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Today I am having a photo shoot for my website!

Yes, me, doing something professional.  I double checked with the photographer last night that she is still coming at 11am.  Yes, all confirmed.  Planning my morning in my mind last night……. school run, then a run.  Quick shower, bit of make-up then lay the table.  Planning my morning in my mind this morning was completely different!!!! There was NO time to run.  I realised that actually the kitchen was a complete mess.  Did I want to portray this look on my website?  No.  I then reminded myself of what I tell the girls quite often that you only get out what you put in.  I needed to put more in.  With the school run done in the quickest legal time possible, I rushed home to completely clean & rearrange my home.  The I had to completely clean & rearrange myself!  Thank goodness for dry shampoo.  I don’t usually wear eyeshadown & touched up eyebrows at 9am on a Monday morning but today I did.  Where was my eldest when I needed her, with her palette of eye shadows to outdo Joseph & his amazing technicoloured dream coat.  She advised that I could make a simple dish which she would photograph.  Had I know this then I would have shopped in Waitrose or at least Sainsbury or perhaps even the Harrods food hall.  Thankfully I planned to make a terrine today so I had the required ingredients for this with the exception of brandy.  I forgot to mention that whilst on the school run, I did a quick pit stop at my parents’ house (who are away on holiday) & raided their drinks supply.  When I say supply, I think I mean a shelf resembling that of an Unwins warehouse.  I ‘borrowed’ a nice bottle of brandy.  Of course I will replace it, promise…if they even notice  My next dilemma is what to wear.  Had I already started my course I would have had chefs white to wear but instead I only have a ‘Licensed to grill apron’ ala James Bond, this won’t do.  I’m waiting for a call back from a fancy dress shop which opened at 10 today.

The fancy dress shop called back at 10:45.

Yes we have a chef’s outfit around your size.  Not a comedy one like the Swedish Chef I hoped as I drove there.  Thankfully it wasn’t a comedy outfit and I quite looked the part (I think) Had a fantastic few hours with Kate who was excellent and passionate about her job.  I look forward to seeing the results and for those of you reading this, you will have seen the finished result in the shape of my website photos.  I hope you like them.  You can check her out here www.katehennessyweddings.com  She does more than just weddings.  Quite the entrepreneur.

Anyway, back to the purpose of this blog.

It wasn’t just to talk about me me me but to talk about the terrine I wanted to make.  This is to go with the homemade pear chutney I recently made as a second course dish.  I wanted to test it out to see if my Husband thinks it’s an acceptable second course.  Served with watercress and toast, I’m hoping it’s a success.  I used a few recipes as a base but plan to add/remove anything I think necessary.  Lots of terrines are made of ham hock, which requires the ham to be boiled for hours, or game.  Not everyone likes game.  Thought I’d play it safe with pork & chicken plus it’s a lot quicker to assemble without having to boil a ham..  Not that I mind boiling a ham but sometimes time is of the essence.  I started out by chopping an onion & softening in a pan with a drizzle of oil.  Once softened I added a dash of brandy (the stolen brandy) & cooked the alcohol off.  Left it to cool.  In a bowl I then added 500g of pork mince, four chopped chicken thighs (you can use breast but I much prefer the flavour of thighs) 50g of chopped pistachios, 50g of cranberries (I think I’ll try apricots next time) lots of seasoning and some chopped thyme from my garden.  Added the cooled onion and mixed together.  I then put this mixture into a loaf tin lined with streaky bacon rashers, leaving the bacon draped over the edge.  Once filled I then folded the draped bacon onto the top & topped it off with another four rashers.  Wrapped in foil, I then placed it into a roasting tin filled halfway with boiling water.  I’ll cook this for around 1.5 hours at 150.  I can smell it already!  Back later with the rest of the instructions.

Once the cooking time had passed……

I let it cool in the tin and balanced a few tins on top of it to keep it compressed & kept it overnight in the fridge.  The following day I turned it out of the tin & brushed it with oil & baked in the oven for around 25 mins to let it brown a bit.  Once cooled I served it with the delicious pear chutney, watercress and melba toast.  I didn’t realise melba toast was so easy to make.  Basically toast a slice of bread in the toaster then remove the crusts then cut it in two horizontally to create two really thin slices.  Then cut into your desired shape, I did rectangle & then bake in the oven at around 170 until brown.  These can be stored in an airtight container until needed.  I love things that can be prepped in advance.  The terrine can also be prepped in advance & serve as a cold dish once needed.  My guinea pigs for this were my Husband & my Step-Son.   They both really loved it & agreed it would make a great course.  Another successful dish!