Chard au gratin - PUBLISHED

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/11/alice-waters-swiss-chard-gratin-recipe.html
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/swiss-chard-gratin
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/cheesy-chard-gratin

1-Seriously good and decadent; two of my favorite words. I'm keeping this at the Testing stage because this review is several weeks after the fact, and I can't remember if there were any notes for changes.
2 - The joys of making do! I had no bread baked to go with this next attempt at making it, so I boiled up some potatoes and, at the last minute, spooned the gratin over them to serve, which worked wonderfully!
3 - The potatoes are quite good, but it's just as good with some crusty bread.

4 - This time I quantified the amount of chard by weight and there was a lot! It felt like there wasn't enough goo. Because there wasn't enough goo, there was a recommendation that there be more tang. I realized later that less goo = less mustard, which would add tang. 

2 bunches chard leaves, chopped (about 8 cups packed or 2lbs)
1 cup water
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups milk
2 3 Tbsps flour
1 Tbsp + 2 tsps wholegrain mustard 
1 1/2 cups grated Gruyère
Sea salt and black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 2-3 Tbsps bread crumbs

SERVE WITH
8 potatoes

or

Crusty bread

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Bring a  saucepan of salted water to boil. 
3. Thinly slice the reserved chard stems, add them to the water, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the leaves and continue cooking until tender, about 3-4 minutes longer. 
4. Drain and allow to cool, then gently squeeze out the excess liquid and coarsely chop.
5. Put a pot of water to boil to and put in the potatoes. Boil 15-25 minutes, depending on size of potato. If they finish cooking before the gratin is cooked, keep piping hot.
6. While the water is heating up, heat oil and butter over medium heat. When butter has melted, whisk in the flour until blended and whisk until the flour cooks, or starts to brown. 
7. Slowly whisk in the milk. Continue cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the mustard and the Gruyère. 
8. Stir in the cooked chard and transfer to a buttered gratin dish. 
9. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and breadcrumbs. 
10. Bake for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbling. 
11. Put under the broiler to get the top brown and crispy.
12. Put the hot potatoes onto a plate and spoon the gratin over them.
13. Serve immediately.

Basic Vinaigrette - Test 1

http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/lauras-basic-vinaigrette/8362/
https://letthebakingbegin.com/honey-mustard-dressing/

1 - I've made this several times and never bothered to graduate it. I don't think I ever changed the recipe from this version.

1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/8 to 1/4  tsp beef stock concentrate
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar, lemon juice or other vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
1 clove garlic optional
A spoonful of red wine vinegar

1. Mix up Dijon, stock powder, honey and balsamic vinegar. Whisk in the oil gradually. Season. For additional sharpness add a little of red wine vinegar, to taste. Adjust the seasonings as necessary.
2. The basic ratio for vinaigrette is 1 part vinegar to 2 parts oil, but because the sharpness of vinegars varies so much, it's really safest to operate on the basis of taste. If you use a Tablespoon of red wine vinegar, you'll need at least 1/4 cup/60 ml oil.

Testing - Warm goat cheese salad

http://frenchcookingfordummies.com/2014/warm-goat-cheese-salad-recipe/
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/salad-with-warm-goat-cheese-recipe.html

7 oz (200g) goat cheese log
Crusty bread (baguette or Wonder Bread)
9 oz lettuce (arugula plain or mixed in is nice)

Dressing
6 Tbsps olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
1 pinch salt and pepper

OR (would the following work with balsamic or just cider vinegar?)

2 tablespoons good cider vinegar
2 tablespoons good Champagne vinegar
Pinch sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 extra-large egg yolk
1 cup good olive oil
Enough mixed salad greens for 6 servings
Olive oil and unsalted butter, for frying

Slice the Montrachet into 12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. (The easiest way to slice goat cheese is to use a length of dental floss.) Dip each slice into the beaten egg whites, then the bread crumbs, being sure the cheese is thoroughly coated. Place the slices on a rack and chill them for at least 15 minutes.
For the dressing, place the vinegars, sugar, salt, pepper, and egg yolk in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and blend for 1 minute. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube until the vinaigrette is thickened. Season, to taste.
Toss the salad greens with enough dressing to moisten, then divide them among 6 plates.
Melt 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat until just under smoking. Cook the goat cheese rounds quickly on both sides until browned on the outside but not melted inside. Top each salad with 2 warm rounds and serve.

Testing - Sautéed Baby Beet Leaves (UNEDITED)

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/148889/sauteed-swiss-chard-with-parmesan-cheese/

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and center ribs cut out and chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped separately
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chard stems and the white wine. Simmer until the stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook until wilted. Finally, stir in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt if needed.

Testing - Lovage Soup

http://nourishedkitchen.com/lovage-soup/
1-Tried it without the cream; will try with cream before deciding if it's an essential element. Quite enjoyed the soup, but Ben felt it lacked pizzazz. Perhaps the cream will help?

2 tablespoons butter
1 bunch green onions, (white and light green parts, chopped)
1 medium yellow onion, (peeled and chopped)
2 quarts chicken stock
3 medium Russet potatoes, (peeled and chopped)
1 bunch (1 oz) lovage leaves, (chopped fine)
heavy cream, (to serve)

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed stock pot over medium-high heat. When it froths, reduce the heat to medium and stir in green and yellow onions. Fry until fragrant, about five minutes.
2. Pour in chicken stock and stir in chopped potatoes. Simmer, covered, about thirty minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in lovage and simmer, covered, a further five or six minutes.
3. Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Season with unrefined sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir in a spoonful of heavy cream and serve.

Testing - Lovage, lettuce, pea and cucumber soup

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/jun/24/lovage-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall

1-This was visually gorgeous but just fine in terms of flavour. I suspect the cucumber should not simmer...

20g 1 - 2 Tbsps butter
1 onion, finely diced
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A few young lovage stalks, chopped
700ml 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 little gem lettuces, finely shredded
100g 1/2 cup peas
½ cucumber, cut into 5mm dice
1 small handful lovage leaves, shredded
A few tablespoons of crème fraîche or thick yoghurt or a swirl of cream, to finish

1. Warm the butter in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat. 
2. Add the onion, thyme and a pinch of salt, and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. 
3. Add the lovage stalks and sauté for a couple of minutes. Pour in the stock and peas and simmer for 10 minutes. 
4. Add the rest of the veg lettuce (keep back some lovage leaves to garnish) and simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat and add the cucumber and serve immediately.
5. Season and serve with dollops of crème fraîche and a scattering of fresh lovage leaves.

Untested - Lovage Pesto

https://larderlove.com/lovage-walnut-pesto/

We have lovage growing in the garden now. I can't wait for them to get to their full height - over 6 feet! The search for tasty ways of using it begins...

2 cups lovage leaves
½ cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts or toasted walnuts
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1-2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 tsp salt
Juice from ½ lime

1. Put everything in a blender and pulse until the desired texture is obtained. 

Testing - Leftover Chicken Curry

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/sep/23/21-recipe-ideas-for-leftover-roast-chicken

I'm now looking for recipes that use up leftover cooked chicken. This seems a likely candidate!

1- The first attempt was very good. I did not have yoghurt, so I just used whipping cream. I think the broth and tomato liquid can be reduced significantly while cooking I think - I used frozen fresh tomatoes, so that may have been a factor.

2 Tbsps vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
Salt
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
1" knob fresh ginger, finely grated
2 tsps ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground chilli powder (or to taste)
2-3 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped (optional: plus extra to serve)
1 1/4 cups 300ml chicken stock
Half a leftover roast chicken (12-18 oz?), roughly chopped
Ground black pepper
2 Tbsps whipping cream or plain yoghurt
fresh coriander cilantro, chopped, to serve

1. Heat about two tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large heavy-based saucepan. Gently fry the chopped onion together with a pinch of salt for about 15 minutes until softened. 
2. Add the garlic and ginger. Continue to gently fry for another two to three minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the spices and ensure that they are well mixed with the onion. Continue to gently fry for another three minutes, stirring occasionally. 
4. Add the chopped tomatoes. Stir well and cook for another minute or so. Add the chicken stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes so the flavours infuse or until the sauce starts to thicken. 
5. Add the roasted chicken and warm through. Dollop in about 2 tablespoons of plain yoghurt. Gently warm through so that it doesn’t curdle.
6. Serve with steamed rice and sprinkle over a little fresh coriander and chopped fresh tomato.
7. Serve with Savoury Rice and other Indian dishes.

Tip: Don’t have all the spices? Just use two teaspoons each of garam masala, ground coriander and ground cumin. This is also a good dish for using up a few odds and ends of vegetables. If they are raw, add them in with the chopped tomatoes, and if they are already cooked, add to the pot at the same time as the chicken.

Test 1 - Ginger sweet tofu with pak choi

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/412629/ginger-sweet-tofu-with-pak-choi

This is a noisy dish to make that requires concentration because everything happens so quickly. Delicious, however, and quick! Good for a couple of people as a main dish.

250g 8oz fresh firm tofu, drained
2 tbsp oil
1cm piece ginger, sliced
200g 8oz pak choi, leaves separated
1 Tbsp white wine
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
cooked rice, to serve
For the marinade
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp dark soy sauce
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar

1. Gently prick a few holes in the tofu with a toothpick (this will help the marinade to soak into it, giving better flavour), then cut into bite-size cubes.
2. Mix the marinade ingredients together in a bowl and toss in the tofu pieces. Set aside to marinate for 10-15 mins.
3. Heat a wok over high heat and add half the groundnut oil. When the oil starts to smoke, add the ginger slices and stir-fry for a few secs. Add the pak choy leaves and stir-fry for 1-2 mins. Add a small splash of water to create some steam and cook for 2 mins more. When the leaves have wilted and the stems are cooked but still a little crunchy, season with salt and transfer to a serving dish.
4. Rinse the wok under cold water, then reheat it and add the remaining oil. When it starts to smoke, add the tofu pieces (retaining the marinade liquid) and stir-fry for 5-10 mins. Take care not to break up the tofu as you toss it to get it browned evenly on all sides. Season with the rice wine and rice vinegar. Add the remaining marinade liquid, bring to the bubble and let the liquid reduce. Sprinkle over the chilli flakes and toss well. Spoon onto the pak choy and serve immediately with jasmine rice, if you like.