Black and Bloody

After more than ten days down under my stomach lost its bloat. My restrictive diet of roughage and fiber had most likely puffed it out, but somehow by the time we checked into the Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast of Australia, it deflated, enabling me to finally see my toes when gazing south instead of a convex, globular hump.

In celebration of the incredible shrinking abdomen, I put on my blue strapless sundress and joined my parents for dinner at Vanitas, the hotel's signature restaurant, where we sat on, dined with, smelled like, and wished we were dressed in Versace.

Afraid that my stomach would return to its former glory, I played it safe. 'The red pepper soup and the sea bass, please. Except what is the black pudding in the soup? Can I have that removed?'
The waitress courteously, yet zestfully dared me to keep the soup as is and use my senses to deduce the pudding's composition. My boastful palette accepted her challenge, eager to flex my food knowledge.

The soup was delivered in a Versace bowl; there was a round black disk in the middle and the smoothest, silkiest puree of sweet red peppers all around it. I took a spoonful - more pudding, than soup - and I tasted fire and smoke, the crispy part of a Filet mixed with the inner juices it secreted, bacon and crispy hash browns, and then the delicate sweetness of a perfect sun-ripened red pepper. Before my parents had taken so much as three bites of their salads, I had consumed all of my soup, pudding and all, and raised my hand to tell the waitress what I tasted. As I described my experience her smile went from a smirk to a toothy grin.
'It's blood sausage.'
The 'Noooooooo.... Ewwwwww.... Groooooooss!' ringing through my head and stomach came out in a blank, emotionless expression. I sat there stupefied. I had just eaten a whole patty of sausage made up of pig blood and pig fat. And I loved it. Every last bite of it. What had I become?    


This past Saturday, I made my way downtown to fill my long-distance run induced starving stomach, unsuspecting that I would have a reunion with one of my most storied food memories.

The first stop was Abby's house. On my agenda was saying, 'welcome to the world,' to her beautiful baby girl. So I sipped some seltzer, snapped some photos, and feasted on some good old fashioned lacrosse girl laughs.

From there I made my way up to Lincoln Park to a cafe called Floriole where I helped shower my friend, Teresa. We noshed on cucumber and moroccan carrot sandwiches, reveled at the tastefully chosen presents, and gushed over my new house.

Then I headed back downtown, to Publican, feeding ground for the carnivores. I sat down, tried Peter's beer, and cut off a hunk of the country ribs, shaking my head with approval at their tenderness and ability to fill a still very present void.

After the last of the ribs were licked clean, I think Peter caught my wandering eye, scouting out food remnants, and pointed out the little brown bag under his chair. Inside were the first of his Publican Meat Market butchered prizes: salami, bacon and blood sausage. My eyes popped wide open when I heard the last two words and the sentence that followed. 'Let's make them for dinner tomorrow night.' 

My vampire-like memory surfaced. Could I do it again? Especially knowing what they are. I'm blaming the Champagne, but I found myself agreeing to fulfill the request.

On Sunday, I made a grilled red pepper soup, topped it with black pudding, and served it with a watercress and poached egg salad. I presented dinner on some Versace. And cautiously consumed the unnerving. 

Once again, I ate it all. And once again, my blood sausage dinner wasn't followed by an ever-expanding stomach. It sat just right. My challenge to you, try some black pudding. 

Grilled Red Pepper Soup with Black Pudding

2 red bell peppers

1 tablespoon bacon fat

1 tablespoon butter

1 shallot minced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

14 ounce can of whole tomatoes with juices

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes  

Salt 

2 links blood sausage

Directions

Grill red peppers until blackened, about 20-25 minutes. Remove, core and set aside. Grill blood sausage until done, about 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium pot, melt bacon fat and butter over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic and cook till aromatic, about 2-3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes, red pepper flakes and a dash of salt. Simmer for 15 minutes until flavors meld.

In a blender, puree tomato mixture and red peppers. Pulse till the soup is smooth. Return to pot and to low heat. For a thinner soup, add a little water. For a richer soup, add a little cream.

Serve with slices of blood sausage.