Not about cooking and stuff, but the hassle of taking grainy out of focus pictures of yet another roast pork belly.
But there have been culinary triumphs in the meantime - not exclusively involving slow cooked pork and colcannon , lamb racks for 20 featured there (with the inevitable root and cruciciferous vegetable melange ) , gooseberry and foraged elderflower sorbet, at which point I decided my meagre talents were better focussed on dishing the food rather out than photographing it and missing out on the post supper craic.
But one final challenge remains - the meringue. Faffing around with mayonaise and hollandaise sauces now and again there are surplus egg whites to be dealt with.
Egg white omelete is not an option, so that leaves the meringue. Which is beloved over all over things by eldest son for some reason.
But, boy, has he had grounds for disappointment. But not this time, he won't even be aware of this attempt:
- 2 egg whites uncovered in fridge for 7 days
- mixing bowl clean and scalded (but notcooled)
- pinch of salt
- whisked to soft peaks
- 3 tablespoons of caster sugar added
- whisked to stiff peak
- dolloped on to oiled parchment into over at 135c
- (small dollops)
- after 40 mins, still a bit squishy
- turn up to 180 for 20 minutes
- leave with oven door open for 1 hou
Result
Damm close. Texture light and crunchy. Too much caramelisation.
But they weren't glued to the baking tray, so this is the closest I've come yet.
