Warning:recipe post

I have said before that my brother-in-law reckons that most blokes can cook two dishes really well. And I have also said before ‘Make that most blokes and me.’ And now I would like to say that I can now take myself out of that last statement.

Because now I can make three.

Yes I know, pass me the Michelin star and all that, but I really am quite excited about this. Because I just learnt a new dish and it was totally by accident, a collision of leftovers, if you will.

Possibly I need to go back to the beginning and explain myself. See, I used to think that I cooked, but it wasn’t until I broke up with my boyfriend a couple of years ago that it became brutally obvious that I didn’t cook at all - I just sat on the bench, drank wine and yapped. The sad reality was that if cooking repertoires were wardrobes, I had two dresses.

But my wardrobe is expanding!

Last night I was tired and hungry. It had been another long day sitting on the floor of the vet clinic while the adults carried out the real work. When I got home I was desperate to discover that, by some miracle, a gourmet delight had magically appeared in my fridge.

Unfortunately, I came face to face with some old chopped up roasted potatoes. I had done them with oil and a teensy bit of soya, so once upon a time they had been crunchy and brown. And not last night but the night before I had stuffed a giant mushroom and had leftover mushroom stuffing which consisted of fried breadcrumbs (brown bread), toasted sesame seeds, spring onion, sweet chili sauce and crumbled feta. So I threw the breadcrumb mixture onto the old roasted potatoes, grated some parmesan cheese on top and gave that a spin in the microwave, till everything was warm and melting. I pulled that out and added some chopped up cherry tomatoes, then I mixed up some oil, vinegar, threw in some chopped coriander and poured it over the top.

Oink, oink, oink, I hate to crow but bite me, it was good.

I think I am so excited about this dish because if someone asked me over for second hand warm potato and breadcrumb salad, I would be mumbling my thanks and saying that I had a fresh batch of lettuce soup waiting for me at home.

Having said all that, I wonder if it was so good because I was famished and knackered? I wonder if it’s the culinary equivalent to 2 a.m fish and chips after a night on the tiles?

I don't really care, it's my new frock, and all my friends are going to get to see it.