Tons of Tonnato

A less than beautiful substance caught my attention in Parma last year. I would see it in the windows of delis and think, mmm, a platter of grey sludge: how appetising! And then I tasted.... Last night I had my second successful experience making a version of Vitello Tonnato, served over hard-boiled eggs to make it Uova Tonnato. We thought it would be good as a dip or dressing for vegetables, or drizzled over cold poached fish, as well. It's smooth and delicate when properly made, and its flavours meld to a point it becomes hard to identify. I made a variation of Delia's version (less the eggs and garlic). Interestingly, Vitello Tonnato is mentioned quite often (translated as Veal in Tuna Sauce, which does not sound so appealing to me) in the book about the origins of Slow Food, Slow Food Revolution, which makes sense since it is a Northern Italian specialty.



I also wanted to report that the vegetarian haggis worked out really well on Burns Night, even without being piped in and addressed. It's not a million miles from a nut loaf, to be fair, but it's not all that different in texture or flavour from the real thing either.



Went for a hike to Witty's Lagoon on the weekend. In one of those quirks of the weather systems (and with apologies to my countrypeople currently suffering -40c temperatures) our pleasant afternoon of this....



gave way, a few miles up the road, to this: