I’VE ALWAYS FELT SORRY for those who are unable to eat vegetables and fruits of the nightshade family, not only because they are so delicious but also because they are cemented in so many food cultures that they can be hard to avoid. Most originate from Central or Southern America or from Asia, but they have travelled widely throughout most continents. It is their resilience that has allowed them to adapt to new climates readily and, in turn, help shape some of the cuisines that we see today. It’s hard to imagine Ireland without potatoes or Italy without tomatoes.

Solanaceae is a large family of plants and includes potatoes, tomatoes, tomatillos, eggplants, capsicums and chillies. And this is the prime time for eating them, not only because they are bursting with a fine balance of sweetness and acidity but also because they are plentiful. At this time of the year I barely eat anything else as their versatility makes them so easy to work with.