Spain, Portugal, Italy and Pork

Mad about Meat, Mad about Football

There are two very good reasons for not cooking today. One, its Friday, it rained like crazy all week and you deserved a break. Two, three football matches! Oh wait, and three more on Saturday and three more on Sunday. (Yes, I too am salivating as I write this and for many reasons as well). So yes, why cook when there’s so much football (and eye candy) on tv? My suggestion is that you stock up on beer or juice if you don’t drink and as many cold cuts are your fridge will allow. For those supporting European teams, here are two particularly delectable possibilities and the ways you can have them.
Chorizo enjoys pride of place in every Spanish and Portuguese kitchen (Spain/Portugal fans are you listening?). Pork meat coloured a deep maroon by the paprika added to it and embedded with fat, Chorizo is dry and chewy bursting with intense sweetness before tapering out into a spicy, salty aftertaste. It works (I am told my trusted beer drinking friends) fabulously with beer.
Or try Parma Ham (the more fancy name is prosciutto) from Italy, which is traditionally thinly sliced (the Deli should do that for you) and served as an accompaniment with drinks. Or try this easy salad recipe that will take one commercial break to whip up.

(Photo Courtesy: www.thea4angel.com)
50g Parma Ham slices
20 Fresh Spinach leaves, washed, cut into bite sized pieces
1 packet of Oak leave lettuce, shred into bite sized pieces with hand
4 Figs, slice each into 6 pieces
Dressing
1tbsp EVOO
1 tbsp any dry white wine in your kitchen
2 crushed sage leaves
In a bowl, place ingredients, pour dressing on top. Add salt to taste and grind dried green peppercorns and toss. Serve with forks .

Tuna Olive Salad and Fabio Cannavaro

Dear Rushina,

So Italy plays Paraguay today. For those of us who only follow football during the world cup, a great way to get an idea of how well the teams are matched out is to go to the FIFA website and check the ‘Head to Head’ box. You pair the teams playing against each other, and the box gives you the statistics (http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/headtohead/team1=ita/team2=par/index.html). Judging from this box, Italy seems to be the stronger team. Of course that won’t be why I’m supporting them. I’ve had a crush on Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro since he galloped onto the TV screen and into my heart at the 1998 World Cup. (He had chin length hair which flew in the wind when he ran…sigh!).
Ok, before I digress, I think what I’m trying to say is that I’m really looking forward to this match. Since I’ve been trying to eat healthy, I’ve been trying to think of a salad I had munch on throughout the game without feeling (too guilty). Here’s what I plan to eat tonight.

Tuna, Olive and Corn Salad
1 can of Tuna
1 can of Sweet Corn
½ Cup of Black Olives, rinsed and halved
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper. Diced
1 small raddichio, cut into small square pieces.

For Dressing
1 tsp Saveurs deSapalisse Almond flavoured oil
1 tsp White wine vinegar
1 tsp Garlic flavoured Olive oil
1 tsp Salt
½ tsp Black pepper

Mix salad ingredients in salad bowl. Mix ingredients for salad dressing in bottle, shake vigorously and pour over salad ingredients. Toss and serve.