Where have you been, what have you done... Why is the sun so hot today?



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Found here, via Jon. And in case that makes you wonder about your carbon footprint, find re-assurance (or not) here.

More holiday pics here (how vibrant are these?) and there... Seychelles next...?

Grrrr.... No way holidays should be allowed. I miss the heat, the doing-NOthing, the staring at the sun (and at the fish), the eating the fish and drinking the mango juices, the almost... almost forever...

Pâté en Croûte

Ingredients:
3 pork chops (without the bones – leave some fat on them)
1 chicken breast
3-4 slices of unsmoked bacon
5 bay leaves
10 fresh thyme branches
salt and pepper
dry white wine
vegetarian jelly
1 pack of shortcrust pastry
3 tablespoons of flour, 1 egg
1 metal, non stick pâté en croûte dish

Cut the meat in very thin pieces (few millimeters thick, as long as you want), place in a bowl. Crush the bay leaves and thyme branches lightly to release the flavour. Mix with the meat pieces. Add the white wine to cover all the mixture. Place in the fridge to marinate for at least 12 hours.

After the marinating time has lapsed, take the mixture out of the fridge. Drain the excess wine. Take out the biggest pieces of bay leaves (not easy to eat, even after cooking in the oven).

Cover the sides of the dish with flour to prevent the pâté from sticking.

Prepare the pastry. Roll it so it fits the dish you have chosen and be big enough to fully cover the mixture. Try for the pastry to be about 4mm thick throughout though.

Prepare the vegetarian jelly, following instructions on the pack.

Line the dish with the pastry. Add the meat, fill the holes with the jelly. Cover with the remaining pastry and seal.

Beat the egg and apply on the pastry, so it comes out golden from cooking.

Cut 2 holes on top of the pastry, insert 2 cardboard chimneys for steam to escape during cooking.

Pre-heat the oven at about 300F. Place the pâté inside. Cook for 1 to 1hour15. Leave to cool down. Serve cold. Mmmmh! (still trying to improve on the recipe though!)

I wanna go there.

And lots of other places too...