EAT WHAT YOU WANT FRIDAYS!!!!Chocolate Pate with Macerated Strawberries and Chocolate Dipped Almond Biscuits

All week long I watch what I eat and try and eat healthy foods and plenty of veggies. Come Friday I have allowed myself this one day a week when I can eat whatever I want. If I want junk food I am there before the words "Let's go to Wendy's" leaves my mouth. I feel sorry for the people I run off the road and the traffic jams I cause with my free abandonment with my eyes glazed and my purpose set. I am kidding here of course..... well....half kidding maybe....Desserts dripping with chocolate and whipped cream are also allowed on "Eat What You Want Fridays." You can eat what you want after all. Try it and you'll like it!!!

If I know I am being invited to a friends for dinner I just switch the day to whatever day it is. So Friday becomes Saturday or then Saturday becomes Sunday...very confusing. Maybe "Eat What You Want Fridays" becomes 7 days a week. I have plenty of friends, but, no family within 2,000 km. All I have to remember is that the old adage "live life to the fullest" doesn't mean to eat till you are bloated and rolling on the floor." I am really just being silly here because I eat very small portions of food and always have. Except maybe as a teenager when I would eat the plate if I could. The invention of the taco bowl was the best invention ever!!!

This recipe comes from Sylvia Jurys who has a gem of a cooking school on the west side. I have attended several classes at "Wine & Thyme Cooking School" and in each case have brought home wonderful ideas to share with family and friends. Her cooking school was one of the cooking schools featured in the May issue of Okanagan Life Magazine. This recipe comes from the Italian cooking class. The flavour of the balsamic vinegar brings out something in the strawberries that make them indescribable. The even greater thing about this recipe is that the the egg whites separated from the yolks in the pate are used in the almond biscuits. Talk about perfect!!! It is so rich a little goes a long way for each guest!! Perfect for "Eat What You Want Friday"!!!!!

**Chocolate Pate with Macerated Strawberries**

• 15 oz semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 oz butter, cubed
• 4 egg yolks (reserve the whites for the almond biscuits)
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 cup rum

Line a cake pan or terrine with plastic wrap. Combine chocolate, cream, and butter in a stainless steel bowl. Fill saucepan with water about 1-inch deep and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to barely a simmer and put the bowl with the chocolate on top. Melt until smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in the yolks one at a time until well blended. Whisk in the icing sugar and gently stir in the rum. Cool and chill until ready to serve.

**Macerated Strawberries**

• 2 quarts strawberries, washed and hulled
• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar

Put all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl (glass or stainless steel), cover with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least an hour.

To serve:

Cut the chocolate pate in small portions and pass the strawberries and almond biscuits.

I prefer to set the pate in individual glasses and then serve with strawberries on top and the almond cookie. A very nice presentation!!!!!

Serves 12 or more

**Chocolate -Dipped Almond Biscuits**

• 2 cups sliced almonds
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 egg whites (leftover from pate)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 325F. Toast the sliced almonds on baking sheet for about 10 minutes until golden. Cool. Combine sugar, flour, egg whites, butter, salt, and almond extract in a stainless steel bowl. Stir in mixture until smooth.

Gently fold in the cooled almonds. Let the batter stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. DO NOT SKIP this step. It is needed to attain the desired taste and texture.

Trace 8 (6-inch) circles and spread out evenly over the traced circle using a small offset spatula.

Bake at 325F for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown. Turn the baking sheet about halfway through the cooking process for even baking.

Allow the biscuits to cool for 5 minutes, then cut each circle into 4 or 6 wedges with a pizza cutter. Cool the biscuits before dipping in chocolate.

Melt the chocolate in a small stainless steel bowl over a pan of simmering water. Dip the biscuit outer edge in the chocolate and place on parchment paper to set.

Makes 48 - 64 biscuits.

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