Pigs .....

It’s a big point in favour of the end of the winter season that we can stop living on the traditional montagnard diet of pigs, potatoes and lard. Much as I like all the possible permutations of cheese and bacon with a side order of starch, it’s possible to get nostalgic for a vitamin or two after a while. When asked what we should eat this week,  JC (a man whose culinary speciality is high-calorie stodge) growled: “Salad. FEED ME SALAD!!” Whatever you say dear, salad it is. Now, put the axe down quietly.

.... and lard. That's enough of that.

Indian chickpea salad

You will need: 2 garlic cloves; 1 red chilli; 2 tsp cumin seeds; 400g can chickpeas; large tomato; zest and juice of a lemon; things for salad.

Slice the garlic and fry it along with the cumin seeds and chilli until soft. Add the chickpeas, chopped tomato and lemon, cook gently until the whole lot is warmed through. Serve on a bed of whatever you like by way of salad – I usually go for mixed leaves, cucumber, and spring onion, with a bit of fresh coriander if I can ever get hold of the stuff.