Sounds yummy! Had to look up tastasal though. Where do you get that stuff? At your local butcher? Or do you make it yourself?

Chicken and prawn laksa - something that I have been intending to make for years

When I go visit my friend in Soave, though, since he's here pretty much weekly (has a spare apartment in Campione d'Italia, as he's in Lugano 3-4 days / most weeks), I can ask him to brink me some (and since I have his two boxer motors in pieces in my office at work, he is likely to do so! )

Haven't seen or looked for it locally, probably should have looked for it when we were in Luino on Saturday.

Probably could make it, I have a meat grinder, etc. Probably some coarse cut pork and fat-back or salt pork would be close (or maybe even hand cut, as my biggest disk has only 6mm holes, 8 or 10 would be better, as for chili)

Tom

Falafel with humus & tahini dressing, kalamata olives, cucumbers, tomatoes & salad in pita pockets. (The apartment still smells like Lebanon.)

Made Ossibuchi (con gremolata) last night at the relatives (near Luino), with a side of risotto alla Milanese, had to tell the border guards today that we no longer had any meat as we had eaten it last night! (gave them the shopping receipt)

Tom

Home-made asparagus soup (the green variety).

Wurstsalat Speziell (it's the only way OH will eat Cervelats ).

Texas BBQ!!!!

Made that for Easter, and goat/lamb curry with the leftovers!

Tom

The best part about it was that I didn't have to make it!

Rice, salmon, asparagus, salad, French red wine -- all good

red wine with asparagus and salmon? you heathen !!

I don't see that word used to often but you might be right.. ha ha

meantime in chez. grynch mrs. is doing a pork ragu in the slow cooker, maybe served up over some nice buttered egg noodles... and who knows... a nice red wine.

That sounds alright, I have to get myself a slow cooker actually...

they are a real throw-back to the 1970's but we got one just a few months ago at Migro... it was only about CHf 60.-- and we've been making fair use of it ... throw whatever into the pot before going to work, leave it on low and come home to a nice stew or whatever.

( that being said both mrs. and I enjoy cooking and this.. slow cooking...well...it does prepare foods a bit "same'ish" if you know what I mean )

Just got one the other day.

Tom

Tip of the day with the slow cooker: Overseason everything.

I did a whole chicken the other day and used pretty much a whole head of garlic ( which I would normally do if roasting ) and a good handful of thyme and just barely flavoured the bird.

I will look at getting one next week, good for the stews, chilli, etc... pretty much anything that will go with red wine

Having eaten out quite a bit recently, tonight I fancied something clean and fresh. So I had a few slices of fresh salmon that had been cured in beetroot, (which is delicious, by the way, and very pretty), and which I saw for the first time at my fish counter today. This, together with a salad of red oak leaf, rocket, some kind of cress with large purple and green leaves, thinly sliced radish and pomegranate seeds, drizzled over with olive oil and white balsamic vinegar.