Parsnip Quiche - Testing

http://www.puregreenmag.com/pure-green-blog/kitchen-gardener--leek-and-parsnip-tart

1 - I think I made this one, but didn't write any notes on it.

2 - It's a fine quiche, but a bit monotone. I've added 1 tsp of herbes de Provence to see if it'll help.

1 batch blind-baked pie crust, completely cooled
1oz butter or lard
1 large onion, thin sliced
10-12oz parsnip, grated (about 1 root)
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
3 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk

1 tsp Herbes de Provence
Pinch of salt
2 tsps. grainy mustard
Ground black pepper on top
More mustard to serve

1. Heat oven to 400F. Blind bake the crust about 15 minutes. Allow it to cool completely before using to allow the crust to set.
2. Turn the oven down to 375F.
3. Meanwhile, caramelize the onions in the butter or lard until soft and brown. Add the parsnip and cook until perfectly soft; set aside.
4. Beat eggs, whisk together with cream, milk and herbes de Provence; blend in cheese. Add mustard, salt and pepper.
5. In the bottom of the baked pie crust, scatter the onions and parsnip; pour in the egg mix on top and grind fresh pepper on top.
6. Bake 25-30 minutes, until the custard sets and the crust is slightly brown.

Beef and bean stew - untested

https://bushbeans.com/en_US/recipe/mediterranean-beef-and-bean-stew

8 oz dry chick peas (garbanzo deans)
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 lbs beef shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 tsp dried, crushed rosemary
Salt and pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and thickly sliced
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup beef broth or red wine

1. Soak chick peas overnight. Drain and, in fresh water, simmer until soft (about 1 hour).
2. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and brown thoroughly with bacon and rosemary. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Add onion; sauté until lightly caramelized.
4. Place beef mixture, carrot and tomatoes in slow cooker. Top with beans and beef broth or red wine.
5. Cover and cook 3-4 hours on low.

Spicy bean and beef stew - Untested

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3328/spicy-beef-stew-with-beans-and-peppers

3½ Tbsps vegetable oil

2 lbs stewing beef cut into chunks

1 onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp black treacle

1 tsp cumin

400g can diced tomato

2 1/2 cups beef stock

2 red peppers, seeds removed and sliced

1lb reconstituted or 1/2 lb dry cannellini beans

Sour cream and fresh coriander, to serve

1. In a large saucepan with a lid, brown the meat, adding 1 Tbsp of oil at-a-time, browning in batches to avoid crowding. Season meat, then cook about one-third over a high heat for 10 mins until browned. Tip onto a plate and repeat with 2 tbsp of oil and rest of the meat.

Add a splash of water and scrape pan to remove bits. Add ½ tbsp oil. Turn heat down, fry onion and garlic until softened. Return meat to the pan, add flour and stir for 1 min. Add treacle, cumin, tomatoes and stock. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hr 45 mins. Stir occasionally and check that the meat is covered with liquid.

Add peppers and beans, and cook for a further 15 mins. The stew can now be cooled and kept in the fridge for 2 days, or frozen for 1 month. Serve in bowls, with sour cream, coriander and cornbread.

Herbed Mashed Turnip and Carrot - Untested

http://www.lordbyronskitchen.com/mashed-turnip-and-carrots-with-herb-butter/

1 large turnips or rutabaga, peeled and diced into 1 inch pieces (about 4 cups)
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces (about 4 cups)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup butter
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 Tbsps fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsps green onion, chives finely chopped

1. Add the turnip and carrot to a large stock pot and add enough water to cover the vegetables. Add half a teaspoon of salt and, over medium-high heat, cook the vegetables until fork tender. This should take about 30 minutes. The carrot might be cooked a few minutes before the turnip, because turnip tends to be a harder vegetable, but don't worry about overcooking the carrot.
2. Drain the vegetables and add the other half teaspoon of salt, the pepper, butter, thyme, parsley, and green onion.
3. Using a masher, mash the turnip and carrot until the consistency of mashed potatoes. Lastly, stir the mixture together to ensure even distribution of the butter and herbs. Serve immediately.

Testing - Pan Bread

Originally from another oven-baked soda bread recipe I've been testing, I wanted something I could make on the stove-top.

1 3/4 cups flour, plus more for the last part
3 Tbsps sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup sour cream or yogurt
Either or both of:
1/2 cup sharp cheddar, grated
1 Tbsp caraway seeds

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the grated cheese until covered in flour and separated.
In a small bowl beat the egg and stir in the sour cream.
Add the egg mixture, and caraway seeds (and raisins if using) to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon.
Batter will be very thick.
Place batter in a buttered cast iron pan with a lid.
Dust the top with enough flour so that you can pat the batter like a bread dough evenly into the pan without it sticking to your hands.
With a knife make a shallow crisscross on the top.
Place on a low flame. Cover at a slight angle to allow steam to escape. Cook for about 40 minutes or until tapping it sounds hollow. The greatest reward comes to he who cooks slowly - avoid burning the bottom by cooking over a very low flame; I recommend using a diffuser as well.

Testing - Damson Plum Shrubs

https://www.saveur.com/plum-shrub-recipe/
https://honestlyyum.com/5738/plum-shrub/

0 - What is the difference in flavour? The first is cooked, the second is raw.

3 parts strained plum juice (reserved from Plumbrillo), divided
3 parts sugar
1 part white wine vinegar

In a medium, heavy-bottomed pot fitted with a candy thermometer, add 1 cup of the plum juice and all of the sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally to ensure the sugar dissolves quickly. Regulate the heat to prevent the mixture from boiling over, and cook until it is thickened and registers 230–234°F on the thermometer (the “thread” stage), about 10 minutes.
Immediately stir in the remaining 2 cups plum juice. Add the vinegar and cook until the mixture registers 182°F on the thermometer, then maintain that temperature for 1 minute to pasteurize. Remove from the heat, and carefully transfer the shrub to sterilized bottles or jars. Clean the rims and sides with a kitchen towel and seal firmly with lids. Follow recommended water bath canning procedures to jar, or let cool completely and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

2 parts chopped plums (tightly packed)
2 parts sugar
1 part red wine vinegar
1 part apple cider vinegar

Core and chop the plums and add them to a non-reactive mixing bowl. Add the sugar and stir until the plums are thoroughly coated.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Let the mixture sit for at least 24 hours. While the mixture is resting, the sugar will begin to extract the juice from the plums, creating a rich plum syrup.
Remove the mixture from the fridge and strain the syrup and any excess sugar into a new mixing bowl. Firmly press on the plums to release any remaining juice. Whisk in the vinegar, dissolving the sugar as you go. Transfer the shrub into a bottle for storage.
NOTES
The flavors will continue to develop as time passes. The vinegar will mellow and new notes of fruit will emerge.

Testing - Damson Cheese, or Plum Paste or Pumbrillo

https://www.saveur.com/plum-paste-plumbrillo-recipe/
http://experimentalmouffette.blogspot.com/2017/12/testing-damson-plum-cheese.html

3½ lb. ripe plums
12 oz. (1½ cups) sugar, plus more as needed
Butter
Optional - 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1. Wash the plums (do not peel or remove the pits) and place in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add enough water to barely cover the plums, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to maintain a strong simmer, and cook until the fruit is very tender, 20–25 minutes. 
2. Remove from the heat, and let cool slightly. Squeeze out the pits and put the emptied, cooked fruit through a fruit masher and sieve (pictured). 
3. In a large strainer or in a muslin bag set over a large, heat-resistant bowl, let the plums strain out their excess juices (do not press on the fruit or attempt to force the pulp through the strainer). Reserve the plum juice for another use. 
4. Measure the pulp (you should have about 2½ cups or 1¼ pounds). Stir in the sugar, adding more as needed to maintain a ratio of 6 parts sugar to 10 parts fruit. Add the lemon juice, cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
5. Meanwhile, put a small plate in the freezer (to test the mash, later).
6. Bring to a boil then cook the mash at the lowest setting on the stove top until it gets so thick that when you scrape a wooden spoon along the bottom it stays apart for a few seconds before it to close up again. Make sure to stir frequently. This will take a long time, over an hour.
7. NOTE: If you're using a candy thermometer, the mixture should never exceed 221F)
8. Retrieve the plate from the freezer and place a small drop of the plum mixture on the surface. If it starts to set and form a skin after a minute, the preserves are ready. If it remains runny, return the plate to the freezer and cook the plum mixture a few minutes more before testing again.
9. Boiled some glass jars along with their lids and when they are still warm slathered a tiny bit of butter inside before putting in the damson mush.
10. Remove the plum mixture from the heat. Ladle carefully into sterilized jars leaving 1/2" space at the top, then clean the rims and sides with a kitchen towel.
11. Seal firmly with the lids, then loosen by 1/4 turn. Check for air bubbles, and if necessary, tap the jars gently on the towel to work any bubbles upwards and out. 
12. For water bath canning, put the jars on a rack in a large pot of boiling water. The jars must not sit directly on the kettle bottom. Adding the jars with slow the boil. Return the water to a good boil and only then start to count the processing time: for 235ml or smaller jars, 10 minutes. For larger jars, 20 minutes.
13. In a draft-free spot where the jars won't be moved, place a towel over a baking sheet. Leave to cool for 12 - 24 hours to fully seal the jars, and allow the cheese to set.
14. OPTION: if for immediate use or if you don't want the bother of canning, let cool completely and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.