A salad of baby new potato, runner bean and tomato - all from leftovers

Lunch today was a hodge-podge of leftovers in the refrigerator. Luckily, leftovers can be better than first-timers. I filled my salad with some of the best seasonal vegetables (runner beans from the garden... tomatoes from Norfolk... potatoes from Jersey) and complimented them with some protein to last me through the long afternoon. It was a niçoise of sorts:

Baby new potato, runner bean and tomato salad

(serves 1)

180 g baby new potatoes, steamed, halved and cooled

100 g runner beans, sliced diagonally

2 medium ripe tomatoes, deseeded and chopped

2 slices of cooked ham, sliced

50 g little gem lettuce, rinsed and chopped roughly

Pepper, to taste

A dollop (about 10 g) of light mayonnaise

A splash of balsamic vinegar

Combine the first six ingredients in a bowl. Spoon a dollop of mayonnaise on the side. If serving immediately, add a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Calories: 291

I made this dish the night before, since I had extra new potatoes after cooking salmon fishcakes. It keeps well in a plastic container overnight and transports easily to work.

I have begun keeping a bottle of vinegar at work to splash on my salad right before eating. This helps keep the lettuce fresh. Aspall's Organic Balsamic Vinegar is on my shelf (you can get it at Tesco), but white wine vinegar and red wine vinegar work nicely too. I prefer not to use cider vinegar in salads, though others think it makes a good salad dressing. Try them all and decide for yourself.