A few years ago, I was reading a food magazine that suggested an “easy” meal plan that made use of leftovers, ideal for a “busy family.” The magazine suggested that one buy a whole chicken. The first day, the cook was supposed to roast the whole chicken and serve it with a couple of side dishes. The second day, the cook was supposed to use some of the leftover chicken to whip up an (entirely new) salad. And on the third and final day, the cook was supposed to (come home from work, exhausted, and) use the chicken bones and any final remaining chicken bits to create a (also otherwise entirely new) soup.

This struck me as inefficient at best. Why cook for leftovers if you then have to cook for the following two nights, as well? Who wants to come home from work to cook what is, aside from one ingredient, an entirely new meal, every night? Or more to the point: who has the time? (Or if you do have the spare time, wouldn’t you just rather bake cookies?)

Here are my core beliefs on leftovers: Leftovers Should Not Require Extra Cooking, and If It Tastes Good, You Won’t Mind Eating It Again.

This recipe hits both marks. Once you make the lentil salad on night one, nothing else needs to be done. On day two, you just pull it out of the fridge, put it in a lunch box or on a dinner plate, and you’re done. And I promise, you won’t mind having this a couple of nights (or a few lunches) in a row. The lentils are al dente and wholesome, the roast tomatoes add acidity (and remind you of summer produce in this bleak, tomato-less season called “winter”), the mix of herbs adds incredible flavor, and the gorgonzola, with its creamy-sharp balance, prevents the dish from feeling too ascetic. This is one of those recipes that is so perfectly balanced that its simplicity feels welcome and refreshing–not bland.

So: cook once, eat many times, never get bored.

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Six months ago: Buttermilk ice cream with olive oil and sea salt (sounds weird, but this was one of the best and most interesting things I ate all year)
One year ago: Bourke Street Bakery’s chocolate ganache tartlets

Want other meal-type, great-for-leftover, fall- and winter-friendly salads? Try this, this, this, or this.

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Lentil, roasted tomato, and gorgonzola salad

Adapted only slightly from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty
Serves 6

Ingredients

8 plum tomatoes
12 thyme sprigs
generous drizzle of olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt
1 red onion, very thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
2 cups (370g) lentils du Puy (Also known as French lentils or green lentils. Don’t substitute red or yellow lentils here, since they don’t hold their shape when they cook.)
generous 1/4 cup olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped flat parsley
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped dill
1/4 cup chopped chives (optional, but nice)
5 ounces (141g) mild gorgonzola, crumbled (gorgonzola dolce works well here)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 275F (135C). Quarter the tomatoes vertically and place cut-side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Arrange the thyme sprigs on top of them. Drizzle over the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Roast for 1 1/2 hours, or until the tomatoes are semi-dried. Remove from oven, discard thyme, and let cool slightly.

While the tomatoes are roasting, place the red onion in a big serving bowl, pour over the vinegar, and sprinkle with salt. Leave for a few minutes to dilute the strength of the onion. (If you want the onion to have even less bite, do this first.

Boil a pot of water. Pour the lentils into the pot. (The water should be at least an inch or two above the lentils.) Cook for 20-30 minutes, or until tender. Drain into a sieve and, while still warm, add to the bowl with the sliced onion. Add the olive oil, garlic, and bit of black pepper to the bowl. Stir to mix and leave aside to cool down.

Once cool, add the herbs, cheese, and semi-dried tomatoes and mix gently to combine. Adjust the seasoning as needed and serve.