Once cooked, remove the aubergine from the oven and scope out most of the flesh, making sure not to pierce the skin. Place the flesh in a blow and mix with the brown rice. Scoop this mixture back into the aubergine and top with the cherry tomatoes, flaked chili and sesame seeds. Roast in the oven for a further 15 minutes. Mix the soya yogurt with the lemon zest, juice, salt and pepper. Dollop over the aubergine to serve.

Photograph: Lily Simpson