Charring the eggplant directly over a flame is what separates a good baba ganoush from a great one — that smoky depth cannot be replicated any other way. Finished with a drizzle of toasted sesame chilli oil, this is a dip worth making the day before so the flavours have time to settle.

Roasted grapes become jammy and sweet in the oven — exactly what you want against the richness of warm brie on toasted bread. These come together in under 20 minutes, scale to any number, and disappear from the table faster than almost anything else. The kind of appetiser that buys you time and earns you compliments.