The excitement of this Tuesday's crepe cake left me without any desire for cooking. I ate takeaway for dinner on at least 3 nights. Possibly more, but it's all sort of blurred together in a sodium-filled haze.

But it's Sunday, and I told myself that I would cook dammit, and so, while this isn't from a book that I own, it's adapted from a recipe card currently on the kitchen counter and was a good way to use up a whole lot of bits and pieces that were approaching the danger zone. Halloumi is too delicious to waste (now that I understand how to cook it, and buy only the brand Pittas, which is not too salty), and a bunch of mint these days costs the approximate equivalent of a week's rent so I can't quite bring myself to feed all of it to the bunnies after using but a single sprig. Also, I am home alone, so it's the perfect opportunity to eat cous cous.

It's a sort of bubble and squeak for modern life. Because ....halloumi!
I am on fire with the dad's jokes lately!

Not quite the book - week seven

Chickpea, tomato and halloumi squeaking salad (adapted from this recipe)
 

Ingredients
1 tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tin diced tomatoes
Dried chilli flakes
Four medium tomatoes, quartered
Some cous cous (I used and Ainsley Harriot one because they are pre-seasoned and there was a packet also sitting on the counter top)
Small bunch of mint, finely chopped
A slab of halloumi, sliced
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar

Method

• Before you get hungry, put the tomatoes on a tray and drizzle with olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Put the tray in the over ~120 degrees. You don't need to pre-heat, just put them in and leave them until they've reduced in size (~1 hour). Roughly chop, then put the bits to the side once done (try not to pick and pick until all of the pieces are inexplicably eaten). 
• Place the halloumi slices under a hot grill, turning them once or twice until the surface is bubbly and browned. Put the halloumi to the side as well. 
• Over high heat, put the tin of tomatoes and the chilli flakes in a large frying pan and jiggle around until the liquid has started to reduce (I also put in a few teaspoons of sugar to take some of the acidity out of the tomatoes). Add the chickpeas and then let it bubble away until it reduces and thickens. 
• While that's happening, pour hot water over the cous cous in a large bowl and cover it loosely. 
• When the cous cous is nice and fluffy, add the roasted tomatoes and the mint. 
• Put a scoop of tomato/chickpea on the bottom, follow with a scoop of cous cous, and sprinkle the chopped halloumi on top.

It only takes about 30 minutes and there's enough for left-overs. It makes you win at life.

❤