Oi, sciencegeek, I don't think I've even mentioned tofu! In fact, I don't even know what it is.

Yes, eggplants/aubergines. I found I can't grow 'em very well in the humid Cornish climate - they seem to start rotting before I can harvest them. So I buy 'em, but caveat emptor! Bought ones can have incredibly tough skin that stays tough even when cooked. I test with a finger nail before I buy (yes, I know...), and, if they're brownish/seedy/fluffy inside when you get them home, they're useless. I reckon the best thing for aubergines is moussaka, but there's a brilliant Sicilian dish, very veggie, called pasta alla Norma (named in honour of Bellini's Norma) which uses chopped-up aubergines. There are several variations of this dish, but whatever you do you should sprinkle the cooking eggplant slices with dried oregano. You won't regret it.