12 June 2012

Yesterday, I was half-asleep ... today, I was on fire (not literally, this is not an occupational health and safety message). I had four dishes to prepare: Pork and spinach terrine, confiture d'oignons, beetroot  relish and crepes with orange butter - all of which turned out rather fabulously, if I do say so myself. My terrine won the race for 'first terrine in the oven', making that my third prize at the school (amazing considering the only other thing I've ever won was a meat platter at a pub raffle in 2009). My relish was delicious although a little fiddly as it required 11 tiny beetroots to be grated on a cheese grater - it was a miracle that none of my fingers ended up in the final product. The confiture was made by finely slicing seven onions (losing half my mascara in the process) and then slow cooking them with a jug of booze (wine AND cassis ... I think i just invented a new cocktail). Both condiments were the perfect sweet accompaniments to the meaty terrine. Yum. (Some of the terrine was brought home for dinner. I officially second said 'Yum' - Ed.)

A slice of terrine with confiture d'oignons and beetroot relish

Last but not least, the crepes. Apparently the first crepe you make always sticks to the pan and ends up in the bin ... but my first crepe was a triumph, as were the next seven. Once made, the crepes were individually tossed in a blob of melted orange butter and orange juice, folded into quarters and slid onto warm plates. So delicious that I didn't just try a little bite for flavour, I ate a whole crepe. You can never be too sure.

A stack of crepes awaiting orange butter treatment. 

Today we were shown how to cook: Globe artichokes with Hollandaise, Carpaccio of zucchini, Chilled Ruby Beetroot Soup, Poached salmon with Hollandaise, Poached grey sea mullet with hollandaise, Garden peas with fresh mint, Broad beans with summer savoury, Sugar peas, Buttered cucumber with fennel*, Pommes mouselline, Potato bean feta and toasted hazelnut salad, Summer green salad with rapeseed oil vinaigrette, Rhubarb and elderflower tart, Cinnamon ice-cream, Vanilla brean ice cream, Creme Anglaise, Glazed fruits, Crab apple jelly.

* I need to explain this recipe - Take a cucumber, peel, de-seed, slice and then cook for 20 minutes in melted buter. Can you cook cucumbers in butter? Yes. Should you cook cucumbers in butter? No. Absolutely, mind-bogglingly frightful.

Cucumber stew ... Pass moi the bucket, s'il vous plait

P.S. Chester the cheese update: I am happy to report he is finally getting mouldy! Yippee! He is also getting a little stinky, but luckily cheese is probably the only food which gets yummier the stinkier it gets.