Pommes de terre en omelette (Tortilla de patatas (Potato omelette)) - PUBLISHED

This is, indeed, easy and quick to make, but a little dull all by itself. What do you eat with it? Is there anything one can add to the recipe to liven it up?

http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/potato-omelette-tortilla-de-patatas?cid=trending

1 - I think I've found how to improve this recipe. It won't be a Tortilla per se, but it's primarily about the flavour. Have a look at this:
http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/laura-calder/potato-omelette.html
2 - Got it! ... I think. I combined the two and added a few twists of my own! It makes for a slightly cumbersome recipe, but I think it's pretty good!
3 - I've made this a couple of times since the last report, and it is ready for publishing!

1 cup olive oil
8 strips bacon, cut into paper clip-size pieces
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
Splash of balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon butter (yes, another one)
4 medium potatoes, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced
6 5 eggs
1/2 tsp salt (enough? too much?)
Pepper, to taste

1. At a medium-high temperature cook the bacon until just starting to brown. With a slotted spoon, remove the meat and reserve in a medium sized bowl.
2. Lower the temperature to medium, add a Tbsp of butter, and slowly cook the onion until soft and translucent. This will take a while, maybe something like 20 minutes. For the last minute of cooking, add the garlic. Strain out and add to the bacon bowl for set aside.
3. Splash the balsamic vinegar in the hot oil and cook until the spitting and bubbling almost ceases - this is when most of the extra water will have been cooked away.
4. Add the potatoes with another Tbsp of butter and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it is soft and starts to brown.
5. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, add the salt and pepper.
6. When the potatoes are cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove from the pan and pop into the bowl with the bacon and onion. Pour out all but 1 or 2 Tbsps of bacon fat. 
7. Put the bacon, onion and potato back in, stir to mix well, and then pour the egg on top. Cover and cook at a low temperature until the egg sets, but the surface remains a little soft or runny.
8. Serve with a fresh salad and cornbread muffins.

Testing - Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

http://keepinitkind.com/harissa-roasted-butternut-squash-soup-spicy-toasted-pepitas/
http://www.theendlessmeal.com/spicy-harissa-and-roasted-butternut-squash-soup-with-toasted-pumpkin-seeds-and-crispy-mint-leaves/

I hurriedly cobbled this together the first time I made it, and put in a full tablespoon of my harissa paste. Man, was it spicy!!! I've decreased the amount, and added a sprig of fresh thyme. I wanted to try the thyme for the same reason I added the beef stock - without the stock, there was a fullness of flavour that was missing. I suspect that a vegetarian version is possible with veg stock and added tamari or soy sauce for the earthiness. The thyme I think would add a floral note which is missing (I think).

2 ½ lbs butternut squash, cubed and seeded (do not peel)
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons grated ginger
2 tsps harissa paste
1 sprig thyme, leafed and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
5 cups rich beef stock
Juice from 2 limes
1/2 tsp salt
Heavy cream

1. Pre-heat oven to 450F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Toss the squash with olive oil and salt. Pop in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until browned.
4. In a soup pot, add more oil and cook the onion until starting to brown. Toss in the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander and thyme and cook, stirring constantly, for a minute more.
5. Add the baked squash and the beef stock (vegetarians, try vegetable stock and some tamari sauce), lime juice and salt.
6. Cook for 10 minutes, then use a blender or an immersion blender to purée. Adjust the seasoning and serve with a swirl of heavy cream on top.

Testing - Daikon Salad

1-The first try was fine. Just fine. It may be that it will be a stellar addition to a summer meal, but as a refreshing side dish. I wonder if I can improve on it to make it a satisfying winter dish/salad? How would I do that?

1 Daikon radish (about 1 to 2lbs)
Salt
Pepper
2 tsps. olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp cilantro, minced (optional)

1. Julienne the radish, add a generous sprinkle of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. 
2. Add about 2 tsp of extra virgin olive oil, the lime juice and the cilantro (if using). 
3. Toss and serve.

Untested - Daikon Radish Cakes

http://www.vanilla-and-spice.com/2012/04/daikon-radish-cakes.html

1.5 cups grated daikon
3/4 cup water
1 cup rice flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
a dash or two of pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1. Place grated daikon and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.
2. Meanwhile, mix the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the radish and cooking water and stir to form a dough.
3. Transfer dough to a greased 8x8 pan and press down with a spatula to smooth the top (the dough should be about ½ inch high and will only fill about two-thirds of the pan).
4. Place the baking pan in a steamer and steam for 35-45 minutes.  Remove the dough from the pan and slice into squares.
5. Heat about 1-2 tsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Transfer squares to the skillet and sauté for about 3-4 minutes per side, until they are lightly browned.
6. Serve immediately.

Untested - Daikon Radish Rémoulade

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/daikon-radish-remoulade-11793

1 pound daikon radish (available at specialty produce markets and> many supermarkets), peeled
3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon wine vinegar
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

1. Cut the daikon into 2-inch-long fine julienne strips or grate it coarse. 
2. Rinse a large bowl with hot water, dry it, and in it whisk the mustard with 3 tablespoons hot water. 
3. Add the oil in a slow stream, whisking until the dressing is emulsified, and whisk in the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. 
4. Add the daikon strips and the parsley and toss the mixture well.

Untested - Daikon Chips

http://kids.baristanet.com/2013/04/whats-for-dinnerdaikon-white-radish-two-ways/

Peeled and thinly sliced radish
A good glug of olive oil
A pinch of salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 385°F. 
2. Toss the radish in olive oil. 
3. Roast in the oven for about 10 – 15 minutes. 
4. Halfway through turn over the daikon pieces so that they are golden brown on both sides. 
5. Sprinkle with a little salt and enjoy while still hot.

Turnip, potato & mustard gratin - Testing

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/166607/turnip-potato-and-mustard-gratin

1 - Trying this for the first time, I have not allowed enough baking time, so it's raw and in the refrigerator for tomorrow. Apart from the potatoes turning purple, keeping it for what turned out to be 4 days was fine, just not recommended. This is a very mild and kind of sweet dish. It was good with a salad and fresh bread, but is better as a side dish instead of a main. I will keep it at the Testing stage to bake it on the same day as I make it. OH! And also, the original instructed thick slices and I am changing it to thin. It may reduce the baking time as well.

2 cups water
2 cups milk 

Salt and pepper
1½ lb (720g/25oz) turnip or rutabaga, sliced thin
2 lbs (907g/32oz) potatoes, sliced thin
butter, for greasing
1 garlic clove, halved
1½ cups heavy cream
3 Tbsps. Dijon mustard 

1. Heat oven to 350°F. 
2. Fill a saucepan with the water, the milk, a good pinch of salt and a grinding of black pepper, then bring to the boil. Add the turnips and potatoes and cook for 2 mins. Strain, drain well and pat dry.
3. Butter a baking dish and rub the sides with garlic to just add a hint of flavour. 
4. Mix the cream and mustard in a large bowl, add the potatoes and turnip, mix until well coated. Seasoning well in between layers, fit all the potato and turnip in alternating layers into the baking dish, flattening the top level. 
5. Bake for 40 to 60 mins or until golden brown and the turnip and potato are cooked through – check with the point of a sharp knife.

Testing - Chicken in a Pot with Carrots, Turnips, and Barley

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/chicken-pot-carrots-turnips-barley

1 - Interesting - it's like a Poule-au-pot but braised instead of immersed. I quite enjoyed browning the chicken! I feel, however, that the barley is not well handled. I've already increased the quantity to a cup, but cooking it in water beforehand and then letting it briefly swim in the remaining broth at the  end didn't produce a wow result. I am altering the recipe - using stock instead of plain water; putting the barley in at the beginning and cooking with the chicken; adding the vegetables at a later time so that they rest on top of the barley. Let's try that!

1 cup pearled barley
1 3½–4-lb. chicken
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
3 garlic cloves, peeled, lightly crushed
3 sprigs thyme
3 bay leaves
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup brandy or 1/3 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken broth
3 carrots, sliced 3" thick
2 leeks, whites and light greens only, trimmed, sliced 3" thick
1 bunch peeled whole baby turnips or one larger turnip or chunk of rutabaga (about 6oz.), peeled, cut into 1" wedges
1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives

1. Cook barley in 1 1/4 cup lightly salted water. Drain and set aside.
2. Season chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Place garlic, thyme, and bay leaves inside chicken.
3. In a Dutch oven or cast-iron pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Pat chicken dry and place it breast side down in pot. Cook until browned, 5–7 minutes per side (this is correct at moderate heat), then transfer chicken to a plate. Pour brandy into pot and scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Allow to reduce a few minutes.
4. Add the barley and mix into the remaining liquid. Lay the chicken on top of the barley and lay the chicken on top before adding the broth. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, about 20-30 minutes (depending on how done you like your veg - see next step).
5. At this point, add the veg around the chicken, without disturbing the barley and continue cooking, covered, until the thighs pull easily away from the bone, another 25-35 minutes, and the veg are done to your likeness (you may have to remove the veg before the chicken is done to avoid having them go to mush).
6. Remove chicken from pot and gently spoon out vegetables. Skim any foam or fat from broth and strain through a fine sieve or cloth. Season the remaining barley, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Untested - Pickled Turnips

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pink-pickled-turnips

1 small red beet, trimmed, peeled, quartered
1 red chile (such as Fresno), halved lengthwise (optional)
1 pound small turnips, trimmed, peeled, quartered
½ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar

1. Combine beet, chile (if using), and turnips in a 1-qt. heatproof jar or container.
2. Bring vinegar, salt, sugar, and 1½ cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar.
3. Pour pickling liquid over turnip mixture and let cool. Cover and chill at least 1 week before using.

Testing - Hot Chocolate

I used 1/8 tsp cayenne the first time, and it was a little too spicy. It would be nice to try other types of chilli, like something smoky.

(Makes 2 servings)
1 cup milk
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp. cacao powder
1 plain 70% dark chocolate bar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
a dash ground Cayenne pepper
1-2 tbsp. honey

1. Chop fine or grate the chocolate bar.
2. In a small mixing bowl, stir together cacao and spices.
3. Adding a small amount of the milk, whisk into a paste.
4. In a saucepan, slowly heat the milk and cream and when the liquid just starts to move from the heat, slowly add the paste to the saucepan and simmer until slightly thickened, stirring.
5. Again look for the liquid to just starts to move before boiling, remove from heat. Add the chopped chocolate and honey and whisk until it's completely melted and incorporated.
6. Pour into mugs and add more honey to your taste.

Untested - Lemon, Sage and Garlic Roast Chicken

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/LEMON-SAGE-AND-GARLIC-ROAST-CHICKEN-107494

4 chicken breast halves with skin and bones
8 very thin lemon slices, seeded
12 fresh sage leaves
Olive oil
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 cup chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Slide fingertips under chicken skin to loosen. Arrange 2 lemon slices and 3 sage leaves under skin on each breast; smooth skin over to enclose. Place chicken on rimmed baking sheet; brush with oil. Drizzle 1 teaspoon lemon juice over each breast; sprinkle with garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour 1/2 cup broth onto sheet around chicken.
2. Roast chicken until brown and cooked through, basting once or twice with pan juices, about 25 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter.
3. Place baking sheet directly atop 2 burners; add remaining 1/2 cup broth. Using back of fork, mash any garlic on baking sheet into broth and pan juices. Boil over high heat until broth reduces almost to glaze, scraping up browned bits, about 4 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

Squash soup with Parmesan croutons - Test 1

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/superb-squash-soup-with-the-best-parmesan-croutons/#Pvx4bJdyiYlA2qFw.97

1 - very good. Frying the sage is a bit tricky when colour blind! Used dry chilli and added pumpkin seeds. Halved the recipe, and there's enough for 5-6 people.

2 - This was a hit, as it stands. It really only makes enough soup for a single serving to 5 people.

1-2 Tbsps olive oil

8 fresh sage leaves

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 sprig fresh rosemary, minced

½ tsp red pepper flakes (½ - 1 fresh red chilli , to taste, deseeded and finely chopped)

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 lbs buttercup squash, (or other firm, orange fleshed squash)

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Olive oil

Toasted pumpkin seeds

For the croutons

extra virgin olive oil

x bowl, 1 piece of crusty bread

Parmesan cheese, for grating

1. Use any kind of dense, orange flesh, such as buttercup, butternut or onion squash. It’s important to use good chicken stock and season the soup well to bring out the nutty, sweet flavour of the squash. 
2. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot but make sure it isn't too hot before adding the sage leaves to fry; they will be crisped when they become dark green. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside until the end. 
3. In the flavoured oil, gently fry the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, rosemary leaves, chilli and a good pinch of salt and pepper for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are sweet and soft. 
4. Add the squash and the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for around 30 minutes.
5. While the soup is cooking, make your croutons. 
6. Drizzle a little olive oil over the bread slices and let it soak in. Press some grated Parmesan into each side. Place in a non-stick pan without any oil and fry until golden on both sides.
7. When the squash is soft and cooked through, purée until smooth.
8. Toast the pumpkin seeds and sprinkle on top before serving, along with the crumbled fried sage leaves.

Untested - Homemade Cassis

2 cups (10 oz) fresh black currants, stems removed
1 cup sugar
2 cups Brandy or Cognac

1. Using potato masher, mash currants in a medium saucepan. Add sugar and 1 cup water; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved and fruit has released all juices, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
2. Remove pan from heat; stir in Brandy or Cognac. Transfer to a glass jar. Seal tightly, and refrigerate 1 week.
3. Strain mixture through a sieve into a medium bowl. Pour again through sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean jar. Refrigerate at least 1 week before using, to allow flavours to develop.

Testing - Hungarian Lecsó With Eggs

http://www.food.com/recipe/hungarian-lecso-with-eggs-172414
http://www.xpatloop.com/news/19392
http://visitbudapest.travel/articles/hungarian-lecso/

3 pieces of bacon, diced
1 large onions, minced
1 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp sugar
2 lbs, cored and seeded, quartered and diced or Hungarian hot banana peppers
1 lb, cored and cut into ¾ inch dice
2 8 eggs
salt
freshly ground black pepper

1. Dice the bacon and fry it in a saucepan. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened. Add the paprika and stir in the tomatoes and the green peppers. When most of the liquid has evaporated, lower the heat, cover and simmer until tender.
2. Beat the eggs and add to the pot, mixing well. Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.
3. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately with fresh bread.

Test 1 - Roast Pork Loin with Winter Roots

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/roast-pork-loin-with-garlic-and-rosemary-101684

1 - Since I did not record any notes from the last roasting, I will for this one and keep it at Test 1. I have, also, made some changes to the cooking instructions and a bit to the ingredients.

4 large garlic cloves, pressed
4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 2 1/2-pound pork loin roast
Fresh rosemary sprigs (optional)
2 lbs mixed winter root veg cubed into 1/2 inch pieces (such as turnip, parsnip, celeriac, carrot, rutabaga etc)
2-3 Tbsps oil, divided
More salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450°F and line a roasting pan with foil. 
2. Mix together the pressed garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a bowl. 
3. Drizzle the roast with oil and rub to cover. Massage in the garlic mixture after this. 
4. Place pork, fat side down, in the roasting pan or on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, dice the winter veg. 
6. When the roast has finished its initial 15 minutes, remove from the oven, turn down the temperature to 350°F. 
7. Turn the roast fat side up. 
8. Spread the cubed roots around the roast in a single layer. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with as much salt and pepper as you will like.
9. Roast pork 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 150°F. 
10. Remove from the oven, tent with some foil and let stand for about 10 minutes.
11. Check the root veg cubes for doneness and return to the oven if not done.
12. Pour any juices from the roasting pan into small saucepan and keep keep warm. 
13. Cut the pork crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. 
14. To plate, put down a layer of roots, and arrange the pork slices on top or as you find most visually appealing. Pour the pan juices over the sliced pork. You can also garnish it with rosemary sprigs, if desired.

Pumpkin Loaf - Published

1 - with 2 cups grated raw, the loaf seemed to not rise as much. Trying with 1 1/2 cup baked and mashed pumpkin. I suspect that the state of the pumpkin is trivial, it's the quantity that matters.
2 - liked the baked pumpkin, must try again with raw pumpkin, but only 1 1/2 cups
3 - tried it with Papa's pumpkin pie spices and the nutmeg is too strong, and the ginger is imperceptible.

1 1/2 cups mashed baked pumpkin
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 Tbsps melted butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
2. Melt butter and set aside to cool a little.
3. Mix pumpkin, sugar and eggs together.
4. Blend together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour, then the butter, and blend only until evenly combined.
6. Grease a loaf pan and pour in the dough.
7. Bake for 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean.

Untested - Moroccan Merguez and Vegetable Tagine Recipe

http://www.foodrepublic.com/recipes/moroccan-merguez-and-vegetable-tagine-recipe/

1 pound merguez sausage
2 onions, sliced
1 fennel bulb, halved and sliced
1 lemon, quartered
1/2 pound carrots, peeled, cut into fourths, then sliced lengthwise
1 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup green olives, pitted
1/2 pound zucchini, cut into fourths, then sliced lengthwise
1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
3 teaspoons cumin
3 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon flour
1 10-ounce box couscous

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot. Use a tagine if you have one, but if not a big dutch oven will do. Add the cinnamon, coriander, paprika, turmeric and cumin to the pot.
2. Add the lemon, onion, fennel, garlic and green olives to the pot and cook until softened, for about 15 minutes. Taste for salt.
3. Meanwhile, brown the merguez sausage in a skillet over medium heat and reserve the cooking oils. Set aside.
4. Add the tablespoon of flour and mix well. Add 3 cups of chicken broth and allow to bubble for 5 minutes. 
5. Place the merguez, plus the oil rendered from the merguez, and the remaining vegetables into the pot. Add the chickpeas, dried apricots and the raisins. Continue to cook over medium for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the merguez is cooked through.
6. For the couscous, follow the directions on the box, and stir in the turmeric before covering the pot to give the couscous a bright yellow hue.
7. Garnish with cilantro and serve with couscous. 

Testing - Baked Pasta With Merguez And Harissa-Spiked Sauce

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/baked-pasta-with-merguez-and-harissa-spiked-sauce
1 - We liked it, but something needs tweaking. I would like to add some salt, and Ben pointed out that there was too much sauce. Now, I did vary from the recipe, using some of our home-made tomato sauce instead of the 28oz can of whole tomatoes (I think I'd like the texture, actually), and I made the mistake of using two 500mL bottles of our tomatoes. Next time, I will only use one bottle.

1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 ounces merguez sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
(14oz/398mL) canned tomato
1 Tbsp harissa paste
Salt (1/2 tsp?), freshly ground pepper
8 ounces lumaconi or other medium shells
3 ounces feta, crumbled (about ½ cup)

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Grind caraway and cumin in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle; set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook sausage until browned all over but still pink in the center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Slice into 1" pieces.

3. Add onion to same skillet and cook, stirring often, until soft, 6–8 minutes. Add garlic and reserved spices. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, crushing, and juices, then harissa. Cook until sauce thickens slightly, 6–8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until very al dente (about 3 minutes less than package directions; it will be firm in the center). Drain, reserving ¼ cup cooking liquid.

5. Add sausage, pasta, and cooking liquid to skillet; toss to coat. Transfer to a 3-qt. baking dish, top with feta, and bake until top is browned and juices are bubbling, 18–22 minutes.

Pumpkin Curry (Koottu) - Testing

http://titlisbusykitchen.com/recipe/pumpkin-curry-recipe-koottu-south-indian

1 - Trying to substitute the coconut with something else, starting with almond. I will likely also switch out the mung beans because I don't foresee us growing the stuff, so lentils will do just fine. I'm curious about the order of cooking. I would likely start by heating the old, getting the mustard to pop, then do the onion and garlic instead of a raw paste, add the spices then cook the pumpkin, dahl and almond flour until ready. But for my first try, I'll do it like the recipe says. I also converted into cups and doubled the quantity.

2 - So two things. It was fine. I used coconut flour because people keep leaving the damn stuff here! Available resources and all that. But I really don't like the stuff. It has a grainy texture I find unpleasant. And it made the curry strangely thick. I also wonder what it did the flavour. Back to using almond, I think! I also didn't do the Tarka properly. I didn't read the recipe (yes, again, even though I'm a recipe writer) and I just added the mustard seeds and then realized my mistake and just plopped in some butter. Ben felt that more spice would be good, I wonder if it isn't the using the coconut flour and not properly popping the mustard seeds that are the culprits. NOTE I will try it again as it is, assess the result, and then if improvements can be made, try the chipotle powder).

½ cup water
14 28 oz pumpkin flesh cut into a fine dice
3½ oz 1 cup dahl or lentils, e.g mung dahl

¼  ½ tsp turmeric

2 cups water
3/4 cup ground almond 1½ oz dessicated coconut
2 shallots or 1 small onion finely chopped
2 4 garlic cloves
½ 1 tsp chilli powder (see note 2 above, then TRY substituting for ½ tsp chipotle pepper powder)
½ 1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp salt

Tarka
½ 1 tsp black mustard seeds
4 tsps (19gr) vegetable oil or ghee

1. In a soup pot put the ½ cup water, pumpkin, lentils and turmeric. Mix, bring to the boil, cover and simmer very gently for 15 minutes until the pumpkin is tender.
2. Process in a food processor or food mill the water, coconut, chilli, cumin, shallots and garlic to a paste. 
3. Add the paste to the pumpkin mix and slowly simmer until the dahl is cooked. If still slightly firm add ¼ of water and continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes.
4. The mixture should be slightly mushy and both the pumpkin and dahl should be soft but hold their shape.
5. To prepare the tarka heat 2 tsp of oil or ghee in a small pan over a high heat. Add the mustard seeds. Once they begin to pop add the mixture to the koottu and mix well. Serve.

Untested - Planters Punch

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/07/planters-punch-cocktail-recipe.html

3 ounces dark Jamaican rum (pref Coruba)
1 ounce simple syrup
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
3 dashes Angostura bitters

1. Combine ingredients in a tall glass and fill with crushed ice. Swizzle with a bar spoon until a frost forms on the outside of the glass. The ice will settle as you do this; add more crushed ice to fill, garnish with a mint sprig.

German apple cake, frenchified - Test 2

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/7915/german-apple-cake-i/?internalSource=recipe%20hub&referringId=631&referringContentType=recipe%20hub

1 - I've made several changes to the original recipe, and I'm looking forward to tasting the results! The dough, indeed, is quite stiff.

The cake was delicious, very much like a coffee cake. The apple, however, was not very decorative. It shrank and left an unattractive depression in the cake and the apple flesh was a weird beige lump in the depression. Next time I will mix the apple into the batter.

Also, the cake was difficult to get out. I've added instructions on how to prevent sticking (hopefully it will work).

2 - Again, delicious, and the changes I made worked beautifully! 

3 - As I use food that is available I change my approach to cooking. I am moving away from vague references to size (what is a medium apple?) and veering towards mass (mostly in grams) because, well, we have a wild apple tree and the apples are all sizes, and I want to know how many I need to make the recipe. I may eventually make my way to doing away with all measurement tools except for my hands. But not quite yet.

I am also trying different spices, moving away from cinnamon. Someone complained about cinnamon being used everywhere, and while I don't usually take to criticising food, it did make me think that diversifying options for flavoring would be fun to explore. I've started saving suggestions for potential pairings, starting with apple and this recipe.

2 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil melted butter
2 1 cups white sugar
2 tsps ground cinnamon or Poudre Douce
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 cups medium apples (350gr) peeled, cored and diced

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9x13 inch bundt cake pan with vegetable oil, clarified butter (ghee) or lard, not butter - the milk solids in butter will act like glue and make your cake stick. Powder with a bit of flour for even coverage everywhere and tap out any excess.
2. In a mixing bowl whisk together the beat oil eggs and butter until creamy. Add the sugar, cinnamon, salt and the vanilla and beat well.
3. With the mixer on slow or gently by hand, a wooden spoon, beat add in the baking soda and flour and mix only until combined. The batter will be very thick. 
4. Mix in the diced apple until evenly distributed. It will look lumpy and messy, but don't worry, the batter will puff up and even out while baking. To slice the apples, cut first in half, then in quarters to remove the core. Keep the apple form together and slice into 1/8" slices. Keeping the apple form together, set cut-side down on the bottom of the bundt pan until the apples cover the bottom of the pan. Pour the batter over this decorative apple layer in globs to try and cover the apples while not disturbing their position. Any extra apple pieces can be pressed into the batter. Fold in the apples by hand using a wooden spoon. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes or until cake tests done. Let cake cool for about 10 minutes before inverting it on a wire rack. If the cake doesn't pop out, just leave it like this and it should come out once it has cooled a bit more and shrunk. Once cake is cool, turn out of the pan and serve with a dusting of confectioners' sugar or with a cream cheese frosting.

Rejected - Beet Top Gratin

We did not really like this. It wasn't bad, but it was just ... fine. Nothing special. There were no stand-out flavours, it was all just a little bland. I'm not really interested in persuing this.

http://www.martha-rose-shulman.com/vegrecipes/greensgratin.html

1 1/2 pounds beet greens, stemmed and washed
salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium or 1/2 large onion, chopped
2 plump garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage – use less of the stronger herbs like rosemary and sage), or 1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme and crumbled dried rosemary
3 large eggs
1/2 cup rice, cooked (1 cup cooked; I prefer a short or medium-grain rice such as the Italian Arborio or carnaroli used for risotto)
1/2 cup milk
3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (3/4 cup, tightly packed)
freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Oil a 2-quart baking dish or gratin with olive oil. Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem and wash the greens. Wash them in 2 changes of water, lifting them from the water so that the dirt stays behind. Fill a bowl with ice water.
2. When the water comes to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt, and the greens. Boil (blanch) the greens just until tender, 1 to 3 minutes, depending on how sturdy your greens are. Beet greens and chard will be ready in a minute or two. Kale will take longer, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a skimmer, transfer the greens to the ice water. Let sit just until cool, a few minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water by taking up bunches of the greens, making a fist around them and squeezing. Chop coarsely and set aside.
3.  Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender and just beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant, then stir in the greens, the herbs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir together for a minute, just until the greens are well mixed with the onions and coated with oil. Remove from the heat.
4. Beat the eggs in a medium-size bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly ground pepper to taste, and the milk, and whisk together. Stir in the rice, greens, and Gruyère. Scrape into the baking dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and drizzle on the remaining tablespoon of oil. Place in the oven and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is lightly browned. Serve hot or room temperature. This is also good cold and makes a great lunch.