'Slug toast' solves garden pest problem
The hot topic of conversation among Swedish gardeners this summer has been how to deal with the unprecedented numbers of slugs devouring their way across the rain-soaked country in recent weeks.
But David Kallós, a restaurateur in Lund , has at last found a way of dealing with the voracious Spanish 'killer' slugs: he eats them.
The slugs, which can grow to a length of 15cm, have threatened to take over Kallós's garden, Maryhill, munching their way through his precious herbs and increasing in numbers every day. David, however, runs Brogatan, a restaurant in Malmö - and he enjoys nothing more than testing new and unusual foods.
While the French may not consider snails to be new or unusual, Arion lusitanicus is not by any means a common ingredient in north European cuisine. And David Kallós's 'slug toast with bacon, onion and fresh chilli' probably won't be seen on many menus in the near future:
"I've worked against the food in this case. Usually I bring out the raw produce's character but here I've done the opposite - I've hidden the taste of the slug with anything I could," he explained.
The slug's slime was the biggest challenge. The thick gloop is what protects the Spanish slug from being eaten by the animals that feast on regular snails.
It took David around four hours to pick up, parboil, chop and fry the twenty slugs which ended up as four suprisingly tasty slug toasts.
"Yup, it's a lot of work for not a lot of food," admitted David Kallós.
Nevertheless, the chef recommended a glass of red wine, or perhaps beer and schnapps as an accompaniment.
"You might need a glass of wine to be brave enough to eat the slugs," he added.
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But David Kallós, a restaurateur in Lund , has at last found a way of dealing with the voracious Spanish 'killer' slugs: he eats them.
The slugs, which can grow to a length of 15cm, have threatened to take over Kallós's garden, Maryhill, munching their way through his precious herbs and increasing in numbers every day. David, however, runs Brogatan, a restaurant in Malmö - and he enjoys nothing more than testing new and unusual foods.
While the French may not consider snails to be new or unusual, Arion lusitanicus is not by any means a common ingredient in north European cuisine. And David Kallós's 'slug toast with bacon, onion and fresh chilli' probably won't be seen on many menus in the near future:
"I've worked against the food in this case. Usually I bring out the raw produce's character but here I've done the opposite - I've hidden the taste of the slug with anything I could," he explained.
The slug's slime was the biggest challenge. The thick gloop is what protects the Spanish slug from being eaten by the animals that feast on regular snails.
It took David around four hours to pick up, parboil, chop and fry the twenty slugs which ended up as four suprisingly tasty slug toasts.
"Yup, it's a lot of work for not a lot of food," admitted David Kallós.
Nevertheless, the chef recommended a glass of red wine, or perhaps beer and schnapps as an accompaniment.
"You might need a glass of wine to be brave enough to eat the slugs," he added.
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