There are always loads of recipes I'd like to try but lose them before I do. This is where I can record recipes I find interesting and keep notes on my experiments with them.

I have a system that I've adopted for working through recipes:

1 - New recipes are saved to the Experimental Mouffette and is labeled : Untested
2 - As I'm working out the changes I'd like to make (if any) it is labeled : Testing
3 - Once I think I've got the correct formula it is labeled : Test 1
4 - IF I am able to reproduce the effect a second time it is labeled : Test 2 - if I am not able to reproduce the effect, it remains Test 1
5 - The same process as step 4 is used to graduate it to Test 3
6 - Once I have been able to reproduce the effect successfully 3 times, it graduates to my main blog, La Mouffette Gourmande

European Union visitors, please visit the following link concerning cookies (the computer kind, not he eating kind) Blogger cookies

Thursday, December 31, 2020

Vinarkekur (friendship cookies) - untested

A recipe from Randy, who has been exploring his Icelandic family connections for years, including in food. We received a boxful of Christmas treats through the mail in 2020 and these, in particular, were delicious. Fittingly named "friendship cookies" because we dearly love our friend Randy.

Cookie wafers
3 1/4 cups sifted flour (540 g) (+ 1/4 cup [40g] when kneading the dough)
1 cup almond flour (85 g)
2 tsp baking powder (6 g)
1 tblsp skim milk powder (7 g)
1 1/2 tsp ground cardamon (4 g)
1 cup softened butter (250 ml)
1 cup sugar (230 g)
1/2 cup milk (120 ml)
1/2 tsp vanilla (3 ml)
2 eggs
Butter icing filling
3/4 cup softened butter (190 ml)
1 tsp vanilla (5 ml)
2 1/4 cups sifted icing sugar (285 g)
1 1/2 tblsp (22 ml) room temperature milk or cream
1 tsp ground cloves (5 g)
1 1/2 tblsp ground cinnamon (10 g)

To make the cookie wafers:
1. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, almond flour, baking powder, skim milk powder, cardamon). Mix well.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. 
3. Add the eggs, milk and vanilla to the creamed butter/sugar and beat well.
4. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, blending well.
6. Form the dough into a ball and knead until smooth. (You may need to add a bit of four, dough should be smooth).
7. Wrap the dough or place in a bowl and cover, then place the dough in the fridge for an hour (can even be left overnight).
8. Preheat the oven to 375F/190C.
9. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a thinkness about an 1/8 of an inch (4 mm). (Divide the dough into 4 quarters to make rolling it out easier.)
10. Using a round cookie cutter (3 inch or 7 cm), cut out the cookies. (This will make approx 9 dozen cookie bases)
11. Place on baking sheets and bake for 9 to 10 min or until bottom of cookies start to brown.
12. Remove from the oven and let cool, then remove from the baking sheets.
To make the filling:
1. Cream the butter in a medium bowl.
2. Add the vanilla, cloves and cinnamon. Mix until well blended. 
3. Add in the sifted icing sugar and milk alternating until all is incorporated. 
To build the cookies:
1. Take a 1/2 tablespoon of filling and spread it on the bottom of one cookie.
2. Place another cookie, bottom side to the filling, onto the cookie you just put the filling on. Press firmly but not too hard.
3. Repeat until you have all the cookies done. 
Makes 4 1/2 dozen.

Monday, December 28, 2020

Coleslaw with vinaigrette - Test 3

 https://www.easypeasyfoodie.com/easy-no-mayo-coleslaw-dairy-free-egg-free-vegan/

1 - I was in a situation where making things with dairy and eggs was difficult to refrigerate, so I made this, and it was lovely, what with the tang of the Dijon and the gentle wilting when it sits in the refrigerator for a bit.
2 - I made this again, with apple cider vinegar as the one of choice, and I didn't like it. The apple cider vinegar made it taste like it had gone off! I'll try with the other options and make a single choice.)
3 - Made it with white wine vinegar. Lovely. I didn't have scallions or chives and just did without, and I still quite enjoyed it.
4 - I made it again with white wine vinegar and, I thought, the same quantity of vegetable matter, but the vinaigrette seemed thin, as if there wasn't enough. I will taste it again today in case my taster was off last night.
5 - I reduced the amount of veg but maintained the same quantity of vinaigrette. There may be a little bit too much vinaigrette but it was good. It may be to reduce the vinaigrette by maybe a quarter.
6 - Made it again with this ratio and it really is a very nice recipe.
7 - Yup I think this is the way I like it.

2 1 lbs cabbage (recommended is ½ green cabbage and ½ red cabbage), finely sliced
4 2 large carrots (6oz/170g) (roughly 400g/14oz) grated
4 2 scallions, finely sliced
¼ cup (60g) Tbsps vinegar ( apple cider, white wine vinegar, or lemon juice)
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp (25g) Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt 
1 tsp pepper
½ cup (100g) good olive oil
  1. Prepare all the vegetables and mix in a large bowl.
  2. Put the remaining ingredients in a small jar, screw on the lid tightly and shake until emulsified, just a few seconds.
  3. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and mix together thoroughly.

Sunday, December 27, 2020

Le flan pâtissier (Parisian Flan) - Untested

NOTE: dry ingredients for this recipe are measured by weight, à la française.

1 Cookie pie crust
3-4 eggs
1L of milk (or 750ml milk and 250ml heavy cream)
150g of sugar 
90g of arrowroot powder or cornstarch (maïzena)
1-2 Tbsps vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, split
  1. Roll out the crust and set in a spring form pan. Pop in the refrigerator to cool while you make the custard filling.
  2. Bring the milk to just before the boiling point and remove from the heat.
  3. If using the vanilla bean, immediately add, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes.
  4. If using the extract, add, stir, cover and set aside.
  5. Preheat the oven to 400F.
  6. Meanwhile, combine the arrowroot and sugar. Whisk in the eggs and beat thoroughly, until completely smooth.
  7. Remove the vanilla bean from the milk (if using).
  8. While whisking the sweet eggs constantly, slowly stream in the hot vanilla milk.
  9. Pour the mixture into the milk saucepan and, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook over medium-low heat until the surface starts to show signs of wanting to boil, stirring all the while; by this point the hot custard should coat the back of the spoon.
  10. For this step you can use a sieve to help break up any lumping, but if you've diligently stirred and it's smooth, just directly pour into the cold shell and pop in the oven.
  11. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the crust is golden and the top shows brown spots.
  12. Allow to cool completely before serving.


Saturday, December 26, 2020

Leftover Pork Frittata - Testing


1 - The flavors are good, but the instructions made for a tough omelet. I've replaced them with the instructions I use for the Tomato Chèvre Omelette. Ergo, the next time I make this will be a test to see if these instructions work for this particular omelet. Ah. I just realized this is a frittata. I suspect I'd prefer it as an omelet, therefore I shan't change a thing!

3⁄4 cups pork, sliced thin into 1 by 1/2 inch strips (leftovers works great)
1 small onion, chopped 
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsps butter, divided
Juice from 1⁄2 lime
6 large eggs
1⁄3 cup water
3⁄4 teaspoons salt
1⁄4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
small handful cilantro leaf, chopped
1⁄4 cup fresh tomato, seeded and chopped
  1. Sauté in 2 Tbsps of butter the onion for about 3 minutes then add the pork and continue to sauté until the onion is soft. Add the lime juice, remove from the heat and set aside.
  2. Over medium heat, melt the remaining Tbsp of butter with the oil in a 10" oven-proof fry pan or omelette pan.
  3. Whisk eggs with the salt and pepper until frothy.
  4. Pour eggs into the hot pan. While cooking, lift the egg and tilt the pan to let uncooked egg get underneath.
  5. With the oven rack at the mid-way setting, start the broiler (or use a salamander if you're so lucky to have one).
  6. Spread the onion and pork mixture cheese across the surface of the omelette, then do the same with the cheese.
  7. With the egg still uncooked on the surface, (not just slithery but actually jiggly), slip the pan into the oven and broil.
  8. When the egg is set and the edges puff up a little, take it out of the oven and carefully fold the omelette. Sprinkle with the cilantro and the tomato and let rest about 5 minutes.
  9. To serve, cut into segments to share.


Monday, December 21, 2020

Chocolat Chaud - Testing

 I'd been looking for a recipe that looked as thick and rich as the hot chocolate Juliette Binoche serves Dame Judy Dench in the film Chocolat, and never found it, so I made up my own. Ben calls it my melted chocolate bar drink because I like it so thick! You can add more cream if you like. 😉
1 - I've made this at Valley Home but not since, and I didn't write down the quantities I used, but I have the gist of it written down here.
2 - This is apparently too decadent for most. I'm crossing it out and replacing it with a Parisian hot chocolate from David Lebowitz to try out. https://www.davidlebovitz.com/parisian-hot-ch-1/?fbclid=IwAR3lr5thKWBFIs3m9CUQiUCuuBdnzstzoPyZD7a2Fu5HHpy7zu6iryD1I3Y
3 - This new version works very well. It's pretty simple, and I can start to experiment with the spicing. It doesn't thicken like the hot chocolate in Chocolat, but I have my other hot chocolate recipe to achieve that level of decadence. I still have to try making it ahead and letting it sit to rewarm to see if it does indeed improve. I should note that this time, when I made it, it was to add some spiced rum for a hot cocktail, and it was amazing! 

2 cups (500ml) whole milk (or half and half cream)
5 ounces (130g) bittersweet chocolate, (best-quality), finely chopped
OPTIONAL: up to 2 Tbsps. light brown sugar
OPTIONAL: 1 shot of spiced rum per 1 cup
TO TRY :
Cinnamon, ground
Cayenne pepper
Clove, ground
  1. Heat the milk in a medium-sized saucepan.
  2. Once the milk is warm, remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is melted. For a thick hot chocolate, return to heat and cook at a very low boil for about 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly. Be careful and keep an eye on the mixture, as it may boil up a bit during the first moments.
  3. Taste, and add brown sugar if desired.
  4. Serve warm in demitasse cups, or small coffee or tea cups.
Note: This hot chocolate improves if made ahead and allowed to sit for a few hours. Rewarm before serving.

Saturday, December 19, 2020

Foie de veau à la moissoneuse (Baked Calves' Liver) - Untested

From Monet's Kitchen by Claire Joyes, pg 143

4oz bacon, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
4 large onions, thinly sliced
10 medium potatoes
1 1/2 lbs calves' liver
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup broth
2 Tbsps butter
2 Tbsps chopped parsley
1 garlic clove, crushed
  1. In a large skillet, sauté the bacon in the oil. When the fat begins to melt, remove it with a skimmer and arrange it on a serving platter. Continue to heat the oil, and when it is slightly smoking, add the onion and potatoes. Sauté them on low heat, while you cut the liver into 1-inch squares. Season them with the salt and pepper.
  2. Remove the onions and potatoes from the skillet and arrange them on the platter with the bacon. Add the pieces of liver to the skillet, increase the heat and sauté quickly, turning frequently. Drain the liver and keep it warm, covered with a dish towel (not a lid, it would hold the steam inside).
  3. Discard the fat in the skillet and pour the wine into it. Deglaze the pan by scraping it to dislodge any bits that have stuck to the bottom and reduce the liquid by two-thirds over high heat. Add the broth and bring back to a boil. Combine the butter and flour into a smooth paste and break into pieces. Drop it into the sauce, stirring well after each addition. The sauce should be light. Add the onions, bacon and potatoes and the chopped parsley and garlic. Cover the skillet and simmer for about 20 minutes.
  4. Return the liver to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, to reheat. Serve very hot.

Friday, December 18, 2020

Yorkshire Pudding - Untested

 From Monet's Kitchen by Claire Joyes, pg 142

"In France, this traditional English acoompaniment to roast beef is also eaten with roast lamb."

Serves 8

1 cup flour
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups cold milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg

NOTE
(likely put in oven with roast and when you remove the roast to tent it, increase the heat - this way it won't take as long to get up to temperature and the roast won't have time to get cold, I think).
  1. Preheat the oven to 450F. 
  2. Grease a metal baking pan, ideally with fat from the roast meat. Put in the oven to get hot.
  3. Sift the flour into a bowl, and make a well in the center.
  4. Pour the beaten eggs into the well, then gradually incorporate the flour.
  5. Beat in the milk and season with the salt and nutmeg.
  6. Pour the mixture into the heated baking pan.
  7. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the Yorkshire pudding is well-risen and golden.
  8. Sprinkle some meat juices over the pudding and serve it hot.

Boeuf berrichon (Pickled Beef) - Untested

 From Monet's Kitchen by Claire Joyes, pg 142
Compare brining and cooking instructions with : 

Serves 8 people

4 slices bacon en lardons
2 Tbsps white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp white wine
1 garlic clove
2 shallots, each stuck with 1 clove
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
4 Tbsps butter
3 cups broth or water
Optional : 3 carrots
  1. Lard the beef with the strips of bacon. Place it in a deep earthenware pot with the vinegar, white wine, garlic and shallots. Season with the salt and pepper and cover it lightly with a pieces of cheesecloth. Marinate for two days in the refrigerator, turning the meat twice a day.
  2. Strain the marinade and reserve it. 
  3. Melt the butter in a deep pot and sauté the beef on both sides. 
  4. When it is nicely browned, moisten it with about 1 cup of broth or water and 1 Tbsp of marinade. 
  5. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat for 6 hours (would a slow cooker work?), adding more broth or water and more marinade from time to time. 
  6. If using, the carrots should be added 1 hour before the end of the cooking time.

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Queue de boeuf en hochepot (Marguéry) (Oxtail Stew) - Untested

From Monet's Kitchen by Claire Joyes, pg 142

Serves 6

8oz pork rind
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
3lbs oxtail, cut into 6 portions
3 cups beef broth
1 cup dry white wine
2 1/2lbs chestnuts
2 + 2 Tbsps butter
12 pearl onions
1 Tbsp confectioner's sugar
5 cups button mushrooms
6 small frankfurter sausages
  1. Arrange the pork rind, thyme and bay leaf in a deep pot. Lay the oxtail on top. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, for 15 minutes. 
  2. Moisten with 1 cup beef broth and continue to cook until the liquid forms a glaze. 
  3. Add the rest of the broth and the white wine. Cover the pot and cook over low heat for about 3 hours.
  4. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil. Cut crosses in the chestnut skins, then boil them in water to cover for 40 minutes. Peel, removing the inner and outer skins. 
  5. While the chestnuts are stewing, melt half the butter and sauté the onions.
  6. When they are transparent add the confectioner's sugar and keep stirring until they are glazed. 
  7. In another saucepan, melt the rest of the butter and cook the mushrooms until the juices run. 
  8. Transfer the oxtail to a deep skillet. Degrease the cooking liquid and strain it. Add the onions, mushroms, sausages, and chestnuts. Cook for 15 minutes and serve hot.

Gratin of sausage and potato - Untested

I don't know where this comes from!

1 lb potatoes
3 sausages
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 eating apple, diced
2-3 sprigs thyme, minced
2 Tbsps plain flour
1 1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tsps dry English mustard
  1. Preheat the oven 400°F. 
  2. Peel the potatoes, chop into even-sized chunks and cook in a large pan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes, or until tender. 
  3. Meanwhile, brown the sausages in a large non-stick casserole pan on a medium heat, tossing regularly (if using veggie sausages, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil), while you trim the leeks, halve lengthways, wash and slice 1cm thick. Peel, core and chop the apples into 1cm chunks. Once golden, remove the sausages to a plate, put the leek and apple into the pan and strip in most of the thyme. Add a splash of water, season with sea salt and black pepper, then cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the potatoes, mash with half the flour, then season to perfection. Lightly rub a 20cm x 28cm baking dish with oil.
  4. Once the mash is cool enough to handle, use your fingertips to spread two thirds of it evenly across the base and sides of the dish. Stir the remaining flour into the leeks, then gradually stir in the milk, then the mustard. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until thick and creamy. Slice the sausages 1cm thick and stir most of them into the pan, along with any juices, then evenly spoon into the mash-lined dish. Press the remaining mash on to a sheet of greaseproof paper until just bigger than your dish, then flip over the top of the dish, peel off the paper, trim any excess and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Poke the reserved sausage slices into the top, then gently brush with 1 tablespoon of oil. Bake at the bottom of the oven for 40 minutes, or until golden, adding the remaining thyme leaves for the last 5 minutes.

Sunday, December 13, 2020

Entrecôte marchand de vin - Untested

  From Monet's Kitchen by Claire Joyes, pg 142

Serves 1

2 Tbsps butter
2 Tbsps flour
2 Tbsps broth
4 Tbsps dry red or white wine
2 chopped shallots
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp oil
1 popcorn kernel
1 8oz beef tenderloin steak
  1. Put the wine and shallots in a saucepan and cook over high heat until the liquid is reduced by half. Strain out the shallots and reserve the wine.
  2. Rinse the saucepan and melt the butter in it before whisking in the flour. Cook until it just starts to colour.
  3. Add the broth and remove from the heat. Whisk in the wine and keep at a very low simmer, just enough to keep it hot, while preparing the steaks.
  4. Heat a fry pan with the popcorn kernel in the oil. When the kernel pops, remove and swirl the oil around.
  5. Add the steak and cook for 5 minutes per side (2 minutes for rare, 10 minutes for well done, and any variation in between for preferences). Cover and allow to rest before serving with the sauce.

Veal with Olives - Untested

 From Monet's Kitchen by Claire Joyes, pg 141

I don't quite understand this recipe. I don't know how often I will make it since it requires so much green olives. Is it braised? Stovetop or baked and, depending, which cut of pork roast? Are the onions and olives cooked with the roast? Research is required.

Serves 4

1/4 cup oil
2 1/2lb boned, rolled pork roast (substitute for veal roast)
36 pearl onions, peeled and trimmed
2 cups green olives, pitted
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup hot water
  1. Heat the oil in a casserole with a lid. Add the veal and brown all over. 
  2. Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes (any liquid? Just on the stove top?). 
  3. Meanwhile peel and trim the pearl onions by blanching  in boiling water for one minute. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. Slice off the ends; slip off the skins.
  4. Add the olives and onions. (cook until onions are soft? how long?)
  5. Season with the salt and pepper. Add the broth or water to the cooking liquid. 
  6. Serve the cooking liquid as a sauce with the veal, and garnish with the olives and onions.

Saturday, December 12, 2020

Beef Tongue au Gratin - Untested

From Monet's Kitchen by Claire Joyes, pg 141

Serves 8

1 beef tongue
2 carrots
3 onions
4 black peppercorns
1 bouquet garni
1 cup dry white wine
3 pickled cucumbers, sliced (what kind? Gherkin? Dill?)
3 chopped shallots
4 Tbsps chopped parsley
1 cup dry breadcrumbs
4 Tbsps butter, cut into pieces
  1. The day before, soak the tongue in cold water to cover. 
  2. The next day, blanch it in boiling water to cover for 30 minutes.
  3. Remove it, drain it and, when cool enough to handle, take out the bones, trim away the fat, then peel the tongue. 
  4. Put in a saucepan with cold water, the carrots, onions, peppercorns and the bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook at a bare simmer for 3 hours.
  5. Remove the tongue from the broth. Once it's cool, slice it thinly at a slight angle. 
  6. Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease a large, ovenproof dish. Arrange the slices of tongue on it and sprinkle with the wine. 
  7. Arrange the slices of pickled cucumber on top. 
  8. Sprinkle with the dry breadcrumbs and dot it with the butter. 
  9. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Cassoulet de Guitry (Lucien Guitry's Lamb Stew) - Untested

From Monet's Kitchen by Claire Joyes, pg 140

Serves 8

2 cups dried white beans
2 lbs boneless shoulder or leg of lamb, cubed for stewing
1 lb smoke goose breast
4oz pork fat, or blanched salt pork
1 Tbsp flour
4 cups chicken or beef broth
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 bouquet garni
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsps tomato paste
1lb garlic-flavored sausage
4 Tbsps parsley, chopped
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
  1. Soak the beans overnight in water to cover, then drain next day. Pour in fresh water and bring to a boil. Simmer while preparing the meat (minimum 10 minutes).
  2. Meanwhile, sauté the meat and pork fat in an oven-ready pot until well browned, turning frequently.
  3. Sprinkle the meats with flour, stir until the flour starts to turn blond, and pour in the broth.
  4. Season with salt and pepper, add the bouquet garni, garlic, and tomato paste.
  5. Drain the beans (they don't have to be cooked) and add to the stew.
  6. Bring the stew to a boil then decrease to a simmer.
  7. Bring a pot of water to boil  and poach the sausage for 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Cut into 2-inch pieces and add to the stew.
  8. Simmer for 2 hours.
  9. Preheat the oven to 400F. 
  10. Sprinkle the stew with the parsley and breadcrumbs and bake in the oven, lid removed, for 30 minutes or until well browned on top. Serve in the baking pot if possible.

Palette de porc Sacha (Sacha Guitry's Shoulder of Pork) - Untested

From Monet's Kitchen by Claire Joyes, pg 140
 
Serves 8 - 10

5lb shoulder of pork
1 Tbsp coarse salt
1 tsp plack pepper
1 bouquet garni
1 cabbage, trimmed, leaves separated
8 potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1lb garlic-flavoured smoked (boiling) sausage 
  1. Put the pork into a deep pot and add water to cover with the salt, pepper and bouquet garni.
  2. Bring the water to a boil and when it boils add the cabbage and potatoes. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. 
  3. Add the sausage and cook another 30 minutes. 

Entrecôte à la briarde (broiled steak with mustard) - Untested

From Monet's Kitchen by Claire Joyes, pg 

Serves 1

1 fillet steak (8oz)
4 Tbsp grainy mustard
2 Tbsps butter
  1. Spread both sides of the steak with mustard, and leave for 2 hours.
  2. Melt the butter in a skillet and brown the steaks in the butter until the desired doneness

Monday, December 7, 2020

Épaule de mouton (ou de porc) farcie - Untested

From Monet's Kitchen by Claire Joyes, pg 140

Serves 6

4 Tbsps fresh breadcrumbs soaked in milk
1 slice bacon cut into lardons
2 Tbsps parsley, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

3lb boned shoulder of lamb or mutton or pork
1/2+1/2 tsp salt
1/2+1/2 tsp pepper
4 Tbsps fat (oil or lard or butter)
8 medium onions (about 3lbs), thinly sliced
3/4 cup small beans
4 potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs), thickly sliced
  1. Soak the breadcrumbs in milk until soft. Squeeze them dry.
  2. In a medium bowl combine the stuffing ingredients: the breadcrumbs, chopped bacon, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper until uniform. Set aside.
  3. Lay the deboned shoulder flat on a cutting board. Season with the first half of the salt and pepper, then spread the stuffing over it.
  4. Roll up the meat and, using cotton butcher's twine or a strip of cheesecloth tie it firmly.
  5. Melt the fat in a large pot with a lid, and brown the meat on all sides.
  6. Add the onions, beans and potatoes. Season with the remaining salt and pepper. Add hot water to cover.
  7. Pre-heat the oven to 350F. On the stovetop, put the lid on and bring to a boil.
  8. Transfer to the hot oven and continue cooking for 2 hours.

Boeuf mode - Untested

 From Monet's Kitchen by Claire Joyes, pg 137

I've already altered this recipe to include instructions on how to use the pig/calf's foot. It is so bizarre to me that they mention it in the description, twice, but don't include it in the recipe itself.

1-2 pig's feet
1+2 cups meat broth
1+2 cups white wine
2 Tbsps brandy
5 carrots (10-15oz), diced
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter
4 slices bacon cut into lardons
2 1/2 lbs boneless braising beef roast
  1. In a slow cooker, place the pig's feet, 1 cup broth, 1 cup wine, brandy, carrots and onion and turn on High.
  2. Bone beef if it isn't already boneless.
  3. Melt the butter in a skillet and sauté the bacon in it over medium heat. When the bacon turns golden and crisp, add it to the slow cooker.
  4. In the hot fat, brown the beef on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Nestle it in the slow cooker and add the remaining liquid.
  5. When the liquid reaches the boiling point, decrease it to Low and leave to cook for at least 7 hours (I leave it overnight and processed it in the morning).
  6. At this point I don't know. At least strain off the fat, or allow it to get cold enough to remove it from the surface of the liquid. The picture in the book indicates that the beef is sliced and layered horizontally with the vegetables in between and the aspic covering all. When I tried this with the Jambon Persillé, it was such a mess trying to make neat slices - it essentially crumbled and made a mess. It may be that the beef will be tender enough that this is possible. Or I just have really shitty knives. Ultimately, it has to be easy and pleasurable and tasty, in the end.

Candied Lemon Peel - Test 1


1 - This worked very well. I ended up leaving the candied peels out to dry longer than intended, which seems to have allow them to dry out a bit more and means I didn't have to roll them in extra sugar.

4 organic lemons
3 + 1/4 cups sugar, divided
4 cups water
  1. Slice the lemons into four quarters lengthwise.
  2. Peel the lemon flesh away from the peels. Reserve for another use.
  3. Use a small, sharp-edged spoon to scrape the tough fibrous parts off of the inner peel, leaving a thin layer of white left behind on the peel.
  4. Slice the peels into thin strips.
  5. Alternatively, for thinner and daintier decorative peels, you can use a serrated peeler to scrape yellow strips from the exterior of the lemon peel. Cut those peels into thin slices.
  6. To remove any bitterness from the pith, place the peels into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring the water to a rolling boil and drain. Repeat this process up to three times, keeping in mind that every time you do more flavor will boil away. 
  7. In a saucepan combine the 4 cups of water with 3 cups of sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
  8. Add peels to the saucepan and bring to a rolling boil.
  9. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 60-90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Different sized peels will take different amounts of time to cook. The peels are ready when they're transparent and easy to bite through. Cook well as undercooked peels will have a bitter flavor.
  10. When cooked, save the liquid - it's lemon simple syrup! Drain the peels.
  11. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper spread the peels in an even layer and let them cool for about 15 minutes or until just tacky to the touch.
  12. OPTION 1: Dredge the cooled strip in 1/4 cup of sugar until well coated. Sugar coating the peels will add sweetness and help to keep them from sticking together.
  13. OPTION 2: For a gel-like texture, the peels dry without the sugar coating - it will make for a deeper yellow color as well.
  14. Let the peels dry on the parchment paper from 2-3 hours to 2-3 days. 

Sunday, December 6, 2020

Pâté au boeuf - Testing

from Monet's Table, p 137

1 - This was very tasty. For some reason, most recipes out of this book are somehow wrong. The book version asks for 4oz of ground beef. while preparing the mix, it was obvious that wasn't right, so I immediately increased it to 1lb and that was the right thing to do. 
Ben suggested this would make really good filling for pasties. It's flavorful enough that I can imagine it would be quite nice.
2 - This time the feedback was a little contradictory. Ben said he liked the filling when it had pastry, and not so much when it was all alone. I suppose this reinforces his previous recommendation of making pasties with it. Oh, I just realized I forgot the tarragon! Woops!

1lb ground beef
1 onion
1 garlic clove
5 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped (used canned tomatoes, half can (14oz/398mL))
1/2 cup parsley
1/2 cup fresh tarragon (I'm using dry, so 2 Tbsps)
2 oz bacon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 Tbsps butter
2 pie crust recipes
1 egg yolk
  1. Mix together all the ingredients and run through a meat grinder.
  2. Melt 2 Tbsps of the butter in a skillet and sauté, stirring frequently and making sure the mixture remains moist.
  3. Once cooked, pour into a bowl and allow to cool back to room temperature.
  4. Make the pie dough. Roll out and cover the bottom of a pie dish. Brush the base with the egg yolk. Fill with the cooled beef filling.
  5. Roll out the rest of the dough to form a lid. Before putting it on the base, cut out a hole in the middle.
  6. Preheat the oven to 425F and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce to 350F and bake for 1 hour or until golden brown.

Saturday, December 5, 2020

P'tit caribou - Test 1

1 - From the land of my ancestors, a holiday drink. P'tit caribou is a Carnaval drink from Québec, but in Lafontaine, Ontario, I know it primarily as our French Canadian hooch. I found a bunch of versions and asked Ben, our household mixologist, to Frankenstein it for us. It was really good! and deceptively high octane. And served hot is perfect for the Holiday season(s). I felt like there was too much cinnamon, so hopefully next time, if we're using our homemade cinnamon blackberry liqueur, I will find it more balanced.
2 - Yup, with only the cinnamon blackberry liqueur, it was verging on perfection.

2 Tbsps brandy
2 Tbsps vodka
Optional : 2 Tbsps cinnamon blackberry liqueur or Crème de Cassis
1/3 cup port
1/3 cup sherry
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp ground cloves
1 cinnamon stick (omit if using the cinnamon blackberry liqueur?)
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 star anise
  1. Put everything in a small pot and gently heat. Serve immediately in cups or allow to cool and serve in shot glasses.

2 Tbsps brandy
2 Tbsps vodka
1/3 cup port
1/3 cup sherry
  1. Put everything in a small pot and gently heat. Serve immediately in cups or allow to cool and serve in shot glasses.

750mL red wine (Pinot Noir)
3 Tbsps rum or whisky or vodka or brandy
3 Tbsps maple syrup
1 tsp ground cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 star anise
  1. Mix everything together and gently simmer for 5-10 minutes.
  2. Serve with ice cubes.

1 1/2 oz of Vodka
3 oz of port
1/4 oz of creme de cassis (or blackcurrant-flavored liqueur)
1 splash of Maple Syrup
  1. Stir all ingredients together and serve in a chilled red wine glass.

Friday, December 4, 2020

Steak Soup - Untested


1 dried chipotle pepper
1 T-bone steak
3 Tbsps olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
10-12 cups water
2 cups carrots, diced
2 cups celery, diced
2 cups spinach, finely chopped
1 cup rice
1 cup (7oz/199g) diced tomatoes
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
dash cayenne pepper
hot sauce, to taste
  1. Boil some water and pour over the dried chipotle pepper to soak for 10 minutes.
  2. Set the soaking water aside to add to the water added to the soup, later.
  3. Remove the stem and seeds and chop the flesh finely. Set aside.
  4. Brown the steak in 3 T olive oil and set aside.
  5. To the same pan add the chopped onion and sauté slowly until they soften and start to brown.
  6. Add the water, carrots, celery, spinach, and the canned tomatoes.
  7. Simmer this all day.
  8. Remove the steak and bone.
  9. Crumble steak back into soup.
  10. Add a cup of rice or rice pasta.
  11. Cook until rice is done.
  12. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Serve with hot sauce.

Lentilles du Puy au jarret de porc - Untested


3 Tbsps olive oil
1 smoked ham hock
1 onion (preferably red), chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots sliced in rounds
1 1/2 cups duPuy French lentils
1/4 cup red wine (instead of 2 Tbsps tomato paste)
5 cups water
1 tsp paprika
bouquet garni of parsley, thyme, bay (and optional lovage)
Salt and pepper
  1. Heat the oil and brown the ham hock in a large saucepan.
  2. Add the onion and the garlic and stir until the onion begins to soften.
  3. Next, add the carrots and the lentils and stir for about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the wine and cook until it's almost gone.
  5. Cover with water (should be about 5 cups)
  6. Reduce the temperature and add the bouquet garni, paprika, salt and pepper. Allow to simmer about 40 minutes or until the lentils are fully cooked. Add water during the cooking time if it looks like it's getting dry.

Classic Holiday Snickerdoodle - PUBLISHED

Snickerdoodles appear to be much like peanut butter cookies in that there appears to be near universal agreement on the recipe - I did find a few dissenters, but got the impression they were just trying to be different. So I have to try out the classic recipe and see if I am a dissenter or not. In fact, I won't be the one to decide, since I am primarily making these for Ben as his contribution to our list of 'traditional' Holiday desserts. Funny thing is, they all ask for cream of tartar and baking soda in spite of the fact that baking powder is basically cream of tartar and baking soda. Granted, modern baking powder sometimes also includes corn starch. I suspect that, at some point, I will want to compare a recipe made with the cream of tartar and baking soda combination side-by-side with one made just with baking powder to assess the difference.
1 - Ok, wow. Light, flavorful, maybe a tetch sweeter than I like but not overly sweet. I changed the recipe to only coat one side of the cookie. My expert taster said they were too cinnamon-sweet, so I dialed it back and I think he was right. He also said they were the best snickerdoodles he's ever had (which was the right thing to say, whether or not he was 100% sincere, which he asserts he is). NOTE - I froze some and discovered that their texture changes and makes them a little grainy.
2 - Ben made some and left them in the oven for longer. It made for crunchy edges and a soft middle when fresh, and still made for soft cookies when cooled. 
3 - I've included info on how to place the oven rack. Very good addition.

Cookie
1 cup (8oz/225gr) butter at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsps. vanilla
2¾ cup flour
1½ tsps. cream of Tartar
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Cinnamon-Sugar Topping
¼ cup sugar (2 Tbsps.)
1½ Tbsps. cinnamon (3½ tsps.)
  1. Place oven rack in the top ⅓ of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar for 4 to 5 minutes until light and fluffy.  Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the eggs and vanilla. Cream for 1 to 2 minutes longer. 
  3. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, just until combined. 
  4. In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon. 
  5. If time allows, wrap the dough and let refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.  
  6. Roll into small balls (½ oz to 1 oz) until round and smooth. 
  7. Drop into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and roll to cover either half or the whole ball of dough. 
  8. Place on the parchment paper lined baking sheet, cinnamon sugar-coated face up, and gently flatten to a thick 1¼" disc. 
  9. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges just start to brown.  Let cool for several minutes on the baking sheet before removing from the pan. 
NOTE: Do not freeze, or freezing is not recommended - it changes the texture.

Thursday, December 3, 2020

Bifteck Haché - Testing


1 - The first serving was really just fine. I followed the recipe and it worked, but something was missing. It was, well, ground meat, and the wine sauce was fatty enough that it didn't provide a counterpoint to the earthiness of the meat. Next day, I still had two patties left, and I decided to add cheese. I opted for Cambozola and it worked! The tang of the wine was coaxed out by the blue flavor of the cheese, and it balanced the unctuous flavor of the ground beef patties. HOWEVER, I reheated the sauce in a very hot pan and it totally separated. To note, for any re-heating I'll have to do in future.
2 - An inconclusive second attempt. It may just be that I wasn't into cooking at all. There was almost no sauce, how did that happen? I only used about 2Tbsps total of the butter. Was that it? I only removed the thyme leaves, I didn't chop them, and I felt like I couldn't really taste it. Chopped may make the difference. And what the hell is "a small sprig", anyway?!? Quantify people, quantify!
I think I'm understanding the butter. Conceivably I could cook the onion in 4 Tbsps, when done drain the butter from the pan and reserve, use 1 Tbsp of that reserved butter to cook the patties, then use the remainder plus any more needed for the sauce. That sounds more reasonable (and high fat).

4+ Tbsps butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 1⁄2 lb ground beef or chuck
Leaves from 1 small sprig fresh thyme, chopped (how many tsps?!?)
1 egg, lightly beaten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (how much?!?)
1⁄2 cup flour
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
For the Sauce
1⁄2 cup red wine
Leaves from 6 sprigs parsley, chopped
Cambozola cheese
  1. Cook the onions in 4 Tbsps of the butter in a skillet over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Set aside about 2-3 Tbsps of the onion (for the sauce) and put the rest in a large bowl to cool. Drain any excess butter from the pan, leaving only 1 Tbsp to cook the patties. Measure out this melted butter and add as much fresh butter to the reserved bowl to equal 4 Tbsps to make the sauce, later.
  2. To the large bowl, after a few minutes, add the meat, thyme, egg, and salt and pepper and mix until well combined (you can use a wooden spoon but I use my hands). 
  3. Divide the mix into 6 equal parts and shape each into a 3 1⁄2" patty. 
  4. Dredge the patties in the flour, shaking off any excess, and set aside.
  5. Heat the oil and 1 Tbsp of the butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties and sear until well browned on both sides, turning once, 2-3 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer the patties to a warm platter and loosely cover with foil.
The Sauce
  1. Keep 1 Tbsp of fat in the skillet and drain away the rest. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the reserved onion and cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to brown (if it hasn't already). 
  2. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the wine, scraping up the yummy browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon. Reduced the wine by three-quarters (about 2 minutes). 
  3. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the reserved melted butter from the onion, 1 Tbsp at a time, stirring constantly, until the butter is melted and the sauce is thick and velvety, about 1 minute. Add parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. 
  4. To plate, place a slice of Cambozola on top of each patty and spoon the hot sauce over all.
NOTE on reheating - if you have any leftovers, place a skillet over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp of butter and fry the patties, turning frequently, until heated through. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool a little before putting in the cold sauce. Reheat gently while whisking constantly to avoid the wine from curdling. Spoon over the cheezy patties as before.

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

Macaroné du Poitou - Testing


1 - I opted to use weights instead of cups. I will want to also provide cup measurements. But this turned out quite nicely. I just spread it in a rough circle with a butter knife to cook it as a large cookie. It is moist and flavorful. I took the midpoint in terms of sugar, and it isn't overly sweet, but I suspect I can reduce the sugar by even more and it would still work. This is why I'm keeping this recipe in the testing phase. Otherwise, everything worked beautifully. 
2 - I tried reducing the amount of sugar again to 50gr and I now know that 100gr is just right.
3 - I tried piping and, while it made a pretty design, it seemed to deflate the egg whites. I think this is inconclusive since I mixed different almond flours.

250gr (2 1/2 cups) almond flour
150gr 100gr (? cups) sugar 
4 egg whites
Pinch of salt
Optional: 4 drops bitter almond extract
  1. Set oven temperature to 350F.
  2. Line a cookie sheet or a pie dish with parchment paper.
  3. Combine the almond flour and the sugar and set aside.
  4. Whisk the egg whites and the salt until stiff peaks form. (If using the extract, add at the end)
  5. Delicately incorporate the dry mix to the egg whites - the goal here is to avoid bursting the air bubbles in the egg whites, so do this as gently, slowly and with as few strokes as possible. Because the almond flour is heavy, despite your best efforts it will likely look like recycled cement when you're done. Don't worry.
  6. Here you have options in how to put the batter onto the parchment paper. You can smooth it in one large disc with a spatula or a butter knife, or; put it through a piping bag with a large orifice and create a wheel, or; wither format but as several smaller wheels or discs.
  7. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes (image in the first link shows how it should brown.)
  8. Allow it to cool completely before handling it.
NOTE - This is essentially a recipe for a Dacquoise. A Dacquoise is usually baked as a sheet to cut out shapes from or to build entremets cakes. 

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Escalopes Foyot - Testing

 From Monet's Table by Claire Joyes, pg 141

1 - I'm tempted to list this as a 'fail'. It was not an enjoyable meal. Bland and soggy. Having made it once, these are the changes I would try in a subsequent attempt: toast the breadcrumbs in butter first; mix together the breadcrumbs and the cheese before putting them on the chops; cook the onions until just starting to brown and deglaze with the wine to reduce it. At least. Herbs would be nice as well. I also wonder about boning the chops and removing the excess fat. Neither of us have a particular liking for loin cuts, so it may just be that I leave this one altogether.

Serves 4

1/4 + 1/4 cup butter
8 onions, thinly sliced (about 800g)
4 pork chops, about 3 lbs
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Gruyère or Parmesan cheese (about 45g)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 lemon wedges
  1. Melt first 1/4 cup of butter in a skillet and sauté the onions until softened but not browned.
  2. Preheat the oven to 325F.
  3. Place the pork chops in a shallow, greased ovenproof dish.
  4. Pile the onions on top, then sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and grated cheese.
  5. Pour the white wine into the bottom of the dish.
  6. Cut the rest of the butter into pieces and dot over the mixture.
  7. Season with salt and pepper.
  8. Bake the pork chops for 45 minutes or until the tops are golden and the internal temperature reaches 145°F. All to settle 10 minutes before serving.
  9. Serve garnished with lemon wedges.

Monday, November 30, 2020

Omelette Auvergnate - Test 1

From The Country Cooking of France by Anne Willan, pg 45

1 - Oh, Anne! Such a simple dish, and yet complicated for no apparent reason. I should know by now to compare her recipes to others. The amount of ham was way off, and the cooking instructions bizarre. I decided to go with my tried-and-true omelette instructions to try, next time.
2 - Made it with the revised ratios. Generally it was good, yet it lacked salt and 14oz of ham is just too much, so on the fly I reduced it to 8 oz. It turns into a bit of a dry dish, to which the solution may be to pair it with a succulent side-dish... but what? It is an omelette in the sense that it is vegetable and meat held together by egg and cooked in a pan, but the egg is in no way the feature of the dish, essentially filling in the spaces between the potato and ham. One fun discovery was using the liquid egg to lift the fond of potato in the stainless steel skillet. Then I checked actual recipes from the Auvergne, and the amount of potato and ham to egg is totally different and much, much less. So I made some changes and will try this version next time.
3 - Much improved. The quantity of ham and potato to egg is working just fine. I think the only thing, currently, is to balance the salt. I have reduced the quantity from 1tsp to 1/2tsp.
4 - It's a bit plain, but nonetheless very good in my mind. 

8 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 Tbsps lard or vegetable oil
1 1/2 (5-10oz) potato, peeled and diced
400gr/14 3 oz ham, thin slice and finely diced
OPTIONAL 2 Tbsps crème fraîche
2/3 cup/75 g/3oz, Gruyère or Cantal cheese
  1. Whisk eggs with salt and pepper until frothy. Set aside.
  2. Heat the oil, then add the potatoes, and fry until tender and browned. Don't worry if a fond develops.
  3. Reduce the temperature to med-low, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the ham to warm it up.
  4. In the cooled pan, pour in the eggs and stir. If there is a fond, use the liquid egg to lift and dissolve the potato fond. The egg will start to cook, so do this as quickly as you can to allow for lots of liquid egg to set once you've loosed the fond. Spread the ingredients evenly and allow the egg to set. As the egg cooks, lift the edges and tilt the pan to let uncooked egg get underneath.
  5. With the oven rack in the middle position, turn on the broiler to heat up (or use a salamander if you're so lucky to have one).
  6. If using the crème fraîche, evenly spread over when the egg in the pan is jiggly. Evenly sprinkle the cheese. 
  7. Slip the pan into the oven to broil. When the egg is set and the edges puff up a little, take it out of the oven, plate-up and serve as you will.
  8. Good hot or at room temperature.

Friday, November 27, 2020

Velouté aux lentilles et citrouille - Testing?


1 - When I picked this recipe I did not realize it was to make baby food! It is very bland, but also seems like a good canvas to paint some more interesting flavors across.

? 60 g French lentils
? 260g winter squash/pumpkin
? chicken or vegetable broth
? 1 tsp crème fraîche (doesn't seem enough)
3/4 tsp curry powder
Salt, to taste
Fine olive oil
  1. Peel and cube the squash.
  2. Cook in the broth with the lentils for 30-40 minutes, or until the lentils are perfectly cooked.
  3. Purée with the cream and curry powder and a good pinch of salt.
  4. Serve, drizzled with a tsp of olive oil.

Warm ham and lentil salad - Test 1


1 - It's good with a healthy slice of buttered bread, but something is missing, and I think it's 'tang', which could be achieved with a vinaigrette, which I am adding.
2 - I thought this second iteration with the vinaigrette was better, but Ben still felt that it lacked a certain 'je ne sais quoi'. I suspect it just needs to actually be served on a bed of lettuce.
3 - Yup, it really needs to be served on a bed of lettuce. :)

2/3 cup French lentils
1 1/2 cups chicken or pork bone broth
1 bouquet garni of thyme, parsley and celery or lovage
1/4 cup olive oil
3-4 tsps red wine vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
6 oz mushrooms, cubed
1-2 carrot, cubed
6 oz ham slice (1/4" thick) cut into cubes
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove
Salt and pepper
1-2 tsps Dijon mustard
Crisp lettuce leaves.
  1. In a saucepan, cook the lentils in the broth with the bouquet garni until cooked through, about 30-40 minutes.
  2. Prepare the vinaigrette. In a small bowl whisk together (or put in a small jar with a tight lid and shake vigorously) the 1/4 cup of oil, the vinegar and the dijon and set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, in a high-sided fry pan dry sauté the onion, carrot, mushrooms and ham cubes until liquid has evaporated and it's starting to brown.
  4. Add garlic and a healthy pinch each of salt and pepper to taste. Stir for about 1 minute or until the garlic starts to colour. If the lentils aren't cooked, set aside.
  5. When the lentils are perfectly cooked, mix in half the ham mixture and stir in the mustard. Re-heat the rest if necessary.
  6. Serve on fresh lettuce leaves with the remaining, re-heated ham mixture served on top and drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Monday, November 23, 2020

Steak braised in red wine - Testing

1 - I thought I was thawing t-bone steak, but only once I put it in the pan to sear did I realize is was sirloin steak - what tipped be off was the there was no bone! Well, apparently it's a good braising meat, so let's give it a go. I did halve the recipe, and halved, it reaches the right level of braising liquid in the pot. Woops, and I forgot the garlic.
 
1 popcorn kernel
1 Tbsp fat (butter, lard, oil)
1.5-2-3 lbs t-bone, sirloin or cowboy steaks
1 1/2 cup red wine
1 1/2 cup beef broth
1 Tbsp (try 1/4  cup?) 1 cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 1 cloves garlic, minced
2 1 Tbsps oregano
2 1 Tbsps basil 
A pinch each of: paprika, crumbled rosemary, thyme, pepper
A generous pinch of salt
1 onion, quartered
3 medium  1 large carrots in chunks
2 1 stick celery in chunks
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. Heat the oil over medium-high flame in an oven-ready pan (with a lid to use later), and plop the popcorn kernel in the middle. When the popcorn pops, remove the kernel and you're ready to sear.
  3. Sear the steak until very dark brown, on both sides, about 4 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, mix together the braising liquid: wine, broth, W. sauce, garlic, oregano, basil, paprika, rosemary, thyme, pepper.
  5. Once the steak is properly seared, remove from the heat and add the vegetables, followed by the braising liquid - NOTE the liquid should come up to a little over half-way up the thickness of the meat. 
  6. Cover and bake in the oven for 2 1/2 hours.
  7. After this time, remove it from the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes before serving.

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Beef cuts for stewing or braising

Tough yet lean beef makes the best beef stew and braised dishes. The long cooking time at low temperatures breaks down the connective tissues for melt-in-your-mouth tender, fall-off-the-bone delicious dishes. 

Look for lean cuts like chuck, chuck arm, bottom round, shoulder, short rib, sirloin cuts, rump, t-bone steak,  or stewing beef, eye of the round (eye round roast)

The polar opposite of beef that requires slow, low temp cooking are eye of round, sirloin, striploin and tenderloin; the longer you cook 'em, the tougher they get.

Here's a handy guide to different names for lean beef cuts.

Monday, November 16, 2020

Sweetened Condensed Milk - Test 1

 
1 - I made condensed milk to make my dad's pumpkin pie before, and it worked wonderfully, but I never wrote down the recipe. I want to make the pie, again, and figured I might as well formalize my discovery and record it.
2 - I'm lining up to make the pumpkin pie again. From my memory, it worked a treat. This time I tried making it in the slow cooker. It took waaaaay longer than 2 hours, and I left it on High, but it worked, and only towards the end did it develop a skin. To be fair, I doubled the recipe, and yet, none of the markers quite lined up. I'll double the written recipe and make adjustments for the slow cooker instructions.

4 2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 3/4 cups sugar (granulated or cane, honey, or maple syrup)
  1. Dump the ingredients in a slow cooker/crock pot and turn on High until the milk starts to steam, stirring occasionally until the sweetener dissolves.
  2. Remove the lid and turn down to Low, and cook for about 2 6 hours, stirring every 15 minutes to avoid developing the 'skin' on the surface of the milk. occasionally, especially in the last hour.
  3. There should be 1 cup There should be half the volume of milk left when all is done, so about 2 cups.
OR 
  1. If using the stove-top, stir the milk and sugar constantly and bring to a slow boil while on Medium-Low heat.
  2. Whisk occasionally until the condensed milk is 2 cup.

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Jambon Persillé (ham in aspic) - Testing

Country Cooking of France by Ann Willan, pg 177

1 - This generally worked, but the format seems to be chunks of ham, which I did, and it was impossible to cut it. Should we be able to cut it in slices or is it eaten all falling apart? Anyway, it was unsightly and difficult to eat like this. So I melted it all down again and ground the ham and reassembled it and it was attractive and easy to eat. I will want to play with the flavoring at some point, but just getting the technique right is more important at this point.
 
4 pounds pork trotters about 4-5lbs pig feet
2 celery stalks
1 large onion
2 bay leaves
2 or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tsps peppercorns
1 bottle (750 mL) white wine (pref. Chardonnay)
As much broth as necessary
1 large carrot
2 garlic cloves
1 lrg bunch parsley (2 oz or 60g), leaves separated from stems
2 cups (or 2 lbs?) boiled ham, ground
  1. In a slow cooker, place the pigs' feet, celery, onion, bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns. Add the wine and as much broth as needed to cover. 
  2. Turn the slow cooker on high and bring to a boiling point. When it reaches a gentle simmer, add the carrot, the stripped parsley stems and 2 whole garlic cloves and reduce to the lowest possible setting and cook for 8 hours (I left this overnight and processed it in the morning).
  3. Taste the aspic and adjust the seasoning.
  4. Divide the ham between the containers you've chosen, pulling it apart, removing any trace of fat or sinew - using your fingers allows to preserve more meat than if you cut this stuff away with a knife.
  5. Double strain the broth into a large bowl making sure you’re left with very clear, clean golden liquid. Discard pork trotters and veggies as you would when making bone broth (chickens, compost, or if you have no other alternative the trash). 
  6. I use small loaf-shaped tins and pour in enough of the aspic to cover the bottom, about 1/4 cup and allow it to set. I've read that it's best to let it set at room temperature, which can take a long time, but you can also just put it in the refrigerator and it take about a half hour. 
  7. Meanwhile, place the parsley leaves in a bowl and pour over boiling water to set the colour and leave them to cool.
  8. Into the rest of the liquid throw in the ground ham, the carrot and the cooled parsley leaves.
  9. Set aspic in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
  10. It’s best served with rye bread and Dijon mustard. And cheese isn't bad with it, either.

                Saturday, November 7, 2020

                Croque Monsieur - PUBLISHED


                1 - Just yum.
                2 - Again, a simple and wholehearted yum. I could try to increase the amount of béchamel I put on the sandwich; I'm just afraid it'll glop out too much while eating the sandwich.
                3 - Just lovely. I discovered that, if I put the oven rack at the highest setting, I don't have to broil the top to get it to melt. Adding this to the recipe.

                BÉCHAMEL
                2 Tbsps butter (28gr)
                3 Tbsps flour
                1 cup milk
                1 tsp dijon mustard
                ½ tsp salt
                ¼ tsp pepper
                ASSEMBLY
                8 thin slices of bread (Commons or Sourdough Boule)
                8 thin slices of cooked ham (about 6oz)
                2+2 oz. Gruyère, grated
                1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
                1 tsp herbes de Provence
                1. Make the béchamel sauce first by melting the butter, and then whisking in the flour, whisking continuously until the mixture starts to turn golden. Note, this usually makes almost exactly twice as much as I need, but I refrigerate the rest to make more sandwiches, later.
                2. Stream in the cream, whisking constantly. Add the dijon, salt and pepper.
                3. Whisk until the sauce starts to thicken; it will become quite thick.
                4. Meanwhile, with the oven rack at the highest level, pre-heat the oven to 425 450F. While the oven is heating up, place the bread on a baking sheet and toast it in the increasing heat, flipping the pieces to lightly toast both sides.
                5. To assemble, divide all the ingredients into 4 portions of each item.
                6. Spread the béchamel evenly on the bottom piece of toast, going from edge-to-edge and put on the baking sheet.
                7. On top of the béchamel place the ham, top with half the grated Gruyère, then place the other piece of toast on top, pressing down firmly. 
                8. Mix together the second half of the Gruyère with the Parmesan and herbes de Provence. Top the closed sandwiches with this mixture as the final flourish.
                9. Bake in the oven for about 6 minutes or until the cheese inside is melted; the position of the rack should provide sufficient radiant heat to melt the cheese on top as well. If not, your oven is different than mine, so keep the rack in the middle position and after the 6 minutes, broil the top to melt the cheese. d, then turn to Broil until the cheese on top is melted and starts to turn a light golden.
                VARIATION - A 'Croque Madame' is a Croque Monsieur but with a fried egg, sunny-side-up, placed on top.

                Matafan de courge au jambon - Testing

                 Madeleine Kamman's Savoie, pg 204

                This looks very much like the Pescajoune from the Languedoc region. There are loads of variations in Kamman's book, but given that it is autumn and we have far more hams from our first crop of pork than we know what to do with, this is where I'm starting.
                1 - Not at all like the Pescajoune. A really interesting light and fluffy pancake, not at all like a tough flapjack. It was challenging. I made it with Queensland Blue pumpkin and it was good. The pancakes are pretty delicate, so it's super important to have very thin and pliable slices of ham otherwise the pancakes just tear. And there isn't enough sauce. The boys (Ben and Paz) really liked the sauce, and I agree, there wasn't enough of it, so I'm making a few adjustments.
                2 - Decided to try making just one huge pancake. It worked out pretty well, more like a stove-top souffle than a pancake. It was surprisingly filling, so I'd say it's a meal for 4 people. I'm uncertain about the format, still. I will try pancakes again, taking note to cut the ham quite thin.
                3 - I composed another version of the recipe as a single cake. I quite like it, but it requires some refinement. For one, it acts a lot like a souffle and I don't have a fry pan deep enough to prevent it from sticking to the lid, which means that the top doesn't cook, and when I need to flip it the batter sticks to the plate and it gets all messy. I've been using a 10" pan, maybe I need to use a wider one? Or do I make it in one of my big soup pots? No, that has 'burn' written all over it. Ok, it's the wider pan, then. If that doesn't work, then it's either buy a deeper 10" pan or reduce the volume of ingredients for a smaller dish.

                For 4 people

                4 Tbsps melted butter
                2/3 cup cold mashed winter squash (pumpkin in Kamman's book)
                2/3 cup flour
                6 eggs, separated
                3/4 - 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 Tbsp vinegar with milk to make 3/4 - 1 cup liquid)
                1/2 tsp salt
                6 VERY thin slices baked ham
                1/2 cup heavy cream
                1/2 1  cup grated Gruyère cheese
                Pepper to taste
                Pinch of nutmeg (1/4 tsp?)

                VERSION 1 - Individual cakes:
                1. Melt the butter and let cool a bit before adding it to the ingredients below.
                2. Combine the squash, the egg yolks, the buttermilk, the butter and the salt.
                3. In a large bowl, place the flour and make a deep well in the middle. Pour in the liquid and mix just until combined - mixing too much will make a tougher cake. Set aside.
                4. Whip the egg whites only to the soft peak stage and gently fold them into the batter.
                5. To cook, place a 8" + pan on the stove at medium heat and let heat up about 5 minutes.
                6. Add a pat of butter to melt, then a ladleful of batter and spread to a thickness of 1/4". The cakes cook pretty quickly and burn easily. If they start to burn before 2 minutes, lower the temperature.
                7. As the cakes cook, start the fondue sauce.
                8. Allow the cake to brown before flipping, about 2 minutes per side.
                9. Once cooked, lay a slice of ham on top and roll each cake. The cakes are very delicate, and the thinner the slices the better. I don't yet know if uniform large slices are better than smaller ones to roll up like a roman blind. Set aside in a warm oven to keep hot.
                10. In a saucepan, heat the cream for the sauce. Allow to very slowly simmer until it starts to thicken, about 10 minutes.
                11. Add the cheese, pepper and nutmeg.
                12. When the cakes are all cooked and rolled, spoon the fondue evenly over each cake and serve hot.
                VERSION 2 One Big Family cake: 
                1. Melt the butter and let cool a bit.
                2. Combine the squash, the egg yolks, the buttermilk, and when it has cooled enough, the butter and the salt.
                3. In a large bowl, place the flour and make a deep well in the middle. Pour in the liquid and mix just until combined - mixing too much will make a tougher cake. Set aside and allow to rest for at least an hour.
                4. Whip the egg whites only to the soft peak stage and gently fold them into the batter.
                5. To cook, place an 8" + pan (with a lid) on the stove at medium heat and let heat up a couple minutes.
                6. Reduce the temperate to medium low-to-low. Add a pat of butter to melt, then pour in the batter. Replace the lid. The cake cooks pretty quickly and burns easily, so adjust the temperature if you feel like it's cooking too quickly.
                7. As the cake cooks, start the fondue sauce.
                8. Allow the cake to brown before flipping.
                9. Once the underside is browned, flip the plate on top of the pancake, hold firm with your hand, grab the handle of the pan and flip the pancake onto the plate. Set the pan back on the stove-top and arrange the ham slices on the bottom. Slide the pancake back into the pan on top of the ham to finish cooking, just enough to lightly brown.
                10. In a saucepan, heat the cream for the sauce. Allow to very slowly simmer until it starts to thicken, about 10 minutes.
                11. Add the cheese, pepper and nutmeg.
                12. When the cake is cooked, turn it onto a plate with the ham slices up, spoon the fondue over it and serve hot.

                Wednesday, November 4, 2020

                Crispy Sesame Pork Salad - Testing

                 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a31838/crispy-sesame-pork-recipe-2-ghk0415/

                1 - Can't remember exactly but I made this a while back and I'm pretty sure we liked it. In wanting to cook locally, I don't yet know if I could make soy sauce, but I have learned that sesame can be grown here.

                3 tbsp. soy sauce
                2 tbsp. brown sugar
                1/3 c. panko bread crumbs
                2 tbsp. sesame seeds
                1 egg
                4 thin boneless pork chops (about 1 pound)
                3 tbsp. canola oil
                5 oz. salad greens
                1 c. grape tomatoes, halved
                1 c. shredded carrots
                1. In a small saucepan, whisk together soy sauce and brown sugar. Heat to simmering on medium. Simmer for 2 minutes; cool.
                2. On a medium plate, combine panko and sesame seeds. In a shallow bowl, beat 1 egg. Dip pork chops in egg, then coat in panko mixture.
                3. In a 12-inch skillet, heat canola oil on medium-high until hot. Fry chops 3 minutes per side or until cooked (145 degrees F). Drain on paper towels; cut into cubes.
                4. In a large bowl, toss salad greens with grape tomatoes, carrots, and pork with soy reduction.

                Monday, November 2, 2020

                Winter Squash and Bacon Pasta - Test 1


                1 - I  made this with the bacon ends from our first crop of pork. The butcher did a good job at the smoking! On the whole, the recipe is good, but the link between the bacon and the squash is pretty weak. For next time, I have increased the sage and nutmeg and added hot pepper powder.
                2 - Yup, that worked. I removed the butternut as the only option, and used a Burgess Buttercup instead, with the changes in the spicing, and it worked well. There is lots of sauce, so I changed the amount of pasta from 14oz to 1lb. Seems to be a winner, but still testing.
                3 - Made again with Burgess buttercup. I will want to try it with other squashes, but I'm equally happy to favor the Burgess. I also used a smaller quantity of squash - my squash was small and I didn't want to have to commit to a bit of another and have to figure out what to make with the rest at a later date. And I thought, what if I only had one squash? So I thought working out a range of quantity for the squash would be a good idea. It worked out just fine, but what it revealed was more spiciness from the cayenne - I thought it was a bit too spicy, but Ben and Paz both were fine with it. Since I want to build in flexibility, I will also include a 'to taste' option for the cayenne.

                6 slices (6 oz) bacon, chopped
                1 2 Tbsps 7 leaves finely chopped fresh sage
                1 small yellow onion chopped (1 heaping cup)
                1 (1 1/4lb to 1 3/4lb) sweet winter squash (like Burgess or even pumpkin), peeled, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
                Salt and freshly ground black pepper
                3 cloves garlic, minced
                1 (14.5 oz) can low-sodium chicken broth
                1 generous pinch ground nutmeg
                1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste
                1/4 cup heavy cream (or half and half for a lighter option)
                1 lb dry linguine or spaghetti
                1/3 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
                1. Cook bacon in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat (reducing heat slightly if needed) until browned and crisp, add sage and toss to coat in drippings. 
                2. Remove bacon and sage from skillet while leaving 2 Tbsps rendered bacon fat in skillet, remove bacon and sage and set aside.
                3. Add onions to drippings in skillet and sauté over medium-high heat 2 minutes, then add squash, season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally 7 minutes (onions should be beginning to brown lightly). 
                4. Add in garlic and cook, tossing occasionally, 2 minutes longer. Pour in chicken broth, sprinkle in nutmeg and cayenne and bring to a boil then reduce heat and allow to simmer until broth has reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
                5. Meanwhile, cook linguine to al dente in a large pot of salted water according to directions on package (ideally time it so pasta finishes cooking nearly the same time as the sauce is finished in the next step below). Drain and reserve 1 cup pasta water.
                6. Let simmered squash mixture cool for a few minutes then transfer mixture to a blender (reserve skillet) and add cream to blender*, cover with lid then remove lids center insert. While holding a folded kitchen towel over lid blend mixture until smooth.
                7. In reserved skillet combined drained pasta, pureed squash mixture, and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water. 
                8. Cook over medium heat, tossing and adding in more pasta water to thin as needed, until sauce coats pasta, about 2 minutes. 
                9. Toss in 1/3 cup parmesan, season with salt and pepper to taste. Plate and serve pasta topped with parmesan, bacon, sage and more pepper.

                Rendering Lard - Testing


                Rendering pork lard is easy, yet requires a lot of attention. Ideally lard, when cool, should be perfectly white. Any colouring means that it has been over heated and takes on a roasted flavor which is in fact a little acrid.

                I'm still learning about the different types of lard. Pictured above is Leaf Lard or Flead, the best type of lard to make pie crusts.

                I've used other types of lard, so far, instead of oil in starting stews and soups etc, and also in make Egg and Chips. I haven't actually made pastry out of the leaf lard yet.

                So far my process has been to cut up the lard into pieces and cook on low in a slow cooker. I've been most successful at getting white lard when I drain the lard before it looks done - the longer I leave it, the more roasted it becomes. 

                Pickled Onions - Untested


                8 cups peeled pearl onions
                5 1/2 cups pickling vinegar
                1 cup water
                2 tsp salt (optional)
                2 cups sugar
                8 tsp pickling spice
                1. Prepare jars for canning by washing them and then setting in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes to sterilize.
                2. Place canning seals in a shallow bowl; cover with hot water. Replace water as needed, if water cools too much.
                3. Put a large pot water on to boil.
                4. Prepare onions by removing loose wrappers. Then set in a colander and place into simmering water for 5 minutes.
                5. Plunge onions into cold water and then peel. Measure out 8 cups onion.
                6. Combine vinegar, water, salt and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.
                7. Add spices to empty jars.
                8. Add pickles to the jars, put on the seal and canning ring (fingertip tight)
                9. Place jars in the water bath canner, bring to a boil and let boil for 15 minutes.
                10. Remove canning jars and place on the counter where they can stay for 24 hours without being moved.

                Monday, October 19, 2020

                Apple Butter/Apple Cheese - Testing

                1 - Jam making is my bugbear! I tried to get it to get even just to the soft ball stage, and it was boiling so hard it kept splashing onto me and for a large area all around. Hot! It may be that I reduced the the apple mash too much by cooking it in the slow cooker. So the resulting mash was very gloppy, more so than if it was just apple sauce. I also reduced the amount of sugar by 1/4, hoping that it would jam enough, but since I wasn't able to get it up to temperature, I can't use this batch to determine if it works or not. Argh.
                2 - Ok, I think I've got it. I can use a candy thermometer. For the gelling stage, it's 220F, for the soft ball stage it's 235-245F.

                Apples (as many as you have on hand)
                1lb sugar x pint of pulp
                1 clove x 4 pints of pulp

                Step 1
                As many apples as you have
                1. Wash apples and cut through the middle by laying it on its side to reveal the star inside.
                2. Pop the cut apples in a large pot (stock pot or preserving pan) and add a little water or apple cider. Cook over low heat until the apples are a soft mush.
                3. Press the mush through a coarse sieve or food mill until all that's left are the skins, the tough bits of the core and pips (it's good if some pips burst and the white insides go into the pulp - it shows that the mush has been cooked enough).
                4. Measure the pulp and continue to the next step.
                Step 2
                For every kg of Apple mush
                1 kg 750 gr of sugar 
                1 clove per ? (4 pints of pulp)
                1. Put the apple mush in a large pot, so that only half the pot is filled.
                2. Heat over low heat, and stir in the sugar. Continue stirring until the sugar dissolves and boil until the mixture stiffens and coats the back of a spoon. 
                  1. For apple butter, cook until, on a candy thermometer it will be the soft ball stage.
                  2. For apple cheese, on a candy thermometer it will be at the hard ball stage.
                3. Pack into sterilized jars and process in a water bath for 20 minutes. The flavour will improve with age.
                4. Serving suggestions in the original text, below. 

                "In its stiffest form this was sometimes called apple cheese. Then it was almost candied, and turned out as a dessert dish, at Christmas, apple cheese was set at one end of the table, amber golden, and garnished with hazel nuts and whipped cream, and Damson cheese, ruby dark, garnished with white almonds, and with port wine poured over, at the other end of the table. It was made in all country houses at windfall apple time. The best was made of all one type of apple, but mixed apples, of all sorts, with a quince or two, made a delectable apple butter.

                "Take all the windfall apples, wash them, but do not peel or core, and cut them across the core so as to cut through the pips - this is important for the flavour. Put into a deep preserving pan, start with a cup of cider or water, and cook slowly, covered closely, till all are a soft mush. Now press it through a coarse sieve; if sufficiently cooked, you will see the small white kernels of the pips going through the sieve with the apple pulp; nothing should be left in the sieve but the peels, and empty cores, and pips. Measure the pulp and add 1lb of sugar for each pint of pulp, and 1 clove to each 4 pints. Stir sugar into the pulp till dissolved, and cook slowly till clear, then boil till the stiff mixture coats the back of the spoon with golden gum.

                "Pot into wide-mouthed jars and tie down. It improves with keeping up to a year. It should turn out firmly, with a very slight crystallising on the crust, but mellow, soft amber juice within."