Perhaps I should start a cooking blog.

We bought a fair slab of thick partially salted belly pork from our local butcher in Diagonal. This is the French village supermarket. We try to shop a lot there as it's local economy. We don't want to be owners of a second home in the village and not spend as much as we can in the village.

When we were buying the butcher asked if we realised if it was Demi-sel? We may be Jersey rather than French, but we know our Pork. The Breton Pork is superb.

We bought this for €7.60 ish. So about £7 at current exchange. I have to say I have been thinking about that steamed belly pork, which is then roasted. 

I must explain that that for most cuts of pork, the French take off the skin, so no crackling! You can buy excellent rolled pork, but it doesn't have skin for crackling.

However this belly pork caught my eye. I thought, lightly brined, so firm. It has skin, so crackling. So I told my husband to buy it and we would try the steam and roast technique with the pressure cooker.

I had time to soak the pork for four hours before cooking, and then gave it a wipe. It was sort of squidgy.

Yes I have a pressure cooker in France too. Another SEB which is another prized possession.

Well I loaded up with lots of garlic, celery, carrot, bay, sage, rosemary, an onion, and put the belly pork on top, covered with water and steamed for an hour on the meat setting.

We planned to eat this with Jersey Royals, but roast the carrots and parsnips. We still haven't been to the big supermarket by this time, and this was going to be enough for our meal.

Well the smells were exquisite. When the pork was done for 45 minutes, I popped it right onto a hot roasting dish with the pre oiled parsnips and carrots. A little cumin pepper and salt they had been sitting in for the previous hour. The remainder of the seasoned oil plastered over the top of the pork belly.

Topped up my wine glass, slammed it all in the oven on 200C fan. Imagined 30 minutes for it all to roast, so looked up a bit of news. 

I have been pretty firm firm with myself about not getting overly involved with the news or making any comments on RT. I said I would not until after Easter. Let Jesus be King.

Well this was a triumph. This is the best bit of belly pork I have ever eaten. I even cooked it myself, and my own food is not usually that satisfying. The crackling was sublime. The pork was fatty but firm. I could eat two slices of pork only as it was so rich. My husband may have had more...

We had wonderful pork sandwiches in French bread with it for lunch. Then I said, I think this will fry, let's try slamming it in a pan for breakfast with some fried eggs.

Its just a very interesting concept, made realistic by the amazing way the French prepare certain cuts of meat. I said to my Husband, I would consider brining belly pork to make this dish again.

Well tonight I have an OX/Cow tongue in my pressure cooker. When you see it grab it! I love this cut of meat. The Supermarket had some great tongue for about €9. This is a huge chunk of meat. I am going to put up some photos of our supper tonight.

The tongue will be for sandwiches and lunches over the next few days as well. We may even go for a picnic on it. 

It is in the pressure cooker with with a large glass of white sherry, (didn't have any Madeira!) also all the usual suspects listed for the pork.

I will make a sherry sauce for it. Some wonderful fresh Chard, and Jersey Royals.

We will have a taste of whelks first. Just need to put them in to cook for 15 mins. I buy mine alive, give them a good scrub with a nail brush in fresh water, then put them in lightly salted water for an hour or so to spit. I prefer to cook my own. My husband says he wants them with mayo tonight, however I do like them with garlic butter. Need to get on and cook, so catch up later.

​Lets try pictures.