Testing - Celeriac Soup with Cheddar

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015711-celeriac-potato-leek-and-apple-soup

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2077/chunky-cheddar-and-celeriac-soup

https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/celeriac-soup

1 Tbsp oil

1 onion, diced

2 leeks, sliced 

Salt to taste

2 lbs celeriac, peeled and diced

1 large floury potato (about 3/4 pound), peeled and diced

4 sage leaves, fresh

2 strips lemon peel

2 apples, cored, peeled and diced

6-8 cups water or light stock

Bouquet garni (a bay leaf, 2-3 sprigs each thyme, parsley, and celery root leaves)

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. In a heavy soup pot heat cook the onion and leeks in the oil with a pinch of salt, about 5 minutes over medium heat.
2. Add the sage, stir and cook until fragrant, then add the celeriac, potato, sage, lemon peel, apple, liquid and bouquet garni and simmer gently until the veg are tender and the herbs have infused the soup, about 20-30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, dice the cheddar quite small.
4. When the veg are tender, remove the lemon peel and bouquet garni and puree with a wand blender until partially blended, ie. with some chunkiness left for texture.
5. When ready to serve, stir in the cheddar and ladle into soup bowls.
6. OPTIONAL - for a garnish, at the beginning, fry a few sage leaves in the oil and set aside. When the soup is ladled in the bowls, garnish with the fried sage leaves. 

Sausage and bean stew - PUBLISHED

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/vegetableandbeancass_82705

1 - This worked out quite nicely. The night I made it, I was distracted and forgot to add the salt. The next day, we had it for lunch, and I realized my mistake. I also sprinkled some fresh Parmesan. It made all the difference.
2 - Made it with Cassoulet beans... the clear winners! They are very thin skinned, and cook up soft, and absorb flavour and fats like crazy. In this dish they naturally thicken the broth in to a sauce. Lovely!
3 - I do believe that spicy Italian sausage is better. It'd be easy to substitute with sweet Italian sausage and extra chilli flakes.
4 - Definitely no canned tomato, only fresh. Canned tomato makes it taste like a failed pasta sauce.

1⁄4 cup olive oil
3-4 Spicy Italian pork sausages
2 Tbsps chopped fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
Optional (if you like it super spicy) 1⁄2 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 small Turban squash, cubed (about 8 oz)
4 cups cooked Cassoulet beans
1 tsp salt
3⁄4 cup boiling water or chicken broth
1 large tomato, cubed

1. Start by roasting the squash. Heat the oven to 400F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Toss the squash with some oil and salt. Pop in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until browned, occasionally shaking things up to avoid burning the bottoms.
4. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the 1⁄4 cup olive oil until it starts to shimmer. Shallow fry the sausages, rosemary, garlic and the chilli for one minute.
5. Add the squash and fry for a further three minutes or until the sausage has browned.
6. Remove the sausage and cut into thirds or quarters.
7. Add the beans and bay leaf and season with salt.
8. Add the liquid and tomato, cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
9. Increase the heat for a rapid simmer and uncover to cook another 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
10. Serve with fresh buttered crusty bread.

Ribollita - Test 1

http://latavolamarche.blogspot.ca/2011/05/summer-soup-ribollita.html

1 - It worked well. I made changes on the fly, but it all seems to work. Something I quite like is to cook down the tomato until it discorporates into the broth.

2 - I increased the amount of beans by a half cup. I tried using ground chia seeds instead of bread for a gluten-free version but, at least, I didn't add enough because there was no real change in the consistency of the broth.

1 cup of dry beans of your choice, soaked over night, drained or fresh

1 bay leaf

2 cups vegetable stock

2 Tbsps olive oil

2 carrots, diced

1 stalk of celery, diced or a small pinch of celery seed
1 onion, diced

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 tomatoes, chopped

couple cloves of garlic

a good pinch of chilli flakes

5-7 cups of chicken stock
OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup of peas (if available); small bunch of asparagus (if available)
1 bunch greens of your choice, washed well & chopped into manageable pieces (kale, chard, etc)
2 handfuls of the inside (guts) of stale bread, broken into pieces, crust removed (NOTE tried to substitute with 6 tsps of ground chia seeds with no real noticeable impact)
good extra virgin olive oil

Parmesan, shaved

1. In a pot, add beans, bay leaf, and vegetable stock.
2. Bring to a boil, lower to simmer for 30-40 minutes until tender (time varies depending on your beans).  Strain beans, saving the cooking water for later.  
3. Next in a soup pot, heat the olive oil and add carrots, celery, onion. Slowly sautéed for 10-15 minutes.
4. Season with salt & pepper.
5. Add the tomatoes, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until the tomato sauces or falls apart.  Add stock with some of the bean water. Bring up to a simmer. Add greens to your pot, wilting into the soup. Cook for 5-10 minutes, depending the toughness of your greens.
6. Once greens are soft, add in your beans & bread, one handful at a time.
7. Season with salt & pepper. Bread should dissolve, creating a velvety texture. Not a thick bread soup. Allow to cook for another 5-10 minutes. Taste check & adjust your seasonings.
8. TO SERVE: Serve with a healthy drizzle of the best extra virgin olive oil you have and a ribbon of parmesan.

Untested - Fermented Basil & Garlic Tomatoes

http://thecrushingcancerkitchen.com/fermented/fermented-basil-garlic-tomatoes/

Tomatoes (enough to fill your jar of choice, leaving 2 inches or more at the top)
Fresh Basil, left whole (1 sprig with several leaves per cup of tomatoes)
Garlic, roughly chopped or sliced (1 clover per cup of tomatoes)
Brine:
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp Sea Salt
2 c Water

1. For the Tomatoes:
2. Wash the tomatoes
3. Poke each tomato with a skewer (1-2 for cherry tomatoes, 2-4 for bigger ones)
4. Layer the tomatoes with the garlic and basil in a jar, ending on tomatoes (to avoid garlic or basil floaters)
5. Put something on top to weigh them down (non-metal). I have mason jar-sized weights but you can also use a clean glass jar filled with water, a clean rock, a cabbage leaf that wraps around the top, or maybe if you're using bigger tomatoes you can wedge them in well enough so that they stay in place.
6. Pour the brine over the top so that it covers the tomatoes by 1-2 inches.
7. Cover with a lid, a tea clean towel and elastic or a fermenting lid.
8. Leave somewhere dark-ish for 5-7 days.
9. Check on them daily to make sure nothing has floated above the surface (if it has, poke it back down and secure it).
10. Taste them at day 4 -they should be sweet and a little acidic and slightly fizzy.
11. Store in the fridge in their brine.
12. Use the tomatoes, basil and garlic in cooler recipes, cooking them will destroy their beneficial bacteria.
13. Purée them into hummus (use the brine too, in place of water!), top off your avo toast with them, add them to salad, put them out as appetizers mixed with some olives, put them out on a vegan cheese platter, roughly chop them up to make salsa, eat them right out of the fridge.

1. For the Brine:
2. Whisk the salt and water together to dissolve the salt.
3. OR bring a small amount of the water and all of the salt to a simmer and then turn off. It will dissolve faster this way. Transfer to a cooler container and cool it down further with the rest of the water. Make sure it is closer to room temp before you pour it over the tomatoes.

Testing - Cumin Rice Pilaf

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cumin-herb-rice-pilaf-231511

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 large bunch scallions, white part thinly sliced (1/4 cup) and enough greens finely chopped to measure 1/3 cup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Cook cumin seeds and white part of scallions in 1 tablespoon oil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until scallions are softened, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute. Stir in broth, water, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Cover pan, then reduce heat to low and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes.
4. Fluff rice with a fork and toss with scallion greens, parsley, and remaining tablespoon oil.

Untested - Polish Braised Red Cabbage

http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/vegetables/r/redcabbage.htm

1 (3-pound) head red cabbage, shredded
1 medium onion, shredded
2 tablespoons butter or canola oil
1 cup water
4 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

1. In large pot, cook cabbage and onion in butter or oil until it collapses, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, mix together water, vinegar, brown sugar, pepper and salt until sugar is dissolved. Add to cabbage mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low.
3. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes. Refrigerate overnight to improve flavor. Freezes well.

Test 3 - Borlotti Pottage

http://www.bonappetit.com/columns/cooking-without-recipes/slideshow/shelling-beans

This is pretty much made-up, using the fabulous guide provided by Bon Appetit. I'm sure I'll have to adjust the quantities.
3 - I'm rethinking this recipe - I've decided to no longer grow the borlotti bean - they are very firm and dry and I haven't really been enjoying them (if any borlotti bean lovers out there want to share your fave recipes with me, I'll gladly give them a go). I'll replace them with another bean.

I am increasing the ratio by 1/3 and trying canned tomatoes.

1½ cup (280gr) dry Cranberry/Borlotti beans
3 Tbsps olive oil
3 to 4 cloves garlic, crushed (not chopped)
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs oregano, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1lb 8oz (3 cups, or 1x796mL can) tomatoes, diced
3 cups chicken broth (to start)

OPTIONAL: 4 to 6 oz julienned greens
Fruit vinegar (either, red wine, white wine, plum, apple cider, raspberry, etc)
Parmesan

1. Soak beans overnight but do not cook!
2. Next day, sauté garlic in the oil, add oregano and bay leaf, stir in for about a minute more.
3. Add the beans, season with salt and pepper.
4. Add tomatoes and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. 
5. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 to 2 hours, replenishing the stock if necessary. Stir occasionally.
6. When beans are cooked, leave uncovered and cook at a rapid simmer until most of the broth has evaporated. It is at the beginning of this rapid boil that you can add the optional greens.
7. Add the fruit vinegar, serve on plates and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan, fresh ground pepper and chopped fresh oregano. Accompanies well with crusty bread.

Zuppa di pasta e fagioli - PUBLISHED

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/cranberry-bean-pasta-fagioli-recipe.html

0 - I have made this once and it made a lot, and it was good, but I know I have notes, I just can't find them! It is very hearty, closer to a stew than a soup.

1 - Used dry Mexican Red beans and canned tomato, and it was good! I will make some changes to recommend, if not using the soup right away, to make without the pasta and then cook the pasta in the amount of the soup you'll be eating to avoid having soggy pasta. But the pasta is essential, since the starch in it thickens the soup. Also, it is a seasonal soup, since the dry beans and canned tomato make it a winter soup, while fresh beans and fresh tomatoes would make it a good summer soup.

2 - Made with Pinto beans and fresh tomato. The beans were too dense I find, but fine. The fresh tomato was lovely. I'm letting my little rosemary plants grow so I used an equal amount of the dried, and it wasn't enough, to my taste. Everything else was good. Oh, I used a small fresh cayenne pepper and it could be spicier.

3 - The amount of bacon isn't right. It could actually be a much meatier stew. So maybe more bacon or smoked hock or another kind of meat? Ben also suggested just a beef broth. The interesting thing was that the more we ate it the more we enjoyed it.

4 - Adding the beef broth was a good idea, but I think the real difference is actually cooking the pasta in with the soup. The starch from the pasta greatly improves the texture.

5 - On with the testing! Substituted the kale for chard and it worked.

For 7 people (for 2 cups serving as main dish per person)

1 + 2 Tbsps. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 to 3 slices bacon (24 to 36gr), cut into lardons NOTE I used 42 gr because less doesn't look right
5 cloves garlic, smashed
1 small onion, roughly chopped
¼ tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 sprig finely chopped fresh rosemary
5 fresh plum tomatoes (10oz/285mg) or ½ can  

1 lb beans: dried, soaked or 3 pounds fresh, shelled, preferably cranberry/borlotti beans

6 cups water 

6 cups beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 piece parmesan cheese rind

½ cup (1oz/128g) grated parmesan, and more for topping
1 tsp salt, to taste
8 oz small pasta such as shells or ditalini (SEE COOKING INSTRUCTIONS)
1 bunch (8oz) kale, stems and ribs sliced thin, leaves chopped (can subst. with other greens)
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
Lots of freshly ground pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large pot (this makes lots of soup) and render the bacon until it's crispy.
2. Add the garlic, onion, red pepper flakes and rosemary. Cook until the onions soften.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until they start to release their juices. 
4. Add the beans, water, broth, bay leaves and parmesan rind and kale stems. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the beans are tender, 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours.
5. Return the soup to a boil. Add the kale leaves and the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente.  
6. The soup should be thick and creamy; if too thick, thin with water until you get the consistency you want.
7. Remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind; add the salt, the grated parmesan, parsley and remaining 2 Tbsps. olive oil. Adjust seasoning to taste. Top with more olive oil and parmesan and a few grinds of black pepper.

Untested - Mead

http://www.growforagecookferment.com/how-to-make-a-gallon-of-mead/

0 - Makes one gallon - can be increased. NOTE: Fruit can be added to create a mead-based drink called melomel.
Also possible to mix it with maple syrup:
https://meadcrafter.com/recipe/daves-simple-maple-acerglyn-mead/

2-3 pounds of honey, depending on how sweet you want to end product to be.
Berries or fruit of any kind, fresh or frozen, about a cup
One orange
About 10 raisins
Champagne yeast
EQUIPMENT
1 gallon jar or jug (you can reuse one that you bought for making hard cider) with its lid
Airlock with rubber stopper that fits into your jar
Big metal spoon
Funnel
A large pot
Brewing sanitizer

1. Start by sanitize everything: jug, airlock, big pot, spoon and funnel.  Just follow the directions for your sanitizer and don’t throw it out until you’re totally done.
2. Then heat 1/2 gallon of water the pot.  Once it’s warm, but not boiling, add the honey and stir it so it all dissolves. Do not boil.
3. Turn the heat off.  It may be a little foamy, that’s ok, just don’t boil it.
4. In the meantime, put your berries (or any fruit of your liking), orange slices (skin and all) and raisins into your jug.
5. Then use your funnel and carefully pour the honey water mixture (technically called “must”) into the jar.
6. Top off the jar with cold water, leaving at least 2 inches of head space on top.
7. Cap the jar and gently mix everything around a bit.  
8. Once the honey and water mixture is luke-warm (less than 90F, add the yeast (too hot and the yeast will die, to cold and it won't activate properly). One yeast package will make up to 5 gallons of mead, so if you’re doing 2 gallons you can just split one between the 2 jars.
9. Cap again tightly and shake the jar for several minutes.  
10. Put a little water in the airlock to the line, then put the rubber stopper into your jug.  In a few hours, or at least by the next morning, you should see bubbles in your jar and in your airlock.
11. The whole top might get a little foamy at first, but things will settle down. 
12. Keep it in a cool (not cold) dark place.  Mead takes longer to ferment than cider or beer, depending on the temperature it will take anywhere from 4-6 weeks.  I usually give it 6 weeks to be on the safe side for bottling as you don’t want any explosions!  I’ve definitely had some very champagne like mead before.  You want to wait until you don’t see any bubbles and your airlock is still.
13. Bottling one or two gallons of mead is pretty much the same process as bottling cider.  You may want to wait awhile to drink your mead as it definitely gets better with age, but I often drink it “green” (young) as I enjoy it either way.  It is fun to save a couple of bottles for several months, or even a year, just to see how the taste changes with age.
14. If you make one gallon of mead, chances are you will soon want to make more!  

Untested - Winter Squash Cheesecake

http://homestead-honey.com/2015/10/19/winter-squash-cheesecake-recipe/

CRUST

2 1/2 cups gingersnap cookies or graham crackers
2-3 TBSP butter or coconut oil, melted

FILLING

2 cups winter squash puree
2 cups soft cow cheese (like a fromage blanc, or sub in chevre, or half ricotta and half cream cheese)
3/4 cup honey sorghum (or your sweetener of choice. If using honey, start with 2/3 cups and taste for sweetness)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Crush gingersnap cookies (you can use a food processor or a paper bag and rolling pin)
3. Combine with butter, and press firmly into the bottom of a 9″ springform pan.
4. Blend all filling ingredients (except the eggs) until smooth and creamy in consistency. Taste the filling and adjust the sweet and spiciness.
5. Add the eggs and blend until the entire mixture is uniform and creamy.
6. Pour filling mixture into the springform pan.
7. Bake in the oven for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until set.
8. Remove from oven, place on a cooling rack and let cool completely for at least 4 hours.

Untested - Irish Cream Liquor

http://afarmgirlinthemaking.com/2015/11/homemade-irish-cream-liquor/

0 - I need a recipe to make condensed milk, and I need to make the Chocolate Syrup recipe, and refine it so I can replace the corn syrup with something else.

1 2/3 cup of Whiskey
1 cup of heavy cream
14 oz can of condensed milk
2 tablespoons of Chocolate syrup
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of COLD coffee

1. Use an immersion blender to mix all ingredients together.  Do not blend it to long, you do not want any foam, you simply want to MIX the ingredients together.
2. Pour the mixture into jars of your choice. 
3. Store in the refrigerator. It will keep for roughly 2 months. Shake well before serving.

Test 2 - Baked Beans

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/maple-baked-beans-350993
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/maple-baked-beans-10104
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/slow_cooked_boston_baked_beans/
http://www.averiecooks.com/2013/05/bourbon-maple-slow-cooker-baked-beans.html

1 - Although I did not have bourbon on hand, I made it anyway, and it was very good. It cooked quite nicely within 6 hours, but I think it would have been better for another couple of hours. NOTE: I think cooking longer will encourage the beans to start to thicken the sauce. If not, ADD to the instructions that 1/4 of the beans should be mashed before adding to the layering as I fill the cooking pot.
* I messed up my second attempt. I will not count it here. However, I did use the Mama's Cannelini beans we grew, and compared to the Norwegian Brown, their skin was a bit tough; both Ben and I had the same opinion, but it was still good.
2 - Added apple cider vinegar. My mom makes delicious baked beans but uses store-bought ketchup, which I'd like to avoid. Given that I have plenty of sweet, I've decided on the cider vinegar to add the tartness that the ketchup brings. I hope 1/4 cup isn't too much.
3 - A little too much dijon at 4 Tbsps, re-reducing it to 2-3 Tbsps. Reducing maple syrup to 1/4 cup.

1 lb dry beans (6 cups reconstituted) (Norwegian Brown, Neabel's)
2 Tbsps 1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsps salt
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
2 3-4 Tbsps spicy brown Dijon mustard
2 Tbsps 1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup Bourbon brandy
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 (1/2 lb) thick strips bacon
Pinch clove powder
3 cups boiling water (to start, + more during baking)
1 package salt porc, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced

1. Soak beans overnight. Next day, simmer for 45 minutes.
2. For a 6:00 pm dinner, start beans at least by 10:00 am.
3. Preheat the oven to a mere 300F.
4. Mix together the sugar, salt, pepper, mustard, molasses, bourbon, syrup and clove powder. When you've got a good slurry going, add the hot water and dilute everything.
5. Layer half the porc on the bottom of a oven-ready cooking pot (I've got a lovely hand-made stoneware pot I use). Over this put half the beans, then all the onion and garlic, then the second half of the beans, and topped with the second half of the salt porc.
6. Cook in the oven for 6-8 hours. Every few hours, check the liquid - I usually add 1 cup of boiling water at least twice during the baking. No need to stir.
7. Serve with good, hearty buttered bread.

White Bean Soup - Testing

http://www.theclevercarrot.com/2014/10/tuscan-white-bean-soup-2-ways/

1 - A good, hearty soup. I'd like to try doubling the greens. 

2 - Ok, I can see where there are some problems here. I'm doing a little rewriting. Also, I tried more greens, but the rest of the soup needs some rewriting so I'm not changing anything in that quadrant for this next round.

1-2 3 slices of bacon (90g), chopped (add olive oil more oil of any type if you want more fat)

1 lb. white beans such as cannellini or great northern beans, dried (2lbs 5oz when cooked)
1 bay leaf
1 onion (6oz/170g), rough chop
1 celery stalk, rough chop
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 sage leaves, chopped

2 Tbsps white wine
3-4 8oz leafy green (chard or kale or mustard etc), stemmed and cut into thin strips
4 cups (+ up to another 4 cups for thinning) chicken stock
2 Tbsps fresh parsley
3/4 tsp salt 

1/4 tsp pepper
Garnish
garlic croutons
shaved parmesan cheese
crusty sourdough bread

1. If using dry beans, the night before, bring the beans to a boil, take them off the heat source and let soak the beans in a bowl large enough for them to expand into, and fill the bowl to the brim. Soak overnight.
2. Next day, In a soup pot, cook the bacon until the fat renders and the bacon is lightly browned in a soup pot. With a slotted spoon remove the lardons and set aside.
3. To the hot fat add the onion, celery, garlic, and sage leaves. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the white wine and cook until it completely evaporates.
4. Drain the beans and add to the pot, along with the bay leaf.
5. Cover with 4 cups of chicken stock and bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer, cooking until the beans are tender, about 1- 1½ hours if using dry beans, 30 to 45 minutes if using reconstituted/canned beans. Season with salt and pepper.
6. At this point you can pulverise half of the soup in a blender before reintroducing it to the soup pot, or use an immersion blender OR:  or leave au-naturel (so-to-speak) and chunky. 
7. Reheat the soup with the pulverized portion and add the parsley and the greens. Cook until the greens are wilted and cooked.
8. In either case, adjust Adjust the amount of liquid with hot chicken broth, to your desired consistency, seasoning as you add.
9. Garnish with parmesan cheese and croutons.
10. For the chunky version, adjust with salt and pepper to taste, and more stock if needed.
11. Serve warm with crusty sourdough bread.

Tilt the pot, and remove most of the residual oil with a spoon.