After a wondrous trip to the Petersham Nurseries Cafe just outside of London last summer, I stuffed a couple of cookbooks in my suitcase and headed home with hopes of recreating Skye Gyngell's delicious dishes. I honestly didn't think it would be feasible, because of the incredible gardens she has at her disposal.

But after making about five recipes from the books, I've been able to replicate the flavors to a near tee. From chili crab cakes with a sweet corn puree to chocolate mousse with salted caramel sauce, it seems Skye has left none of her secrets out of the book (unlike almost every other restaurant cookbook I know).

So here lies my slightly altered version of the latest recipe I've tried. Silky eggplant is layered in a homemade tomato sauce and doused in an herb-infused creme fraiche sauce that infiltrates every layer in the casserole dish. It's heavenly.

Baked Eggplant with Tomatoes and Herb Creme Fraiche
Adapted from A Year in My Kitchen by Skye Gyngell
Serves 6

3 medium eggplants, sliced into 1 cm rounds
Olive oil
5 vine tomatoes, roughly diced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 Tb butter
16 oz. creme fraiche
2 Tb fresh chives, finely chopped
2 Tb fresh tarragon, finely chopped
1 Tb fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 Tb fresh parsley, finely chopped (plus more for garnish)
Parmesan cheese, to top

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. While it's heating, place eggplant rounds in a colander and sprinkle liberally with salt. Let sit for 30 minutes to degorge the juices from the eggplant. Pat dry.

2. Lay out eggplant rounds on a baking sheet, and lightly coat with olive oil. Bake about 20 minutes, until soft and golden brown (flipping halfway through). To save time, bake on two baking sheets at the same time. Continue until all eggplant are cooked. Set out to drain on paper towels.

3. Cook tomatoes and garlic with butter in medium heat for 15 minutes, or until soft. Set aside.

4. Bring creme fraiche to a boil and reduce by 1/3. Remove from heat, and stir in herbs.

5. In a shallow baking pan, layer eggplant rounds, then tomatoes. Continue until all vegetables are used, finishing with tomatoes on top. Then pour entire creme fraiche mixture over the casserole. Top with a grating of Parmesan cheese.

6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until bubbling and golden brown on top. Remove from oven and let sit for at least 5 minutes before serving. Top with remaining fresh parsley to serve.