“Food & Drink” is back for a new season, with skinny Roux Jr and a bint, who suggests great wines with meals, to me, who can only have a small glass once a week. I’m craving a nice, cold Pinot Gris, but with the new financial discipline and the mentioned alcohol abstinence for a few more months to come, the answer is NO.

Roux boy was talking about doing a better job with leftovers, like with remains of the roast chicken from a Sunday. He suggested croquettes, which I’ve been thinking about making for quite a long time. Today I did. But not with the leftovers, I bought 5 roasted chicken drumsticks, warmed them up while I was waiting for the potatoes to cool. In the meantime Dustin has helped himself to one of the drumsticks, little shit, must have smelled good, as he’s normally not walking on the kitchen tops.

So, I riced the spuds, peeled off all the meat and chucked the bones, added some lemon zest- came through really nicely-chopped spring onion, a touch of basil( Roux used tarragon, I hate tarragon), an egg, a handful of grated cheddar and seasoned well. Tossed in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and had them ready to deep fry.

The Frenchie made a chutney too, apparently of leftover tomatoes, which he chopped and threw to some sweated shallots and garlic, cooked off with sugar, red wine vinegar, chilli flakes and seasoning. I’m not amazed at mine, but then I’m not a massive chutney maker and expert. I had a jar of green tomato chutney from Louise though, so served it alongside mine. Both Florek and I preferred Louise’s. It tasted like it was made with a  recipe and love and time.

Will be made again, will be seasoned more bravely, might use a thick bechamel like the Spanish, to make them a bit more creamy. Florek said what would rock would be some cheese oozing out. So, must make again.