Testing - La Pescajoune

https://www.vallee-dordogne.com/blog/recette-la-pescajoune-de-marielle
http://blog-domi.over-blog.fr/article-pour-ceux-qui-n-aiment-pas-trop-l-omelette-une-pasacade-recette-116685107.html
https://www.jours-de-marche.fr/specialites/pescajoune.html

This appears to be a versatile pancake-type recipe. Translated the site indicates that, sweet or savory, this was the dish made by the common folk of the Haut Quercy. In the evening, the elderly would slice in some lard in a pan to fry up the batter to make a complete meal with a salad of dandelion greens. But always made with lard.
As a dessert it was always seasonal fruits that were used, offering variety throughout the season.
The most delectable is cooked but the fire to lightly caramelize and absorb the smokiness of the hearth.
Best eaten while very hot!

1 - Tasty and fun to make. It really is its own thing; not a pancake, not a crêpe, not a cake, not an omelette, not egg foo young, but something all on its own. It does need baking powder or yeast - I'll try both. I made it in a cast-iron pan for which the dinner plates fit perfectly on top to flip the pescajoune onto. I greased the plate beforehand to make the flipping easier. It's essential that the pescajoune be cooked over low heat so that the top solidifies before the first flip, and that the bottom doesn't burn. I made this as two pancakes, but I think it would be fine as one giant pancake. It really does seem like such a flexible recipe that it can be done any number of ways.

3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cups milk
6 eggs
A sprinkling of vanilla and liqueur of your choice
2 large apples or 3/4lb apple, cored, peeled and thinly sliced
2 Tbsps oil (preferably lard)

1. Mix together the dry ingredients then the wet, up to the apples and only adding the apple once the batter is well mixed.
2. Let the batter sit for a few minutes to thicken a bit.
3. Heat the oil in a 8 to 10" pan.
4. Pour in the batter - it should make a 1" thick pancake.
5. Cook until the underside browns, then with the help of a plate flip it over onto the plate, and slide it back into the pan to finish cooking.
6. Once browned on both sides, flip back onto the plate and serve immediately with either powdered sugar or maple syrup on top.

Soupe à la choucroûte - Testing

pg 41 Country Cooking of France by Elizabeth David

https://www.ricardocuisine.com/recettes/7011-soupe-choucroute

https://www.750g.com/la-soupe-de-noel-ou-soupe-a-la-choucroute-r64084.htm

1 - real interesting and odd. Used store-bought sauerkraut, would like to try again by rinsing it, maybe soaking it because the soup was too acidic. I also did not blender the soup which seemed fine but I’m curious to see the difference. The bacon was good, the sausage was good but I’m curious to try some of the other meats suggested, such as the next time I make a ham.

80gr/3oz of bacon or rinds of bacon, chopped into lardons

1 lb sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1 oz dried mushrooms
Salt
Pepper
1 bayleaf
6 juniper berries
2 tsps sugar
4 cups stock or water
1/4 lb raw salame (?) sausage or 2-3 smoked Frankfurter (?) sausages or 1/4lb smoked ham (?)
2 oz whipping cream

1. In a large pan cook the bacon until golden.
2. Add the stock sauerkraut, potatoes, mushrooms, salt, pepper, bayleaf, juniper berries and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 1 hour.
3. When cooked, remove the bay leaves and the juniper berries and pass through a sieve or process with an immersion blender and return to the pan. Bring back to a boil.
4. Cut up the sausage and cook it in the soup for about 15 minutes or until cooked. 
5. Add the cream and serve.
6. OPTIONAL - a sprinkling of cheese.

Soupe au lard et au fromage - Test 1

pg 41 Country Cooking of France by Elizabeth David

https://thesuburbansoapbox.com/baked-french-onion-soup/

1 - Ben was pleasantly surprised. It makes like a baked onion soup stew-like casserole. The bread and cheese completely dissolve during the baking, and it's an excellent way to use up the bits of cheese left clinging to the rind. I added some wine in the cooking as well as some thyme, and some broth instead of the plain water. Oh, and the onion should be browned a fair bit more - I made it so that it was just starting to caramelize, but it would be better with a more rounded browned onion flavour. I didn't measure the quantity of bread, cheese or cream, so that will come next. Ben would like texture variation like croutons. Hmmm... Perhaps I could do this by making butter croutons, popping them on top and doing a quick broil at the end?

2 - I did not use the croutons and it was very good, even, as Ben put it, Burgoo good. Now that's saying something! I used white wine and beef broth, with may have rounded things. Oh, and a bit of thyme.

4 oz fatty bacon cut into lardons
6 small onions (2lbs), thin sliced
Salt and pepper

1 to 2 sprigs thyme, minced

⅓ cup white wine
3 cups (1½ pints) beef broth
8oz very thin slices of day-old/stale bread
7 to 8oz Parmesan cheese, sliced thin
¼ + cup cream 

CROUTONS

2 slices of crusty bread (about 1 cup)

2 Tbsps butter

1. Render the fat from the bacon in a saucepan over medium heat until the bacon is evenly golden. 
2. Lower the temperature under the saucepan and add the onion to the bacon, cooking it very slowly until it turns a deep brown and falling apart - all the sweetness of the onion will come out at this point. 
3. Add the thyme.
4. If using a cast iron or stainless steel pan (recommended), a 'fond' will start to develop as the sugars in the onion begin to caramelize and stick to the pan. Don't avoid this stage, but enter it joyfully - this is where your flavour will come from.
5. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
6. Season the onions with the salt and pepper, then stir in the wine. Cook down for a few minutes, then add the broth. Scrape up all that wonderful fond and continue simmering for about 30 minutes.
7. In an oven-ready pot or earthenware casserole dish, you will be making consecutive layers of the rest of the ingredients; put down a single layer of bread, a thin layer of Parmesan, a Tbsp of cream, some of the bacon, and repeat starting with the bread, until the casserole is half full.
8. Over these layers pour the onions and their stock. Bake in the oven, covered, for 1 hour.
9. TEST - meanwhile, make butter croutons

CROUTONS

1. Cube the bread to make croutons.
2. Over medium heat melt the 2 Tbsps of butter in a small pan (level of butter should be 1/4 inch) and allow it to heat up completely so that when a cube of bread is put in, it will quietly sizzle.
3. Add the bread cubes and fry, stirring constantly so they brown evenly, about 30 seconds to 1 minutes. 
4. Burns easily!
5. Strain off the extra fat. 
6. With a slotted spoon remove the croutons.
7. When the casserole is baked, remove the dish from the oven, sprinkle the croutons on top and return to the oven to broil until the top is gently bubbling.

Potage Saint Hubert (Christmas soup) - Testing

 pg 40 Country Foods of France by Elizabeth David

1 - Because I will more frequently have leftover chicken, I opted to halve the recipe. Given that, it'll be easy to double it for a whole pheasant, if ever such a thing happens to me in my lifetime.
for 8 4 people

The first attempt was quite successful, and I look forward to trying it again. This time, my fine sieve was in the wash, so I only used the blender. Now I wonder  if, after running it through the blender, I can get it to be even more fine. As it was, the chicken easily separated from the liquid, and I'd like to make it more creamy and uniform.

Interestingly, I have only found reference to Elizabeth David's recipe under this name. However, in looking around, I found other recipes of the same name with totally different ingredients, including no fowl at all. Curious.

I would like to try thickening agents to smooth the texture, like a finely ground cooked potato or a roux. I've added a note.

1 lb 8oz duPuys lentils
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, white parts sliced
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
?(5) cups water
?(3/4 tsp) salt

(1 Tbsp butter)

(1 Tbsp flour)

1 lb brown meat from chicken, turkey or goose or 1/2 pheasant
1 pheasant or 2lbs leftover goose or the brown meat of chicken or turkey
4oz 2oz cream

1. Make stock by cooking the lentils with the onion, leek, thyme and bay leaf in the salted water.
2. Either roast a pheasant or use mainly the brown meat from a roasted chicken or turkey, reserving some of the best parts to cube and add to the soup at the end.
3. Pound the meat into a paste. (see NOTE for alternatives)
4. Once the lentils are well cooked, reserve the liquid but strain out the lentils and add it to the chicken. Pass this through a fine sieve into a saucepan (or run it through a food processor).
5. Add the lentil stock until the desired soup consistency is achieved.

NOTE

If you don't want to to pound the meat by hand, I've tried the following:

1. Once the lentils are perfectly cooked, drain the liquid and set it and the lentils aside. 
2. Rinse and wipe the saucepan, melt the butter and whisk in the flour; cook until the fresh flour smell goes away and it just starts to blond. Over medium-low heat, stream in 1 cup of the liquor from the lentils while whisking, until it starts to thicken. Once thickened, whisk in the rest of the liquor. Remove from heat and whisk in the cream.
3. In a blender or food processor, combine the meat and the broth and process until smooth. 
4. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
5. Reheat and serve.

Barley and Ham Potage - PUBLISHED

https://www.afamilyfeast.com/ham-vegetable-soup/

1 - I made a lot of alterations to use what I already have and make less soup! My version is first, then scroll down for the original. I will want to make it again with the parmesan rind, thyme, bay leaf and beans, as for the tomato, maybe try a little lemon rind or juice instead?
2 - This is turning into its own thing. I'm curious about the original recipe, but I'm also going to run with what I've cobbled together. The barley lends substance but also creaminess, eschewing the need for cream.
3 - I substituted arugula for kale and it was still good. I notice in the original recipe that there are bean... I think I'll try that next, maybe adding it as an optional ingredient.

4 - This holds up, but it is thick enough that I might want to call it a stew. Generally, the name sucks, so I'm open to something better. Ben felt that the bacon could be cooked more, but I used a last little bit of last year's bacon, which to me had an unpleasantly flavored rind, which I suspect is what he was reacting to. Nonetheless, the bacon could be more crisped because it shouldn't burn if the veg is added next, with all their moisture. Oh, and I suspect that I have doubled the cooking time - currently I have cooking time to 20 minutes covered, followed by 15 minutes uncovered.

5 - Used the lard and I used cabbage instead of the kale - our kale is done for the winter, and I didn't want to buy more given that I can use a head of cabbage for several dishes and a bunch of kale is probably good for one, maybe two. It was quite good - filling, rustic, flavorful.

6 - This seems to be on point except for salt and pepper. I also suspect it would be greatly improved with the addition of dry beans as a non-optional ingredient.

7 - This is proving to be a pretty solid recipe. I tried it with beans and it continues to be good. Adding the Parmesan really is better than in the original recipe where they add cream. Happy discovery, Permesan rind cooked in the soup seems to work just as well.

1/4 cup dried small beans

3 Tbsps lard OR 2 slices bacon en lardons + 1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, sliced thin (10oz)
1 carrot, diced (2oz)
1 med potato, diced (215gr)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups Chicken stock
2 sprigs thyme
4 leaves kale, ribs finely sliced and leaves cut into thin strips

OR

8 oz fine sliced cabbage
1 large tomato (7oz)
5oz  ham, diced
1/2 cup pearl barley

1 1/2 tsps salt

1/2 tsp pepper
2oz Parmesan cheese OR 1 small parmesan rind

1. If using the optional beans, soak overnight and cook the next day until tender. Set aside.
2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed soup pot, heat the lard over medium high heat (OR heat oil and add bacon; cook for 7-8 minutes until the bacon is nice and crispy).
3. Add the onion, carrots and potato and cook until onion is well soft and starting to brown.
4. Add the garlic and cook one minute.
5. Add the stock, thyme, kale or cabbage, tomato, ham, beans (if using) and barley and, if using the Parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until veg are tender (about 20 minutes).
6. Taste to make sure the veg is cooked to your liking and, if using, stir in the cheese and remove from heat to serve.

ORIGINAL RECIPE, below
  Prep Time: 30 mins  Cook Time: 2 hours 45 mins  Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes  Yield: 8-10

Ham Stock
4 pounds meaty ham bone
4 cups onion, large dice
4 cups celery, large dice
4 cups carrot, large dice
4 sprigs fresh parsley with stems
2 bay leaves
2 ½ quarts water
4 whole pepper corns
Soup
Ham stock from above, about 1½ – 2 quarts
1 quart vegetable stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 slices bacon, diced
1 ½ cups leeks, white only, cleaned of sand and diced
1 cup celery, small dice, about two large stalks
2½ cups carrots, one inch dice
2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dry thyme
3 bay leaves
1 Roma tomato, seeded and diced
8 ounces Parmesan cheese rinds, optional (we save them in the freezer for soups)
1 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and diced into bite sized pieces
1 head Tuscan kale, cleaned from ribs and cut up
2 cups frozen kernel corn
1 15.5-ounce can small white beans, drained and rinsed
1½ pounds leftover ham from bone diced (or purchase a deli ham steak and dice)
1 cup light cream

1. Start by making the stock. Add all stock ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for two hours. Strain stock and pick meat from bone. Discard the rest. This step can be done in advance and the stock frozen until needed. Cool and freeze in zip lock gallon bags.
2. Mix ham stock with vegetable stock and heat. Taste and adjust seasoning, but salt only if needed.
3. In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed soup pot, heat oil over medium high heat and add bacon. Cook for 7-8 minutes until just short of crispy.
4. Add leeks, celery and carrots and cook for five minutes.
5. Add garlic and cook one minute.
6. Add stock, thyme, bay leaves, tomato and optional Parmesan rinds. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
7. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes or until vegetables are just short of tender.
8. Add potatoes and kale and bring back to a boil then simmer until tender, about five minutes.
9. Add corn, beans and diced ham and simmer five minutes.
10. Stir in cream and remove from heat.
11. Pick out bay leaves and Parmesan rinds and discard. Serve immediately.

Soupe aux marrons (Chestnut soup) - Untested

French Country Cooking by Elizabeth David, pg 39
https://www.femmesplus.fr/recettes-potage-a-la-puree-de-perdrix.20787.722.html

From the Pyrenées

2 slices of crusty bread (about 1 cup, cubed)
2 Tbsps butter
40 chestnuts
6-8 cups of Chicken stock
1 Roast Partridge (or 18oz of cooked chicken or pheasant)

To make the croutons:

1. Over medium heat melt the 2 Tbsps of butter in a small pan (level of butter should be 1/4 inch) and allow it to heat up completely so that when a cube of bread is put in, it will quietly sizzle.
2. Add the bread cubes and fry, stirring constantly so they brown evenly, about 30 seconds to 1 minutes. 
3. Burns easily!
4. Strain off the extra fat. 
5. With a slotted spoon remove the croutons and divide croutons between two plates.

To make the soup:

1. Cut an X at the top of each chestnut and dry roast them in a 300F oven for 15 minutes. Remove the tough shell and peel away the thin inner membrane to reveal the creamy flesh (do this while still quite warm or it all becomes brittle and difficult to work). 
2. Cook the chestnuts in the stock for 2 hours.
3. Meanwhile, pound the meat in a mortar or pass through a meat grinder or use a food processor to turn into a paste.
4. Once the chestnuts are cooked, add the meat, mix thoroughly and pass through a sieve.
5. Return the soup to the pan and bring to a boil to reheat.
6. Serve with the fried croutons on top.

La Potée (vegetable bean soup) d'hiver - Test 1

Inspired by French Country Cooking, pg 40

In Elizabeth David's book, these are made with spring vegetables - all are baby veggies and fresh beans and peas. I'm trying to expand the availability of this soup. Given that peas can be available much sooner and much later than fresh beans, I'm also using dry beans for a fall/winter/early spring soup. The quantities are a little all over but there you have it, I'm trying things as I go along. Basically the proportions are established by mass - equal amounts of root veg, half as much in mass of dry beans etc.

0 - I've used a basic weight of 8oz of potato as my metric, and enough bacon for 2 people.
1 - A very nice vegetable soup and a valiant first attempt. I started with 8 oz of the root veg, which makes enough for 8 servings.
2 - This continues to be a good soup. Quite different for me since it has no browning of the veg, but it isn't missed in this instance. I went back to the Elizabeth Davis book because my instructions are a little vague. Now I can't remember why. Nevertheless, I graduated it from Testing to Test 1.

1lb (2 to 2.5 oz of bacon x person) cut into lardons
Half as much of the quantity of potato's mass of:
- 4oz  Small dry beans (or dry peas?)

? water 
Equal proportions in mass of:
- 8oz Potato
- 8oz Carrot
- 8oz Turnip or rutabaga
- 8oz Onion
- 8oz Peas
- 1/8 cabbage, sliced in thin, noodle-like strips

Salt and Pepper

1. Soak the beans overnight. 
2. Boil the lardons with the beans in ?L of water, until the beans are cooked.
3. Add the root vegetables and simmer slowly until almost cooked. 
4. Add the peas and the cabbage  and cook an additional 30 minutes.
5. The root veg should be quite soft and starting to crumble when done.

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Jacques (apple spooncakes) - PUBLISHED

From the Perigord region of France.

Pg. 174-5 in Country Cooking of France by Elizabeth David

1 - Very nice, slightly custardy little cakes. I was frustrated that I couldn't get the second layer perfectly round, but Ben liked it. I used old apples that had started to wrinkle and dehydrate, which were perfect as they held their shape and absorbed the rum more readily. We ate them with maple syrup (of course...).
2 - Making the little pancakes was taking forever and Ben had a meeting, so after making a bunch for him and serving him, it was my turn. I decided to just make a big pancake. I've listed the changes in the recipe itself, because I think this is indeed the way to go. There is flavour missing, as well, to my taste. Ben quite liked the little pancakes as they were.
3 - So interesting! It's end of August and the transparent apples are nearing their end; whatever's left on the trees are already unpleasantly soft and only (or so I thought) good for apple sauce. I tried it in this, grated it like usual which made a grainy mush, but cooked, it imparted a nice apple flavour and the lemon juice provided a pleasant acidity.

4 - I'm not sure how to record this latest experience. I used different apples, probably a Spy type, and the skin was tough but there was a pleasant tang. The type of apple seems to have a big impact.

5 - Really quite nice. I did the full-on storing overnight and it definitely makes a difference. I don't know if it's a mild sourdough that takes, but the batter becomes creamy, the cakes puff up a bit more when they fry, and the inside is custardy gooey good. They're very good when you don't let the batter sit overnight, but they are much better if you do.

1 cup flour
1/2 cup of milk

1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp oil
a pinch salt
1 tsp sugar + more for sprinkling
2 eggs
2 or 3 small apples, preferably old and wrinkled, grated. If skin is tough, remove it.
Optional: rum or brandy
the juice from 1/2 lemon
Butter

1. NOTE: This recipe should be started several hours before making, preferably left overnight. 
2. Mix together the flour, milk, water, oil, salt, sugar, and eggs; stir the batter very well, then let it rest for several hours to overnight.
3. Grate the apples and mix in the lemon juice (and/or booze). TIP: if it's a fresh apple, take fists-full of the grated flesh and squeeze out as much juice as possible. Lightly desiccated this way the apple will more easily soak up the lemon or booze, and won't make the pancakes soggy.
4. Coat a thick bottomed pan with a pat of butter and heat up until the butter just starts to froth. Turn the heat down to medium low for a slow fry.
5. Using a wooden mixing spoon, drop a spoonful of batter onto the hot pan, making room for more; you should be able to cook at least four little spooncakes at-a-time in the pan. They are done when both sides are nicely browned.
6. Put more butter in the pan for every new batch of spooncakes.
7. Serve immediately. Tasty with maple syrup and/or apple butter and yogurt.

Test 2 - Groaty Dick Pudding

https://recipeland.com/recipe/v/groaty-dick-pudding-45107
https://justafewrecipes.wordpress.com/2017/11/05/groaty-pudding/
http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/groatydick.htm
http://greatbritishpuddings.com/savoury-pudding-recipes/groaty-dick-pudding
https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/beef/groaty-pudding-groaty-dick.html

The variety and entertainment value of traditional recipe names continues to please. This is a good wood-stove recipe or, if you don't have one, slow-cooker.
NOTE: The quantity of meat-to-grain can vary - more grain-to-meat is perhaps more desirable if trying to decrease meat consumption.

1 - Success! Very simple, and pleasantly satisfying. I will make the veg mandatory, and I will standardize the cooking time and temperature.

2 - Again, very good. I made it only with onion, but the mix with the milder flavor of the leek would make it much, much better in my opinion. You really can't skip the vegetables though - it would be too stodgy otherwise. They lend a noticeable and pleasant sweetness to the dish.

3 - Again I only had onion. I wonder if, when leeks aren't available, halving the quantity of onion and replacing it with something else like the optional carrots and/or celery or even a strong herb like parsley would do the trick? The goal is to lighten the stodginess of the barley and beef.

1 lb stewing beef (traditionally shin of beef) (or more or less) (flank steak works well)
1 1/2lbs mixed leeks and onions chopped
1/2lb groats (oat or barley) (or more or less)
beef stock to cover (or water)
bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp Salt (be liberal - the grain will absorb and mute a lot of flavour)
Pepper
OPTIONAL
2 carrots, chopped
1 stick celery, chopped
1 tsp + fresh thyme, minced

1. Put all of the ingredients (do not brown first) in an earthenware pot.  Layer the ingredients as given.
2. Pour the stock over top and stir. Put lid on. Put in medium-low 350F oven for 3 to 16 hours, or in a slow cooker. 1 1/2 hours.
3. Groats will absorb stocks and juices and expand. Check occasionally and top up the liquid from a recently-boiled kettle, if necessary. The finished dish should be a little soupy.

Testing - Lamb and Winter Vegetable Stew

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/44318/lamb-and-winter-vegetable-stew/

1 - I made it in two ways - first meal was without the flour and cream; the second meal I added flour and cream. The clear winner was the second meal. The first version was ok but we preferred the second. Since the second version was a re-heat of the first meal with added ingredients, I just need to work out the best way of integrating the cream and flour during the usual cooking process.
2 - Yes, the cream sauce addition is a really good one. I added some turnip, which only added to the yum. The onion was still overly firm, so I think I'd like to get it to get all gooey and melty, so I'm going to add it to the meat stewing time.

2 Tbsps vegetable oil
1 lb lamb stew meat, cubed
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cups beef broth
1 cup dry red wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 Bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cups peeled, seeded, and sliced butternut squash
2 peeled, sliced carrots
2 peeled, sliced parsnips (cut smaller than carrots - parsnip cook more slowly)
2 peeled, diced sweet potatoes
1 lb turnip or rutabaga, diced
Optional : 1 cup 2 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 cup sour cream
3 Tbsps flour

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, and brown the lamb meat on all sides. I continue to brown the meat until any fat has rendered off. Drain fat, and stir in the onion, beef broth and wine. Season with garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes for 1 hour.
2. Mix in the carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, celery, and turnip. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer briskly, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. 
3. (last time I did this, the liquid boiled down to almost nothing. I added the flour and mixed it in, then added the cream followed by more broth until the desired consistency was achieved - lovely unctuous gravy).
4. SEE POINT 3, ABOVE: In a small bowl, blend the sour cream and flour. Gradually stir in 1/2 cup of the hot stew mixture.
5. Stir the sour cream mixture into the saucepan. Remove the bay leaf, and continue to cook and stir until thickened.

Frankensteining - Italian Wedding Soup

http://blog.giallozafferano.it/cucinapassioneegusto/minestra-maritata-ricetta-napoletana/

1 curly escarole
1 smooth escarole
1 bundle of rapini
1 lb of chicory wild or Catalonia
1 lb of spinach
1 lb of swiss chard
80 gr. of pecorino romano cheese (aged 30 months for lactose intolerance)
100 gr. of grated Parmesan cheese (matured for 30 months for the lactose intolerant)
2 liters of chicken broth
extravirgin olive oil
coarse salt
1 clove of garlic

Boil all the vegetables in salted water, then drain them al dente. Take a pot, brown a clove of garlic in 5 tablespoons of oil, then remove the garlic. Add the chicken fillets with the boiled vegetables, browned over high heat for a couple of minutes. Finally add the chicken broth and cook for about 20 minutes on low heat. Meanwhile, grate 100 grams of Parmigiano Reggiano and cut into cubes 80 gr. of pecorino romano. When cooked add the cheese, turn off and serve the hot dish. You can serve the marinated soup with croutons.

Advice in the kitchen to get a good chicken stock:

To make sure that the broth has a limpid aspect, you should avoid mixing it during cooking and do not pour it out of the pan; it is in fact advisable to work delicately, using a ladle, and to keep boiling and regular. Also try to remove the foam from the broth every time it settles on the edge of the pot. The broth can also be prepared using only beef or hen but there are those who prepare it with chicken breast (it is lighter and more digestible). The ideal cuts are the chump, the tip of the scoop, the tip of the chest and the muscle of the hock. The broth can be frozen: it is preferable that it is not kept at room temperature for more than 2 hours, because micro-organisms tend to multiply very quickly.

1. Prepare the chicken broth:

In a pot with cold water, insert the whole hen, carrot, celery, onion, then bring to a boil. Boil the broth at least for 2 hours over medium heat, remove the foam, with a skimmer, which is formed afloat. As soon as the chicken meat is cooked, remove it from the pot with the help of a perforated spoon. Finally filter the broth and keep. Put the hen in a dish, let it cool and then cut into fillets, remove all the skin, fat and bones of the hen. A trick taught by the grandmother to degrease the broth to perfection is to make it cool in the refrigerator for a few hours' cause so the fat particles will thicken on the surface and can be easily eliminated.

Bistecche di maiale con cavolo nero in umido - Untested

http://www.rimedidellanonna.it/a355-ricetta-bistecche-di-maiale-con-cavolo-nero-in-umido.html

0 - This seems quite plain. I may want to add wine to the kale instead of just broth. As for the steaks, any flavouring? Or just the grilling?

2 pork steaks
1 fresh tomato, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, minced
20 leaves of kale (black or lacinato per preference), stalks removed, roughly chopped
Chicken broth (as needed)
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cook the pork on the grill on very low heat: it will take about 15-20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, brown the chopped shallots in a pot, then add the chopped tomatoes with salt and pepper.
3. Then add the kale leaves cleaned of the stalk and chopped roughly into pieces. Cook for about 20-25 minutes turning often and adding broth if needed.
4. Serve hot, steak on top of the kale.

Soparnikish (Croatian soparnik) - Test 1

https://www.amuse-your-bouche.com/croatian-soparnik-kale-pie/

https://www.196flavors.com/soparnik/

https://www.croatiaweek.com/croatian-recipes-soparnik/

Starts at :33 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c9yTzw3u_M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2da36lyDlQ

1 - This is surprisingly good. All sorts of variations are possible, which I've added as Options in the recipe. I hope I'm able to remember the changes I made to the original recipe. I thought I would not be able to stuff in 1kg of kale, but I may start to try to increase until I know how much I can put in.

1.1 - Ok, I made it again. Kind of. But it doesn't count. I stopped reading the recipe after I rolled out the dough, and forgot to add to the greens the olive oil, the salt and the pepper. So everything that brings out flavour. In addition to this, I had the great idea of putting the top dough in a bowl to make it easier to stuff in the greens, but two things happened - I didn't oil the bowl so getting the dough out was a nightmare (although it actually worked) and I also seal the crust, trapping all the air in... Next time, I should try using a pie plate. I just can't see how to put in all those greens! I did it once, but I really don't know how I managed it. Anyway, I'll be doing it properly, again, soon!

2 - I added an instructional video that indicates you tear a hole in the pastry while baking, which may help with the whole puffed belly look I've been struggling with. I realize that the traditional method uses hot embers on top, which would also have weight to keep things down, so I could try putting a cookie sheet on top, maybe weighted? Oh, it was very good with fried onion and mushrooms added inside.

3 - I don't know if these is enough as a main dish. It's good, but just not very filling. 

For the dough:
300gr plus more for dusting
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
warm water 2/3 cup 
For the filling:
1kg 500gr to 750gr greens (Swiss chard, kale, spinach, arugula or turnip greens, etc) THIS STILL MIGHT BE TOO MUCH, TRY JUST PUTTING A LAYER ON UNTIL IT LOOKS RIGHT AND THEN WEIGHING THAT

1 handful of chives or 1 small onion, finely chopped
4 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
1 tbsp olive oil

Salt
Black pepper

Topping:
Extra virgin olive oil 

3 cloves garlic minced

OPTIONS:

1 onion finely diced and caramelized

? cups crumbled feta

? gr mushrooms

? gr pine nuts

1. Add the plain flour, olive oil and salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl. Gradually adding the water, knead the mixture with clean hands until it comes together into a dough. The dough should be moist but not sticky. Add or water if necessary to get the dough to hold together.
2. Continue to knead for a few more minutes, until the dough is fairly elastic. Cover with a tea towel let rest for at least 1 hour.
3. While the dough is resting, prepare the filling. Remove any tough stems from the leaves and finely chop them. 
4. Add the chives and parsley and any of the optional ingredients, along with the olive oil and a touch more salt and pepper. Mix well, and set aside.
5. When the dough has rested, transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Divide the mixture evenly in two, and roll the first section out very thin, of a size as wide as the baking tray. Keep sprinkling with flour if it starts to stick.
6. Transfer the rolled-out dough to the baking sheet and, leaving about 1" around the edges uncovered, pile on the kale filling.
7. Roll out the second piece of dough in the same way, and place it over the kale filling.
8. Press the two layers of dough together over the filling to expel as much air as possible, brush water around the 1" lip to help with sealing, and tightly pinch the edges. 
9. Mix together the garlic and olive oil, brush the top with the this mixture to evenly spread the garlic.
10. Bake at 350°F for around 20 minutes, then with a skewer, tear a small hole somewhere along the edge to let the steam out. Continue to bake the soparnik until the surface is lightly browned.
11. Cut with a pizza cutter, and serve warm, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil if desired.

Testing - Potato Scones

https://foodanddrink.scotsman.com/food/5-incredible-scottish-recipes-for-vegetable-dishes/

1 - First test was very positive. I only skinned the potatoes after boiling as I usually do. And I didn't cut the rounds into quarters, which seems fine. Although I wonder if they would puff up more if they were cut like this? To try!

8 oz potatoes
2.5oz (a half cup?) flour
1oz butter
½ tsp salt
A pinch of pepper
¼ tsp baking powder

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. 
2. Drain the potatoes and mash them with the butter, salt, pepper and baking powder. 
3. Mix in the flour to make a stiff dough. NOTE: not all potatoes are made equal so, the texture of the dough here is important - add flour if the dough is not stiff enough, about a Tbsp at a time) 
4. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to around ¼" thickness. 
5. Cut into rounds, using a saucer as a guide. 
6. Prick all over with a fork and score the dough to mark 4 equal wedges. 
7. Cook in a heavy pan or griddle which has been very lightly greased. 
8. Cook each side for about three minutes on a medium heat or until the scones are golden brown.

Rumbledethumps - PUBLISHED

https://foodanddrink.scotsman.com/food/5-incredible-scottish-recipes-for-vegetable-dishes/
https://www.thespruceeats.com/rumbledethumps-recipe-435824

1 - This turned out to be quite interesting. I make Skirlie as well and served them together. Honestly, the Rumpledethumps would be a bit bland on its own, but with the toasted Skirlie, it is quite good. I made it with kale.

2 - Another surprising delicious adventure. It was the right choice to add the Skirlie, it is essential to making this an excellent meal.

3 - I also usually double this recipe. Last time I increased the cabbage to good effect, the original being 8oz, increased it to 12, therefore to double the recipe it will be 24oz.

4 - The doubled amount works well. I didn't have rutabaga, but I did have kohlrabi, and it was quite good. I'm adding it as an option.

4-5 servings

500g 1 lb 2lbs potatoes, cooked and mashed
10 20 oz turnip or rutabaga or kohlrabi, cooked and mashed
2 1/2 5 oz 75g butter
8 oz 250g 24 oz cabbage or Kale, sliced very thin
1 tsp salt 

Pepper to taste

1 oz 25g 3 oz cheddar cheese

1 recipe of Skirlie

1. Preheat the oven to around 180 C 350F 
2. Combine the mashed potato and turnip in a large bowl. (If you have to boil the potato and turnip to make this, boil them together).
3. Melt all the butter in a frying pan and braise the cabbage or kale until softened (do not brown). 
4. Add the cooked veg to the potato mixture and combine thoroughly, adding in any remaining butter from the pan. 
5. Put the mash in an oven-proof baking tray, cover with a lid or aluminum foil and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until heated through and bubbling. 
6. While baking, make the Skirlie.
7. Remove the lid, sprinkle the cheese on top and cook until golden brown, another 15 minutes.
8. Serve with Skirlie on the side for each diner to sprinkle on top as needed.

Sausage, Kale and Barley Stew - Test 1

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jan/03/kale-recipes-crisps-stew-salad-10-best

0 - The original recipe called for the kale to be added along with the sausage. My experience with kale is that the longer it cooks, the better. At least, it's easier to cook the voluminous kale down to something that resembles its actual mass even if only to prevent it from overflowing the pot.
1 - April 1 2020 - The flavour is good and it's pretty easy to make, and Ben liked it just fine. For me, there was something missing in the experience. Maybe cutting up the sausages instead of crumbling them? Or not cutting up the kale quite so fine? I was saying how it felt like a side dish, but Ben suggested that maybe what it needs is a side dish of its own, but then, what? Whole or mashed potato? A salad? Just buttered bread? Rice? Pasta? I thought, in making it, that with the barley, it would provide all the starch we needed. Maybe I just need to eat it again as it may have just been I mood I was in, given that it was a feeling, not anything material!!!
Actually, in looking at the recipe, the sausage is actually left whole! Woops! Well, then, I'll give that a try, next time!

2 - Bread it is! It really is all it takes to finish the dish.

Serves 4
2+1 tbsp oil, for frying
8 1 lb sausages (trying Sweet Italian), whole!
2 red or white onions, sliced
2 parsnips or carrots, peeled and diced
10 oz cavolo nero or other kale, roughly chopped with stalks removed
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed with cold water
2 sprigs rosemary, minced
4 cups chicken or veg stock
1 tsp salt 

Black pepper, to taste

Fresh bread

1. In a large pan fry the sausage in 2 Tbsps of oil in a large pan until nicely browned on all sides, for 10-12 minutes. Set aside.
2. Add the rest of the oil to the pan. Gently fry the onion and carrot for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the kale and sauté until wilted and bright green.
3. Add the barley, stir for a minute before adding the rosemary and stock. Season well with salt and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes, then return the sausages to the pan. Simmer for another 30 minutes or until the barley is cooked through.

Test 1 - Pork Tenderloin Braised with Apples

https://www.tasteslovely.com/apple-onion-braised-pork-tenderloin-paleo-whole30/
https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-cook-pork-p2-995227

1-A cast iron skillet with a lid is highly recommended to make this, but if you don't have one, a heavy bottomed pan (with a lid) will do just fine.

1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin
1+1 Tbsps vegetable oil
1+1 tsps salt
1+1 tsps pepper
2 medium yellow onions, sliced 1/4″ thick
2 medium green apples, cored, peeled and sliced 1/4″ thick
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup dry apply cider or unsweetened apple juice
2 Tbsps apple cider vinegar

1. Before adding the oil to brown the tenderloin, preheat your cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
2. Pat the tenderloin dry, and season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. 
3. Add 1 Tbsp of oil to the skillet. Sear the tenderloin until golden brown on all sides and set aside.
4. To the still hot pan, add the remaining Tbsp of oil. Add the apples, onions, and last tsps of salt pepper. Sautee, stirring frequently, until the apples and onions begin to soften and brown.
5. Place the tenderloin on top of the apples and onions. 
6. Add the chicken stock, apple cider and vinegar. Cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or when the internal temperature reaches at least 135F.
7. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for about 10 minutes. This last step is important - the meat will continue to cook as it cools, the juices spreading evenly throughout but, more importantly, the temperature will continue to rise until it reaches about 145F, the recommended temperature for safe eating.

Testing - Spicy Apple Chorizo Hash

https://food52.com/recipes/38594-spicy-apple-chorizo-hash

1 - It was ok, Ben seemed to enjoy it, but I felt a little disappointed in it. I thought the apple would lend more brightness to the dish. I also suspect that the chorizo meat I used wasn't the best, and may have been some sort of beef 'chorizo'. Still testing until I'm sure I've got the right stuff, or maybe a different kind of sausage?

2 Tbsps lard
1 large tart, crisp apple (about 1/2lb), 1⁄2-inch dice
2 large red potato (about 1/2 lb), 1⁄2-inch dice
1 Tbsps olive oil (divided, plus more as needed)
Salt and pepper, to taste
9oz raw Mexican pork chorizo
1 onion, coarse chop
1⁄2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
4 to 8 soft-poached eggs (optional)
Salt and Pepper

1. Heat the oil in a heavy bottom cast iron or non-stick skillet and add the apple and potato. Season with salt and pepper, toss to cover and spread into a single layer. Cook until potatoes start to brown, tossing once or twice to ensure even cooking. 
2. Add chorizo to the skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring and breaking up chorizo, until lightly browned and beginning to look dry and crumbly, about 10 minutes. 
3. Drain as much oil as possible. There should be about 2 Tbsps left.
4. Add the onion. Cook over medium heat until softened, then add the garlic and the red pepper flakes. Cook another minute and turn off the heat. 
5. Serve warm with poached eggs on top.

Testing - Lamb and Potato Curry

http://www.bite.co.nz/recipe/2653/Lamb-and-Potato-Curry/

( SERVES 4 )

2 tsps Oil
2 lbs Lamb shoulder cut into 1" chunks
1 Onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
2 tsps Fresh ginger, grated
2 tsps Ground cumin
1/2 tsp Red pepper flakes
2 tsps Ground coriander
1 Tbsps Lemon rind, grated
4 Potatoes, into 2" pieces
400 g Canned tomatoes, in juice
2 cups Vegetable stock
Salt and pepper
OPTIONAL: - ¼ cup Mint, roughly chopped
  - ½ cup Fresh coriander
  - ½ cup Toasted almonds, roughly chopped + add to shopping list

1. Heat the oil until shimmering then brown the meat on all sides. Remove and set aside.
2. To the hot oil now add the onion. Cook until just starting to soften, then add the garlic, pepper flakes, ginger, cumin, coriander and lemon rind; cook until spices smell fragrant. Remove from heat.
3. Return the meat to the pan along with the potatoes, tomatoes and vegetable stock.
4. Cover and simmer gently for 1½ to 2 hrs or until the meat is tender. 
5. Check flavours and add extra seasoning if needed. 
6. Serve scattered with mint, coriander and almonds.

Apple Tansy

http://lamouffetterustique.blogspot.com/2017/03/apple-tansy.html

Test 1 - Saucisse Merguez aux lentilles à la tomate

https://www.merchant-gourmet.com/recipes/recipe/puy-lentils-with-spicy-sausages-and-tomato-sauce/

For 2 people

1 - To go with it, I roasted winter squash (a little oil, some chopped chives, a minced garlic, salt and pepper roasted 400F for about 40 minutes or until lightly browned). It's turned out to be the most balanced recipe I've made so far with the merguez we have had here on Pender. There is a sharp spiciness to the lentils that completely balances the fattiness of the sausage, and the sweet starchiness of the squash is an excellent counterbalance.
2 - Made it using crookneck squash (because it's what I had) employing the same cooking instructions as for the winter squash but slicing it into 1/4" pieces. It was very good although winter squash works best. Ben felt that the flavour is consistent with the first iteration, but I wonder what would happen if I reduced the wine before adding the rest of the ingredients, which will be my next attempt.

Start the squash first
1 small winter squash, cubed into 1-2" pieces (if skin is thick, remove it)
1-2 Tbsps good vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp chopped chives
Salt and pepper, to taste
Then start the lentil stew
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped (or a good pinch of red pepper flakes)
1/2 cup duPuy lentils
2/3 cup white wine
1 1/3 cups vegetable stock
1 400g can of chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp tomato puree
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
Fry the sausage when the rest is ready and kept warm
6 merguez sausages (3 per person)

1. This is a three part dish - baked cubed squash, served with a lentil stew topped with fried sausage.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 400F. On a baking sheet, spread out the squash and drizzle with a little oil and sprinkle with chopped chives, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Roast for about 40 minutes or until lightly browned and fork-soft.
3. In a saucepan cook the onion in the oil until starting to soften. Add the garlic and chilli for the last minute, or cook until the garlic becomes fragrant. 
4. Add the white wine and bring to a simmer; reduce to a third cup, then add the lentils, white wine, vegetable stock, tomatoes, and bay leaf. cover and l Leave to simmer, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes or until the lentils are softened and the tomato sauce has thickened.
5. Heat a fry pan (or cook on the BBQ or on a griddle). Rub the sausages with a little oil then throw them on. Cook for 5-8 mins or until nicely charred and cooked through. Remove the sausages and leave to rest for 5 mins. Serve the tomato lentils topped with 3 sausages per person and the squash gently steaming on the side.

Empress Lemonade

One of Ben's stellar cocktails. Excellent summer drink.

1 jigger white wine
1 generous shot tripple sec
1 generous shot Empress gin
1/2 lemon juice
(Simple syrup to taste)
Dash of lavender bitters
Dash of grapefruit bitters

Grilled Pork Tenderloin - Testing

https://www.lobels.com/pork-tenderloin-marinated-in-apple-cider/p/RCP0111

1 - July 29 2018 Made full marinade recipe for only 1 tenderloin, so it made a lot of reduction. Good, with sort of warming Chriztmassy flavour - ok as a summer dish but the holiday connotation makes it seem more suitable for cooler weather. Made adjustments that require testing.

3 Pork Tenderloins, each 3/4 to 1 pound, trimmed
1 cup apple cider
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground mace
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
A good pinch of salt
Black pepper, to taste

1. Combine the cider, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, mace, cardamom, salt and pepper in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, for 4 or 5 minutes, or until the flavors blend. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
2. Put the tenderloins in a shallow glass or ceramic dish and pour the marinade over them. Cover and set aside at room temperature for no longer than 30 minutes, or refrigerate for as long as 4 hours. If they have been refrigerated, let the tenderloins stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes before grilling.
3. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. The coals should be moderately hot to hot.
4. Lift the tenderloins from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Grill the tenderloins for 15 to 20 minutes, turning with tongs only once, when the meat releases from the grill, otherwise keeping the lid closed. Grill the tenderloins until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 150° to 155°F. Let the pork rest for about 10 minutes before slicing; the temperature will rise to 160°F during the resting period. 
5. While the meat is cooling bring the marinade to a boil then, over a rapid simmer, reduce the volume by half.
6. Slice the tenderloin thinly and serve with the reduction drizzled over it.

Chevre cheese pasta sauce

https://www.theveggietable.com/blog/vegetarian-recipes/sauces/goat-cheese-sauce/

1- Made it with stock. The flavour was good but the texture was strangely grainy. Would it be different made with cream?

¾ c soft goat cheese (1/4)
1 cup cream or stock (1/3)
1 garlic clove, smashed (1 tsp)
2 tsp minced rosemary, basil, or thyme (3/4)
½ tsp salt (pinch)
pepper

1. Mash the cheese into the liquid and stir in the garlic. 
2. Heat over medium heat, stirring regularly, until cheese melts and the liquid simmers.
3. Cook the sauce for 5-15 minutes – the longer you cook, the thicker it will be.
4. Season with minced herbs and pepper and serve immediately.

Merguez Pasta Sauce - PUBLISHED

1 - 3 Made it several times, all to good reactions.

Good for 4 people as a main course.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb Merguez sausages cut into bite-sized pieces
2 garlic cloves or 2 Tbsps garlic scape paste
1 cup white wine
1 Tbsp tomato purée (optional)
1 can (400g) diced tomato
1 lb dry linguine (recommended)
2 Tbsps pesto
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
Permesan to serve

1. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and cook the sausage until browned on all sides.
2. Add the garlic (or scapes) and cook another minute.
3. Add the white wine and reduce by half.
4. Add the tomato and salt and simmer until the sauce thickens.
5. Start the salted water to boil while the sauce simmers.
6. When the pasta is al dente, drain. Add the pesto to the sauce.  Mix in the cooked pasta.
7. Serve with parmesan and freshly ground pepper

Untested - Roasted Zucchini Soup with Fried Shallots

http://theunemployedcook.blogspot.ca/2006/07/roasted-zucchini-soup-with-fried.html

For the shallots:

3-4 shallots, peeled and sliced very thinly
peanut oil

1. Heat about an inch of peanut oil over medium-high heat in a small, heavy pot. 
2. Fry the shallots in batches, being careful to not overload the pot or they will stick, until a deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

For the soup:

4-5 medium zucchini, cubed
Olive oil (how much?)
light cream (how much?)
chicken stock (how much?)
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 
2. Toss zucchini in a generous amount of olive oil, salt, and pepper. 
3. Roast until caramelized on the edges and very soft--you want it softer than you would if eating it on its own.
4. Dump the zucchini into a food processor and pulse a few times until pretty mushy. 
5. Add stock and continue processing until as smooth and thin as you like. 
6. Add some cream (you could use cream or even whole milk instead) in at the end and pulse again to combine. 
7. Taste and adjust for seasoning--I like it simple, but you could add any number of spices at this point.
8. Ladle into a shallow bowl and top with a generous amount of the fried shallots. 

Untested - BBQ Artisan Bread

https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-bake-no-knead-bread-on-the-grill-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-90955
http://www.nokneadbread.org/gas-grill-instructions-for-dutch-oven-baking-and-noknead-bread.html
http://waywardspark.com/barbecued-bread/
https://memphisgrills.com/no-knead-artisan-bread/
https://breadtopia.com/grilled-bread/
https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2013/07/26/kicking-off-the-outdoor-baking-season-with-a-boule-on-the-gas-grill/comment-page-1/

The links above appear to contain lots of different information so this may turn out to be several bread recipes, or lots of variations to test.

Cream of Aspargus Soup - Test 1

http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/cream-of-asparagus-soup-without-cream-292876

1: May 21 2018 - Hit it out of the ballpark on the first go. We heard of this soup from Diane at Whalewych Farm so I just looked it up and bam! There is was. I only had about 12 oz of asparagus so I cut the amount of ingredients to match, and it turned out quite nice. I was surprised at how creamy it was, sans cream. The next test will include a swirl of cream as an optional garnish, just to see. Also, how would it be with fresh herbs?

2 lbs asparagus (optional - save tips)
1 large onion, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
5 -6 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper
Heavy Cream
Fresh herbs? tarragon, parsley, basil

1. (Optional) Cut the tips off of 12 asparagus (1 1/2") and set aside.
2. Trim the tough ends of the asparagus and cut into 1" pieces.
3. In the soup pot, cook onion and asparagus in the oil, stirring often, till softened.
4. Add broth and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
5. (Optional) While the soup simmers, cook reserved asparagus tips in boiling salted water until just tender (3-4 minutes) and drain.
6. Puree the soup until smooth; adjust the seasoning.
7. Ladle into bowls with a grind of fresh black pepper on top.
8. (Optional) Garnish with asparagus tips.

Wine braised pork chops - Test 1

http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/pork-chops-with-wine-and-garlic/21171/

1 - Good first test, but the recipe needed some changes (in my opinion). I included the oven instructions and some finer points on how to have tender pork chops. The original recipe doesn't seem to include information on how to make sure the chops are cooked enough (but not too much), and the timing seemed way off, so I added quite a bit in that respect.
1a - I accidentally made this with lamb chops and it turned out really well. I mean, wine, right? The only difference, really, is the cooking time - much less time for the lamb chops, just a few minutes in the braising, and I did it all on the stove top. Still love the popcorn!

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 + 1 Tbsps butter
1 kernel of popcorn (optional)
Salt and black pepper
4 bone-in T-bone pork chops, 1" thick (about 2 lbs)
16 12 cloves garlic, peeled
1 ½ cups red wine
1+1 bay leaf
½ cup beef broth, plus more if needed
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1. (optional but a good idea) 30 minutes or several hours before, brine the pork chops in a water bath including a little less than 1 Tbsp of salt per cup of water, and a few bay leaves. 
2. Preheat oven to 350F.
3. In a heavy skillet fit for oven use, heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat. To check that it's hot enough, throw in a popcorn kernel - when it pops, the oil will be at 325-50F and ready for a good, quick sear. 
4. Salt and pepper both sides of the pork chops. To sear the chops, avoid crowding! Giving them room means they'll brown before they overcook. When one side is beautifully golden (about 3-4 minutes, flip and brown the other side. (No need to completely cook the chops at this point.) 
5. Remove the chops from the skillet and set aside to make the braising sauce.
6. Reduce the heat and throw in the whole cloves of garlic in the hot oil and juices. Swirl them around and cook until they get nice and golden brown. 
7. Deglaze with the red wine, then add the bay leaf. 
8. Adjust the heat to create a rapid simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is reduced and thick, and it leaves a clear line when you draw a wooden spoon along the bottom of the pan.
9. Stir in the beef broth (you can add more if it needs the liquid) and put the pork chops back in, arranging them firmly in the sauce. 
10. Add the balsamic and tilt the pan back-and-forth to help it distribute. 
11. Bake in the oven, uncovered, for 45 minutes (or more?), or until the internal temperature 145F (still slightly pink in the middle).
12. Remove the chops from the skillet to rest and bring the sauce to a rapid simmer once again and cook until it has reduced to your desired consistency and the garlic is nice and soft and sweet.
13. (Optional) Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
14. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning.
15. Arrange the pork chops on a platter, then pour over the whole skillet of sauce (including the garlic).

Milk Braised Pork - Testing

Saving this here - it's on LaMouffetteGourmande, but is an older recipe that needs to go through the testing phases to clarify how I've done it. For example, the timing is way, way off.

http://lamouffettegourmande.blogspot.ca/2011/04/simple-and-slow.html

May 4 2018 - in remaking this, I noticed that the time is way off. I wonder if I need to pay more attention to the internal temperature of the pork? How would it work in a slow cooker?

March 23, 2024 - This cooked so differently. I've reverted the recipe on La Mouffette as a draft. The recipe currently says to cook at medium, but from my experience cooking at medium does not allow for enough of the milk's water to evaporate to get to the golden curds before the loin is cooked. It might have been the size of the tenderloin I used? Anyway, I can't keep this recipe available until I figure out the rather important details of getting to the results I had before. I thought of maybe using the slow cooker with the lid off, which likely would represent a lot more milk to braise the pork, which might be fine because the cheese it creates really is wonderful.

Parsnip Ravioli with Balsamic Butter Sauce - Test 1

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/parsnip-triangoli-aged-balsamic-vinegar
https://alwaystimeforfood.wordpress.com/2014/07/08/parsnip-ravioli/

1 - The filling is delicious. Chad made a red cabbage and carrot salad with asian flavours and it paired quite well - I think it was the toasted sesame oil.

2 - Really quite good, yet again. The changes I made worked well. Made it for a group and it was well appreciated. I did not have chives on hand, but someone paired it with a potluck super-garlicky spaghetti squash mash and liked it. I think this indicates that adding something like toasted garlic or minced chives either as a garnish or in the sauce might be good.

Pasta dough
2 cups + flour
3 eggs
pinch salt

Filling
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 cup 3 parsnips, (340gr), coarsely grated finely diced peeled parsnips
1/2 cup water (maybe stock in second attempt to see if added flavour is needed/noted)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tsp Champagne  plum vinegar
Salt

Sauce
1/4 cup butter
2 Tbsps Balsamic vinegar 

(maybe try frying a little garlic in the butter OR adding some minced chives at the end?)

Garnish
Fresh ground black pepper
2 Tbsps snipped chives

1. On a board or the counter, make a mound of flour, sprinkle on the salt, create a bowl in the centre of the flour mound, crack in the eggs and start combining with your fingers. You should end up with a very dry dough, almost cracking; if sticky, add flour until this is achieved. Cover and allow to rest for 1 hour. 
2. Meanwhile, cook the onion in the oil until translucent. Add the parsnip and the water and cook, covered, until the veg is tender (about 15 minutes), then uncover and boil away the liquid.
3. Transfer the vegetables to the food processor and puree. 
4. Stir in the Parmigiano and Champagne  wine vinegar and season with salt. Let the filling cool slightly before applying it to the pasta.
5. Cut the pasta dough into 4 pieces and keep wrapped. Using a hand-cranked pasta machine and dusting lightly with flour, run each piece of dough through each setting 3 times, beginning at the widest setting and ending at the second-to-the-narrowest. Place the pasta sheet on a floured work surface and cover to prevent drying out. Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of pasta dough.
6. To stuff the ravioli, lay out one sheet on a floured surface. Measuring out 1 Tbsp per ravioli, space them out evenly on the sheet, allowing plenty of room of virgin dough between lumps to make a good seal. Brush around the filling with water.
7. Lay the second sheet on top, smoothing out and pressing gently to make the two sheets touch around the stuffing and seal with the help of the dampened bottom sheet (this last bit can also be done after cutting the shapes).
8. Cut out the ravioli in circles or squares with a knife or pasta cutter. Press out any remaining air bubbles and be OCD about pressing the edges a lot - try to get it to be as thin as the single-thickness of the original sheet so that it all cooks at the same rate. Put any finished ravioli onto a floured baking sheet.
9. While bringing a large pot of salted water to a simmer, prepare the sauce.
10. In a large saucepan, heat the butter to a froth and cook until the butter is lightly browned. 
11. Remove from heat and stir in the Balsamic vinegar. Set aside.
12. Once the water has started to boil reduce the heat and let the water slow to a gentle simmer. Carefully drop in the ravioli and cook until they rise to the surface and puff up (3-4 minutes). You may have to do this in batches to avoid crowding and sticking.
13. With a slotted spoon remove the ravioli and put directly in the sauce, covering them with the butter sauce before dropping in the next one (swirling the pan helps to cover the ravioli without having to handle it too much).
14. Plate the ravioli, drizzle any remaining sauce on top, and garnish with fresh ground pepper and snipped chives.

Sage Butternut Soup - Untested

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a9967/butternut-squash-soup-sage-recipe/

2 medium butternut squash
2 + 2 Tbsps oil
2 stalks celery
2 large shallots
1 carrot
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves
24 sage leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3-4 cups chicken broth (or veg for vegan suitable)
2 cups water
2oz country-style bread (such as baguette), in 1" cubes

Preheat oven to 450F. Cut squash in half and place cut sides down in the pan. Roast 45 minutes or until very tender when pierced with knife. When cooled enough scoop the squash flesh out with a spoon and discard the shells.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a soup pot to sauté celery, shallots, and carrot until soft.
Stir in thyme, bay leaf, chopped sage, salt and pepper; cook until the herbs release their aromas.
Add broth, water, and squash. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer 10.
Meanwhile, the heat remaining oil in a skillet until it shimmers. Fry the sage leaves until crisp (about 1 minute). Transfer to a plate to drain.
Add bread to skillet; cook 3 minutes or until golden brown, stirring. Transfer to plate with sage.
Discard thyme and bay leaf.
Working in batches, run the soup through a blender to purée. Reheat on low, adding water if it's too thick.
To serve, ladle soup into shallow bowls; garnish with croutons and sage leaves.

Rhubarb Cinnamon Torte - Test 1

1 - Made it to great acclaim and a few recommendations, already incorporated in the recipe. Adapted from the Plum Torte recipe.
2 - May 20 2018 - Again, good. I tried laying the dough down first, then squishing in 2-3" pieces horizontally in a pinwheel pattern and it looked interesting and wasn't so interesting to eat. I think it would be better to forego the pretty and lay down the dough and squish in as many 1"-1.5" pieces vertically and weigh to figure out how many fit in.

3 - This is a good one for Ben. He enjoys the custardiness of this cake. It's an interesting one because there is actually very little batter; it's mostly fruit. It's deceiving how a thin layer of batter can be enough to cover the fruit, but once you start pushing in the rhubarb pieces, it all starts to push upward, and then as it bakes it puffs up. For the best flavor and texture, it's important to let it cool completely to room temperature. I will graduate this to Test 1, but with some reservations.

1 lb 8 oz (maybe) rhubarb, peeled and cut into 1" - 1.5" segments
1/4 cup + 3/4 cup PLUS 1 or 2 Tbsps sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick, or 4oz) butter
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
Pinch salt
1 + 2 tsps ground cinnamon, or more
Optional: Vanilla ice cream to serve

1. Put the rhubarb in a colander and sprinkle with the 1/4 cup sugar. Leave to drain at least 30 minutes.
2. Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. In an electric mixer, cream the 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and butter. Add the flour, baking powder, eggs, and salt and beat to mix well. 
4. Dump the batter into a 9 - 10", ungreased spring form pan. The dough will be quite stiff, so actively spread it evenly in the pan. Push in vertically as much of the rhubarb pieces into the batter as you can. 
5. Mix the remaining 2 tsps cinnamon with the remaining 1 or 2 Tbsps of sugar and sprinkle over the top.
6. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the center tests done with a toothpick. Remove and allow to cool completely to room temperature before serving. 
7. Serve plain or with vanilla ice cream.

Untested - Fromage Blanc

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/homemade-fromage-blanc-3645530

8 cups milk
2 + 1/2 cups cream
6 Tbsps white vinegar
1 tsp salt
2-3 tsps whey

1. Bring just to a gentle biol then reduce temp.
2. Add 6 Tbsps white vinegar
3. Stir until curdles fully form.
4. Turn off heat and let rest 15 minutes, covered.
5. Strain through cheese cloth by squeezing until no liquid comes out. Allow to drain another 15 minutes.
6. OPTIONAL Crumble cheese in 1/2 cup cream.
7. Add 1 tsp salt.
8. Whip until creamy.
9. Add a couple tsps whey.
10. Whip again.
11. Put in a bowl and refrigerate for about an hour before using. 

Untested - Duck breasts with damson gin

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/oct/16/nigel-slater-damson-sloe-recipes

I'd like to try this recipe but with other, more accessible meats, like pork or chicken. Because of the duck's large quantity of fat and thin layer of flesh, this is a pan sauce, whilst pork (the way I prefer to prepare it) would be a roast. I wonder what straight-on sherry recipes are out there where I could substitute the damson gin for?

Serves 4

For the duck:
duck breasts 4, skin on
brown sugar 2 tbsp
sherry vinegar 4 tbsp
damson or sloe gin 4 tbsp
juniper berries 8

For the potatoes:
potatoes 3 medium sized
duck fat 3 tbsp
garlic a single clove

1. Make three or four deep slashes on the skin side of each breast, cutting down into the flesh, but not through it. Put them snugly into a china or steel dish.
2. Put the brown sugar into a mixing bowl with the sherry vinegar, sloe or damson gin, and a grinding of salt and black pepper. Mash the juniper berries to coarse, fragrant crumbs and add them to the sugar and vinegar mixture. Pour over the duck breasts, massaging the liquid into the skin and both sides of the duck flesh. Cover with clingfilm and marinate for at least four hours in the fridge. Overnight will not harm.
3. Make the potatoes: Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6. Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly. Melt the duck fat in a heavy, shallow pan, turn off the heat and add the potato slices in one layer, neatly overlapping and seasoning with salt, black pepper, thyme leaves and a little chopped garlic as you go. Bake for 35-40 minutes till golden brown. Get a griddle pan hot. Pat the duck breasts dry with kitchen paper, then place them skin side down on the hot griddle. Keeping the heat moderately high, leave them to colour on the skin side, brushing them regularly with the marinade left in the dish, then turn them over and leave to cook for a further 4 or 5 minutes until they are golden on the outside and pink in the middle. A good way to test them for doneness is to pierce the centre with a skewer. For a rose pink centre, you want the beads of juice that seep out to be red, not golden. Let the breasts rest for 4 or 5 minutes before you serve them.
4. Slice each duck breast diagonally into thick slices and serve with the roast potatoes.

Untested - Stuffed Hash Browns

https://tasty.co/recipe/hash-brown-bombs

Completely frivolous comfort food. And that's ok!

I've changed quite a lot of the instructions even before starting, and hopefully I haven't screwed things up for myself. But there were some directives that seemed overly complicated, and I really hate using onion and garlic powder, so I switched that up. The last thing I'd like to figure out is what to use other than plastic wrap to assemble the balls.

for 4 servings

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb (455 g) ground beef
1 + 1 tsps salt + an extra pinch
½ + ½ tsp pepper
2 cups (80 g) fresh spinach
5 large russet potatoes
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 small onion, grated
5 garlic cloves, pressed
½ cup (50 g) grated parmesan cheese
½ cup (50 g) grated cheddar cheese
marinara sauce, warmed, for serving
fresh parsley, chopped, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Peel and grate the potatoes. Drape a kitchen towel in a colander. Put in the potato and sprinkle with the 1 tsp salt. 
3. While the potatoes drain, in a large pan cook the onion in oil until completely soft.
4. Add the garlic, ground beef, 1 tsp of salt, and ½ tsp of pepper. Cook until the meat is browned.
5. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
6. Cook the grated onion and garlic until it no longer smells pungent.
7. Wring the potatoes in the towel to get as much liquid out as possible.
8. In a large bowl, mix together the potato, pinch of salt, remaining pepper and cooked grated onion and garlic and Parmesan and mix well.
9. Add the egg and thoroughly mix again.
10. (In the next steps, what can I use instead of plastic wrap?)
11. Line a small bowl with plastic wrap.
12. Divide the potato into 4 equal portions, and do the same with the cheese and the meat filling. With a spoon, spread one of the portions around the inside of the bowl.
13. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the inside of the potato bowl and add a portion of the beef mixture, being careful not to overfill (how much? What size bowl should I use?).
14. Pick up the sides of the plastic wrap and close the potatoes, twisting to create a sealed ball.
15. Chill for 30 minutes.
16. Put the balls on a greased baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the potatoes are crispy and brown.
17. Serve topped with marinara sauce and parsley.

Staffordshire Oatcakes/Hotcakes - PUBLISHED

http://www.allotment-garden.org/recipe/77/recipe-for-north-staffordshire-oatcake/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/staffordshireoatcake_92371
http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/staffordshire-oatcakes-traditional-english-hotcakes-pancakes-421079
http://www.foodsofengland.co.uk/oatcakesderbyshire.htm
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/mar/02/how-to-make-the-perfect-staffordshire-oatcakes

1 - It took me a long time to decide it was time to make these, but I sure am glad I did. They are really quite tasty. This first time making them, I served them with another new recipe the Split pea and greens bharta. Awesome! I'll study traditional ways of using these cakes, but I do appreciate their versatility.
2 - I've been playing with the amount of liquid, and it's interesting. The more liquid the batter is, the finer the pancake, more like lace. Which is nice. But I think it's better with a little more substance; it makes it more like injera with more of an elastic sponge than lacey.
3 - Yep, slowly adding water is the key, here. I ended up with a little less than a 1/2 cup of the 3/12 cups of water before I stopped adding it to the flour mixture, and it made for better cakes. Or, to be fair, more to my liking, since the other ones were perfectly good, just lighter than I would have liked.

1 cup oat flour (in Scotland = fine oatmeal)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
1 1/4 tsp dry active yeast
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups warm water heated at no more than 110F and no less than 105F
(NOTE: you may not need all the water - see instructions)
vegetable oil or lard for frying

1. Heat the water.
2. Thoroughly mix together the three flours, yeast and salt in a bowl.
3. Make a well in the center of the mixture and slowly stream in the water/milk mixture, stirring well with a wooden spoon, until the batter is well combined and is the consistency of thick double cream. (NOTE: You may not need to use all of the water.)
4. Cover the batter with a damp, clean tea towel and set aside for 1 hour to 4 hours, to allow the gluten in the batter to develop.
5. To cook, heat one teaspoon of oil or lard in a frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add a ladleful (1/3 cup) of the batter mixture and swirl the pan to coat the bottom of it in a thin layer.
6. Fry the oatcake for 1-3 minutes (for me it's 2 minutes at setting 7), or until golden-brown. The edges will start to curl up when it just starts to colour.
7. Flip the oatcake and fry again, or until golden-brown on the second side.
8. Set the oatcake aside on a warm plate and keep covered, add a little oil to the pan and repeat until you've used up the batter.

Meadow Harvest Seed Cookies - Test 1

http://www.lasupersuperette.com/2014/11/sables-graines/

1 - They turned into only slightly sweet cookies. Good.
2 - Made them as a gift and asked for ways to improve. Nobody answered because they were too busy chewing!

3 - I could give a range of sweetness for this cookie. It could be a bit sweeter, but it has a nice flavour. Ah, flavour, yes, about that, the cookies have to be well browned and crispy otherwise they hold a bit of a raw flour taste. The dough is very wet and sticky, so I'm going to try removing the milk.

4 - I returned to the original recipe because I have been unhappy with the results. They do not compare to the first tries. And I said the recipe makes 40 cookies, nothing like it! More like a dozen. Just under a cm is a pretty thick cookie. It took more than 15 minutes to bake so that the bottoms were browned and the better cookies has a browned bottom. But now I think there is too much salt. 

Makes about 40 12

1¼ cup (160g) of flour
½ cup (37g) rolled oats
½ (85g) to ¾ (150g) cup brown sugar
4 Tbsps sunflower seeds
2 Tbsps poppy seeds
2 Tbsps flax seeds, pumpkin seeds or sesame seeds
½ cup cold butter, diced small
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp milk
2 pinches of ½ tsp salt

1. In a large bowl mix together the flour, oats, sugar, salt, seeds and butter. Pinch the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers to create a crumb texture (it's like playing with sand) with bits that are pea-sized and no smaller. The goal is not to completely combine the butter into the flour, but to break it up into the flour so that there are tiny globule of butter and when the dough is baking, they will create pockets as they melt, giving you a lovely flaky biscuit.
2. Add the egg and milk and combine, then form into a ball. Wrap and put in the refrigerator to rest for one hour and up to 72 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 350F.
4. On a floured surface (preferably a pastry cloth), roll out the dough.
5. It's sometimes useful to roll out the dough and fold it and roll it again. Make sure to do this when the dough is still quite cold.
6. Ultimately, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch and cut into rounds. Place them on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
7. Bake 10-15 minutes or until nicely golden.

 (pour 40 à 50 biscuits)
– 160 g de farine
– 30 g de flocons d’avoine
– 125 g de sucre roux
– 125 g de beurre
– 1 œuf
– 4 c. à s. de graines de tournesol
– 2 c. à s. de graines de pavot
– 2 c. à s. de sésame
– 1 c. à s. de lait
– 2 pincées de sel

Recette
Mélangez dans un saladier la farine, les flocons d’avoine, le sucre, le sel, les graines de tournesol, de pavot, le sésame et le beurre coupé en petits morceaux. Travaillez la pâte du bout des doigts et ajoutez l’œuf puis le lait. Formez une belle boule de pâte.

Allumez le four à 180°C. Étalez la pâte sur un plan de travail fariné, sur une épaisseur d’un petit centimètre. Découpez des biscuits avec un emporte-pièce rond. Déposez-les sur une plaque recouverte de papier sulfurisé. Faites cuire au four pendant 15 à 20 minutes, les Champêtres doivent être joliment dorés !

Testing - No knead oat bread 2

http://www.girlversusdough.com/2010/07/08/round-thirty-three-oat-flour-bread/

1 - Yikes! Not a successful attempt. I put it in the refrigerator after the initial rise, as per the instructions, and it killed it. I left it in a warm place for longer than recommended, and nothing happened. And whoa! Way too salty.
2 - Argh! Thwarted again! I forgot the dough and it over-rose and I forgot it again and then it didn't bake properly, so I don't know if it's the recipe or the conditions! I do know that it rises more than my largest bowl can hold, so I should use my big soup pot instead for the first rise.

Makes three 1 1/2-pound loaves. The recipe can easily be doubled or halved.

3 1/4 cups lukewarm water (about 105-110F, no more)
1 1/2 tbsp granulated yeast (1 1/2 packets)
1 1/2 tbsp salt
1 cup oat flour, plus several tbsp extra to thicken the dough (about 3-5)
5 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Oil for greasing the pan

1. Mix the yeast and salt with the water in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Mix the flours into a heavy duty stand mixer with the dough hook attached. 
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and knead with dough hook until a soft and smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 6 minutes (here is where the extra tbsp of oat flour may come in, depending on how sticky your dough is).
4. Place kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate in a lidded container and use over the next 10 days.
5. On baking day, lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. 
6. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1 1/2-lb. (cantaloupe-size) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and shape it into a ball. Drop into the loaf pan. Leave in a warm place to rest and rise for 1 hour and 40 minutes (or just 40 minutes if you’re using fresh, warm dough).
7. Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 400F, with an empty broiler tray on a shelf below the bread. Place the loaf on a rack near the center of the oven and just above the broiler pan. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door. Bake for 45 minutes or until deeply browned and firm. Allow to cool before slicing or eating.

Untested - No knead oat bread

http://delicescookies.canalblog.com/archives/2012/07/04/24626232.html
http://www.girlversusdough.com/2010/07/08/round-thirty-three-oat-flour-bread/

I'm going to try to make this a no-knead bread! I hope I've got the principles down right...

2 cups warm water
1/4 tsp dry active yeast
1 Tbsp molasses
9 oz (250gr) white flour
7 oz (200gr) whole wheat flour
3.5 oz (100gr) oat flour
1.8 oz (50gr) vegetable oil
1 tsp salt

1. Pour warm water in a mixing bowl and dilute the molasses in it. 
2. Making sure the liquid is no warmer than 110F, add the yeast and mix in thoroughly.
3. Dump in the rest of the ingredients and mix with the handle of a wooden spoon (seems easier than to do it by hand).
4. Cover and let rest in a warm place for (???2 hours? Overnight? Does it need the overnight, 15 minute turn, and then the 2 hours?) until the dough doubles in size and small bubbles form on the surface.
5. When ready to bake, grease a loaf pan (or put a pizza stone in the oven? How sticky is it?)
6. Preheat the oven to 400F. 
7. Boil some water. Before putting in the bread, on a lower shelf place a deep sided casserole in the hot oven and fill half-way with boiling water. Place the loaf on a rack near the center of the oven and just above the water tray and quickly close the oven door. 
8. Bake for 45 minutes or until deeply browned and firm. Allow to cool completely before slicing or eating.

Versez la levure dans un saladier.
Ajoutez l’eau tout en délayant, puis la mélasse.
Laissez reposer pendant 5 minutes.
Dans un grand saladier, versez les farines et le sel.
Ajoutez l’huile d’olive et émiettez du bout des doigts.
Versez le mélange à la levure et mélangez à l’aide d’une cuillère en bois.
Couvrir le saladier d’un torchon et laissez reposer pendant 30 minutes.
Versez dans un grand moule à cake (voire 2 petits car ça gonfle beaucoup).
Cuire au four à 230 °C pendant 40 minutes.
Laissez refroidir avant de découper.

Untested - Oat Flour Pie Crust

https://www.flocondavoine.com/recette-de-pate-sablee-vegan-sans-beurre-et-sans-farine-de-ble/

This is very experimental. Without trying it first, I've gone from the original and substituted oil for butter, cornstarch for arrowroot and added sugar for a sweet crust. I've also played around with ratios, so we'll see! I want a crumbly sweet crust.
1 - While making, it seemed like there was way too little moisture to make a cohesive ball of dough. I ended up using about 10 Tbsps (maybe more?) of water. Wonder how that will affect the dough.

9.5 oz oat flour
1.5 oz arrowroot flour or cornstarch
1 oz sugar
Scant 1/3 cup butter
3-4 Tbsps water

1. Mix everything together and form into a disc.
2. Wrap and chill for 1 hour.
3. Pre-heat oven to 350F and blind-bake for 30 minutes.
4. Allow to cool completely before adding anything to the crust.
5. You MUST brush the inside of the crust with melted butter or oil to seal it against wet ingredients, otherwise you'll just have a lot of mush and no crust at all.

300g de farine d’avoine
40g de maizena
8cl d’huile d’olive
5 cl d’eau tiede
Mélanger le tout
Laisser reposer pendant 1heure au réfrigateur
Cuire à 180° pendant 30 minutes

Roast Pork Glazed with Fresh Damson Sauce

https://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090917072637AAFhAII

I would make a spicy damson plum and ginger sauce or glaze for the pork either a crown roast or extra thick pork chops/gammon steaks even the small ribs/sweet and sour cut are nice with this sauce, we use to get large jars of preserved damsons and jam in Jamaica at the hotel I was a sous chef at.

If they're hard to stone split them and cook until soft and press the flesh through a sieve or strainer, the pits actually aid in the setting of the jam, also try to quarter them this sometimes will work out the stones and save a few for the garnish of the dish.

I just saute a small onion with a bit of garlic and 2 slices of fresh ginger, add a bit of brown sugar and caramelize the base, then add a bit of vinegar and the plums, cook until soft, now I use black/blue Hungarian plums here in Canada but they are close to Damsons in texture and flavour, then I season it, you can add some spice while cooking like cinnamon, chili flakes or a fresh hot pepper.

Then cook the roast or chop or as I said ribs,and brush the sauce on about 15-20 minute before they are done as it can burn if on too long and serve a bit on the side for extras.

Mijoté of Pork short ribs with White Bean - Test 1

https://www.kilometre-0.fr/recette/echine-de-porc-aux-haricots-blancs
http://www.lesgourmandisesdisa.com/2007/11/mijot-de-porc-aux-haricots-blancs-et.html
http://www.ledevoir.com/plaisirs/alimentation/368177/recette-de-la-semaine-mijotee-de-cochon-et-haricots-blancs

1 - Made it for Ben and Diane but with some not insignificant and happy changes. Instead of using 2lbs pork shoulder or clear plate cut up in 1" chunks, I used pork side ribs cut into sections of 3 ribs. Why such a change, you ask? Well, we bought a side of pork and the butcher was overly enthusiastic about size - everything is over-sized and the packages are generically labeled. There are 2 packages of pork loin of over 5 lbs each. Way too big. And I still needed to defrost it in a microwave (which I hate doing) because I hadn't thought ahead and wanted it ready in time for dinner since I'd invited Diane. The ribs were about 2 lbs so I thought, hey, Ben and I aren't overly fussy about ribs in general, this might be my chance to find another way of preparing them and continue to respect our snout-to-tail ethos. And it worked great! There are enough beans to be the main part of the stew, and the ribs are a bit of meat where the bone has infused its delectable flavour into the broth. And the broth is flavorful without being overpowering. I made it on the wood stove so once the beans were cooked, I let them sit on the coolest part of the stove-top to continue to very gently stay hot - the carrots became very soft but essentially became part of the broth. Served with some boiled potatoes, it's excellent.

2 - Made with pork spare ribs and I was not a fan. I wonder if I hadn't made them with beef short ribs the last time? Or were the short ribs freezer burned?

Beans 
2 cups white beans, soaked overnight
1 bouquet garni (2 sprig thymes, branch parsley, bay leaf, 11 peppercorns)
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 carrots in chunks
1 tsp salt
Ribs
1 1/2 oz lard or duck fat
1 1/2 oz lardons
2 lbs pork (or beef?) short ribs, cut into sections of 3 bones
2 onions, fine dice
2 tomatoes, crushed
1 bay leaf
4 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 Tbsps fresh parsley, chopped
1 potato per diner, cut up and boiled

1. Soak beans overnight.
2. Rince well, then add enough water to cover with 1/2" of water. Tuck in the bouquet garni, the garlic, the carrot and a tsp. of salt. Simmer for 45 minutes or until the beans are very tender (if cooking on a wood stove, leave on the coolest part of the stove top.
3. Meanwhile, in your main dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, cook the lardons and onion in the lard or duck fat. When the lardons turn golden, add the pork pieces to brown (should take 3-4 minutes). Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
4. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf and stock and cook at a low boil for about 30 minutes.
5. Drain and add the beans. Put the lid on and simmer, adding more stock, if needed to keep covered, for about an hour.
6. Remove the lid to allow evaporation up to your desired broth consistency.
7. Add the chopped parsley, adjust the seasoning and serve.