12.10.08: Goulash with mixed leaf salad and leftover black bnz

On the last night of eating apart, He decided to visit his ma's and dig into some hearty beef goulash with white rice and a mixed leaf, olive, cucumber and red onion salad.

HE SAYS: It's been a while since I've eaten beef, and I really enjoyed tucking into the slow- cooked chunks that melted like butter on the tongue and the fantastic tomatoey, peppery gravy surounding them. The mixed veggies, including carrots and celery (much like a soffrito base), help create the intensely flavoured roux. Not a big fan of plain white rice but didn't mind that much. The salad was okay, red onions are a treat as She hates them in salad and they also make my breath stink like red onions, funnily enough.

Meanwhile, She was immensely grateful to arrive home (hungover and fragile) to the readymade bowl of black bnz and cheery salad accompaniment he'd prepared and put away the nite before.

SHE SAYS: Really perfect food to come home to, esp as my last couple of evenings were far too free of legumes and raw veg. Agree with assessment from last nite that it was not as flavourful as some batches, but it really didn't lessen my enjoyment of the creamy spoonfuls punctuated with juicy, silky corn kernels. Crunching down on radish and crisp leaves was rather a relief as well.