I really do like to try cooking new things; this does not mean that we sit down to gourmet meals each night. It is generally 'family friendly fare' to suit the tastes of the whole family. Most often it is some kind of stir fry (like tonight - chicken kebabs, stir fried veges and rice). Every now and then though I fall for the advertising in the glossy mags and try to come up with some kind of effortlessly glamorous meal. Last week was French food.
It started with a new cookbook at the library - a Women's Weekly French Food cookbook. Everything looked pretty good, and I've never had a problem with a Women's Weekly recipe before. I decided on pate and rillette. The supermarket had no chicken livers so it was pork belly rillette by default. Pork belly, wine, and herbs were simmered slowly for a long time (I used a slow cooker). Red onion and Italian parsley were finally diced and added at the end. The pork belly was finely shredded and the mixture (including all the fatty liquid in the slow cooker) is mixed together and spread on fresh bread or toast and traditionally served with gherkin. It was disgusting. I love pork belly, and so does my husband. I think he called it horrible. We served it up to some friends over for a Rugby World Cup viewing session. Two declined to comment, one friend described it as tasting like cat food "but I like cat food" she said as she had another, and final taste.
It even looks beautiful, packaged in a glass preserving jar. I can't bring myself to throw it out. But out it is going. I haven't achieved a glamorous dinner, but I'll just revel in the knowledge that the house is actually tidied (and I got as far as dusting/polishing). I record this information because as soon as the girls get up in the morning it will be back to normal!
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