I'm following an 'actual' recipe this year, it gives 'actual' quantities of salt, pepper, etc; something I've had difficulty with over the past couple of years. I am also going to buy myself a cook's thermometer, previously the sterilising temperature has just been guess-work.
Being me, I will of course alter the above recipe slightly. I shall add a walnut sized lump of foie gras into the centre of each jar, I shall do away with the onions, and I shall add a good splash of Armagnac. I shall also use the well-loved spice mix 'Epices Rabelais' (the little packet below) instead of the more basic 'Quatre Epices' as advised.
Below are most of the assembled ingredients. I shall not be using ALL the belly pork; some will go to the freezer to be roasted later on. Roasted belly pork is one of life's real pleasures!
I probably won't use all that foie gras either.
And here's the result; two 350gm jars and nine 200gm jars.
That's all I'm making this year. I still have plenty from last year, so we are well stocked.
We are having roast belly pork for Sunday lunch! Normally bacon sandwich is the order of the day, but I am pushing the boat out for no other reason but that I fancy a change.
ReplyDeleteLong, slow, roasted belly of pork is one of my real favourites. Crispy crackling, a few roast spuds, proper English mustard; it doesn't get much better.
DeleteIt's in the oven now, smelling gorgeous! We are having it with white wine gravy, apple sauce , oven chips( forgot to get any potatoes ) and broccoli.
DeleteAltered the recipe "slightly" mmm.
ReplyDeleteBelly pork is the best cut by far in my opinion with roast spuds, onions and apples and a bramley apple sauce. Suddenly I'm not looking forward to today's stew and dumplings.
Gill
I too am having pork for lunch but dare I say that I do not care for belly pork - it is too fatty for me and I am not a fan of crackling - I am having pork tenderloin with cream and serving it with creamy mashed potato and broccoli.
ReplyDeleteBut when I look at your pate I almost wish I was on your Christmas list.
Cognac pate and Danish blue cheese was our traditional Christmas afternoon treat. Now, none of us can have it anymore. So sad.
ReplyDelete*Swoon*. That recipe sounds heavenly. My mouth is watering.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to wait a few months before the taste test, but it's looking good.
DeleteGood for you, working hard while the lady is gone. Having our own pork farm we take for granted how easily pork belly can show up on the table. Your respect for this cut is to be admired.
ReplyDelete"I probably won't use all that foie gras either"
ReplyDeleteBut I'll bet it won't go to waste, As aged chefs, such excess is as close as we are going to get to ius primae noctis.
(Sorry, I am hosting the nieces again. Hard for me to concentrate)
It's in the freezer waiting to be matched with a good rib eye steak.
DeleteOh, delicious, although I have to laugh at the 'following an actual recipe' statement as you appear to have gone totally off piste! My mouth waters just to think of it.
ReplyDeleteI very rarely follow 'actual' recipes.
DeleteI would love to try this. I was never really a big fan of pate until I worked in france this year and had some - now I seem to be hooked! Does it really keep that long?
ReplyDeleteAs long as it's sterilised correctly (3 hrs at 100 C), it should last at least 3 years.
DeleteRecipes are nothing more than guidelines... or suggestions. A real cook takes it from there.
ReplyDeleteThat's certainly how I see it too!
DeleteSounds yummy. I got a half pig from someone raising them. The unsmoked meat is now in my freezer, and i'm awaiting the smoked bits to arrive at either's month's end or early December.
ReplyDeleteI cooked a pork roast and am finishing up the last bits for my lunch. The bone is in the freezer, waiting to be boiled down for soup.