Cassoulet Facile - Untested

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/easy-cassoulet-recipe-5217552

https://www.theseasonedmom.com/easy-cassoulet-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-84739

4 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 sweet Italian pork sausages (about 12 ounces)

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 (14.5-ounce) cans great northern or navy beans

1 small handful fresh thyme, tied together with kitchen twine

1 1/2 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

Baguette, for serving

Method

Cook the bacon:

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon for 3 to 4 minutes stirring frequently, until it renders much of its fat but is not yet crisp. Transfer the bacon to a large plate.

Bacon cooking in skillet.

Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

Prep the chicken and sausages:

Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and season both sides with salt and black pepper. Prick each sausage with the tip of a paring knife in a couple of places. This will prevent them from bursting as they cook. 

Cook the chicken and sausages:

In the same skillet used to cook the bacon, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat it over medium-high heat. No need to drain out the bacon grease. Add the chicken, skin side-down, and the sausages. You may need to do this in batches if the skillet is not large enough. Cook the meat until golden brown on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer them to the plate with the bacon one by one as they look ready.

Chicken thighs and Italian sausages cooking in skillet.

Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

Cook the onions and garlic:

Pour off and discard all but a thin layer of fat from the skillet. Return the skillet to the stove over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onions soften.

Assemble the cassoulet: 

Transfer the cooked onions and garlic into a large (at least 4-quart) Dutch oven. Stir in the tomatoes, beans with their liquid, and thyme sprigs. Nestle in the bacon, chicken thighs, and sausages.

Bring the cassoulet to a simmer over medium heat. Adjust the heat to a steady simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes, until the chicken and sausages are cooked through. The chicken should measure 165ºF when an instant read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the meat.

Dutch oven with all of the cassoulet ingredients pre-cook.

Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

Turn on the broiler:

Set a rack about 8 inches from the broiler element and turn on the broiler.

Make the breadcrumbs: 

In a small bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and parsley.

Remove and discard the thyme sprigs from the cassoulet. Evenly sprinkle in the breadcrumbs and place the Dutch oven into the oven to broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until the top browns. Watch it carefully—this only takes a minute or two. Remove the cassoulet from the oven and sprinkle in more parsley, if you’d like.

Ladle some beans into 4 shallow bowls. Top each bowl with a sausage and a chicken thigh. Serve with a baguette on the side and a large spoon to scoop up all the delicious juices. 

Classic Coconut Macaroons - Test 1

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/first-place-coconut-macaroons/

I have come into the possession of a large bag of sweetened shredded coconut. Since I am committed to base my recipes on ingredients that we can grow I have more or less eschewed coconut as a cooking staple. But here I am with quite a lot to use. And I know my darling likes coconut macaroons. Most recipes ask for sweetened condensed milk, except this one. I like its simplicity, although I may decide to dip some of my macaroons in chocolate ganache.

1 - Even before baking this, I changed it. The recipe wants 1 tsp sized macaroons and that seemed silly. So I made a few of those, then some 1/2Tbsp, then 1 Tbsp and finally 2Tbsps. sized. Visually, my preferred ones are the 2 Tbsps.

2 - Tried reducing the amount of sugar a quarter cup. I feel like the results are inconclusive. They were not as crispy but that may be because I didn't take the time to check and leave them a bit longer. I have to check with my compatriots but I also felt like the flavor was not as pronounced.

3 - Yup, this is just the way it's supposed to be. I made it for a catering thing and one person said it was like "biting into a cloud".

4 - This worked out well but I made 2 batches. The first batch, there was too much egg white and it pooled around the macaroons which was unattractive. I suspect the egg whites were too big and it created too much liquid. I consulted the Great Google and an average egg white is 30g, so I started over and only used 60g (2 egg whites) and it worked!

MAKES about 15 cookies

2 large (max 60gr) egg whites, room temperature

⅛ tsp salt

½ tsp vanilla extract

⅓ cup sugar

1⅓ cups (146g) sweetened shredded coconut

2 Tbsps. flour

1. Preheat oven to 325°. 
2. In a small bowl roughly whisk the egg whites with the salt, vanilla and sugar. 
3. Add the coconut and flour and mix until combined; mix well.
4. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls Tablespoons-full onto greased baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 18-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Three Cheese and Wheat Berry Spinach Pie - Untested

https://www.bakingobsession.com/2009/01/11/three-cheese-and-wheat-berry-spinach-pie/

Makes one 9-inch pie, about 12 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup wheat berries (usually available in bulk at natural/ health food section), soaked in cold water overnight

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

10 oz spinach (fresh of frozen), steamed or cooked in salted water, drained, cooled, squeezed dry

½ cup fresh flat- leaf Italian parsley, chopped

30 oz whole milk ricotta cheese (if you are making a crust for this pie, the ricotta has to be drained overnight in a cheese cloth-lined sieve; otherwise – it’s not necessary )

3 oz smoked mozzarella, grated

2 oz Pecorino Romano (use Parmesan if the sheep milk cheese is not your thing ), grated, plus a bit more for the top of the pie

2 large eggs, lightly whisked

2 large egg yolks, lightly whisked

1 heaped tsp kosher salt

1 scant tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg

About a tbsp melted butter and around ¼ cup dry bread crumbs for coating a pan

1. Preparation:
2. 
   
3. Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 375F. Generously butter a 9-inch springform pan and coat the sides and the bottom with the dry bread crumbs. Set aside.
4. 
   
5. Cook the wheat berries in salted water until tender, for about 20 minutes. Rinse under cold water, drain well, and transfer to a large bowl.
6. 
   
7. In a skillet, over medium heat, sauté the onions in the olive oil and butter until the onions are soft and golden. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute, stirring. Cool slightly, transfer to the bowl with the wheat berries. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to thoroughly combine. Transfer the mixture into the prepared springform pan, smooth the top. Sprinkle a little bit of extra grated cheese over the top. Place the springform pan onto a shallow baking/ cookie sheet and slide into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes until set, then turn the oven off and turn the broil on. Broil for a couple of minutes until the top is nicely brown. Transfer the pie to a rack, cool for 10 minutes. Then unmold. Serve warm.

Luganega Sausage - Testing

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/homemade-luganega-sausages-375160

1 - I'm kind of cheating with this recipe since I only took the first one I found. Really, I would prefer to Frankenstein it. I've not made the first batch like I was supposed to so this is Untested and any conclusions are invalid.

1 Tablespoons, 1 Teaspoons (1/2 Cup) Dry White Wine

1 Each (6) Fresh Or Dried Bay Leaves

1 Each (6) Cloves Garlic, Peeled

1 Pounds (6 Pounds) Pork

3/4 Teaspoons (1 1/2 Tablespoons) Salt

1 Dashes (1 Teaspoon) Freshly Cracked Pepper

1 Dashes (1/2 Teaspoon) Ground Allspice

1. Pour the wine over the bay leaves in a small bowl. Whack the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and toss them into the bowl. Let steep at room temperature for about 2 hours.
2. Grind the pork directly into a bowl, using a disc with holes about 3/16 inch in diameter. 
3. Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and allspice over the meat. 
4. Fish the garlic and bay leaves out of the wine, wrap them in cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel, and dunk the package in the wine. 
5. Squeeze the cheesecloth package over the meat in the bowl. 
6. Repeat until you have used up the remaining wine. The flavor of the garlic and bay leaves should permeate the meat. 
7. Toss everything together thoroughly. 
8. Cover the bowl and let rest in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.

Mooli ka saag (Radish leaf saag) - Untested

https://www.funfoodfrolic.com/mooli-ke-patton-ka-saag/#recipe

https://mildlyindian.com/mooli-ki-saag-radish-leaves-braised/

https://dishesandflavors.com/mooli-ka-saag/

500 gm radish leaves (maybe 1/3 is spinach or chard)

1 tsp ginger (finely chopped)

1 tsp garlic (finely chopped)

1-2 green chili (chopped)

Salt as per taste

2 Tbsp mustard oil

1 medium size radish (finely chopped)

A pinch of Asafoetida (hing)

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1-2 dry red chili (broken)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder (optional)

1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder

1. First of all chop off the hard stems from all the leafy vegetables no need to remove the soft tender stems.
2. Then wash the greens in enough water 2-3 times to remove all the mud and dirt. I usually let leafy greens to sit in water for 5-7 minutes so that all the dirt settles down then water it. Drain excess water.
3. Now finely chop mooli ka saag (radish leaves) along with 1 medium size radish.
4. Heat 2 tablespoon mustard oil in a heavy bottomed pan or a kadai on medium heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1-2 dry red chili and a pinch of Asafoetida. Allow it to crackle.
5. To that add finely chopped garlic, ginger and green chili. Saute it for 1-2 minutes.
6. Now lower the flame and add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder. Mix it.
7. After a few seconds, add the chopped mooli ka saag (radish leaves) along with chopped radish.
8. Stir all the ingredients well. Increase the flame to medium and let it cook. You can lightly cover the Kadai with lid. Do not completely cover otherwise, it will lose its bright color.
9. Once the saag is half done add salt as per taste. Keep stirring in between to make sure they get cooked evenly and the liquids gets evaporate.
10. When it gets cooked and it looks dry, turn off the flame. (you can make it more crispy if you want by frying it for some more time).
11. Mooli Ka Saag is ready. Serve it with roti, paratha, dal or rice.

Tips:

Wash the greens in enough water 2-3 times to remove all the mud and dirt.

Do not cover the pan otherwise, it will lose its bright color.

Try to chop radish leaves as fine as possible.

You may also add spinach leaves along with radish leaves.

Finely chopped potatoes can also be added in this recipe.

Adjust spices as per your choice, usually this recipe is prepared with very few spices and it tastes simple.

Blueberry Cornmeal Skillet Cake - Untested

I am quite honestly too tired at the moment to actually make the comparison, but apart from the fruit how different is this recipe from my own cornbread?

½ cup butter softened

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup cornmeal

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

⅓ cup honey

½ cup yogurt or sour cream

2 cups blueberries fresh or frozen

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat a 10″ cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt. Brush it up the sides and then pour the rest into a large bowl.
3. Add the sugar to the butter and cream it together.
4. Add the eggs, yogurt (or sour cream), honey, and vanilla.
5. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda together.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently stir until just combined.
7. Pour the batter into the skillet and sprinkle the berries over the top.
8. Bake the cake for 30 minutes and then cover it with foil. Continue baking for 10-15 minutes until it passes the toothpick test.
9. Notes
10. You could also use blackberries, raspberries, sliced strawberries, or a combination of berries instead!

This recipe was adapted from the Blueberry Cornmeal Skillet Cake recipe in the book “Cake Stand: Fresh From the Market Farmstead Cakes” by Quinn Veon.