Turnip Curry, Shalgam Masala - Untested

https://www.diasporaco.com/blogs/recipes/romys-shalgam-bharta-turnip-curry?srsltid=AfmBOoqzYSoCdmNVYsZ5bKGgiDRkhOI7ye1sgwDAxoNcI6FEEKezHaj4

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/245730/spiced-turnips-shalgam-masala/

https://sindhirasoi.com/2010/09/my-favorite-turnips-and-a-request/

500g (1lb 2oz) turnips, peeled and cut into quarters

40g (1 ½ oz) ginger root, peeled and grated (shredded)

10 large garlic cloves, peeled and grated (shredded)

2 tsps. turmeric

1 ½ tsps. salt

2 Tbsps. + 2 tsps. melted ghee

1 tsp red chilli flakes (pref Guntur Sannam Chilli)

1 tsp cumin seed

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander 

3 tsp cornmeal (polenta)

TO SERVE

Roti

1. Place the turnips in a large saucepan along with half the ginger, the garlic, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 litres (70 fl oz/8 cups) water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the turnips are soft and the water has reduced, around 40 minutes. Drain away the water, mash the turnips and set aside.
2. Heat half the ghee in a frying pan (skillet) and add the cumin seeds and the remaining ginger. Cook for 1 minute, then add the remaining salt and turmeric, plus the chilli powder and spices. Mix well. Add the mashed turnips and maize flour and mix to combine.
3. Cook over a low heat for at least 5 minutes, stirring, then pour over the rest of the melted ghee and remove from the heat.
4. I prefer to eat this dish with roti.

Table d'hôte #3 - Testing

Starter - 

Main - 

Side - 

Dessert - 

Creamy French Lentil Dal and Savory Rice.

Potato Curry

Yogurt Cake - Untested

https://groups.io/g/ebm-week/topic/children_s_yoghurt_cake/783955

Makes 12 muffin-sized cakes, or 1 loaf

½ yogurt (125 g)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1½ cups flour

1½ tsps. baking powder

⅓ cup neutral-tasting oil or melted butter

Syrup

Orange or lemon juice

Sugar to taste 

1. Heat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC. 
2. Beat the yogurt and the sugar together in a bowl. 
3. Beat in the eggs and lemon zest. 
4. Sift the flour with the baking powder and beat in. 
5. Finally, add the melted butter (or oil, although it doesn't taste quite as nice) and beat the whole mixture well. Pour into non-stick muffin tins or a greased and floured metal loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, approx. 25 minutes.
6. For the syrup, heat orange or lemon juice with sugar, to taste, and cook until the sugar has dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes. Prick the tops of the cakes with a fork, and spoon the syrup over so it sinks into the cakes.

Baked Parmesan Onion Chips - Untested

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/p8OmXxi_hpU

Parmesan (how much to cover the bottom of a cookie sheet (dimensions of cookie sheet))

Onion (sliced mandolin thin, how many grams?) Don't separate the rings but lay down whole

Brush with Olive Oil

Season with salt and pepper

What temperature and for how long?

Preheat the oven to 425°F ?

For an hour? More? Less?

Cervelle de Canut - Test 3

Cervelles de Canut Laura Calder

https://food52.com/recipes/22768-cervelle-de-canut-fresh-cheese-with-fines-herbes

https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-cervelles-des-canut-from-lyon-herb-flecked-cheese-spread-246239#post-recipe-9673

I'm looking for ways of using fresh labneh/fromage blanc that I'm making from full fat yogurt. I rediscovered notes I was taking from the Laura Calder tv show, and realized there's a whole bunch of stuff I was interested in that isn't represented in my recipe collection, likely because not long after I started the blog I saw the interview with her where she seems to be referring to an invitation I'd sent her, calling it 'creepy'. I still feel so much shame about that. Anyway, I'm using her recipe as the basis and Frankensteining with others. I think it can be more adaptable to herbs than what she indicates, especially looking at Food52's link.

1 - 2025-09-23: This worked great! The labneh and yogurt substitutions were super tasty. I used green onion tail instead of chives and thyme as the herb of choice. Light, refreshing, and I spread it on toast. I look forward to trying it on potatoes.

2 - 2025-09-30: Made it with tarragon which is good. Tried it over boiled potatoes, hot, and the texture isn't as smooth as sour cream, so likely not again. However, in writing this, I wonder about cold baby potatoes? 

3 - 2025-10-25: Allie and Rob liked it! Served it up with fresh bread which disappeared. Didn't have chives and it still worked, but definitely even better with chives. 

Number of portions: 7 servings

Serving size 50 g 

~74 calories per serving

QUICK

Experience cook 5 minutes

Novice cook 15 minutes

1 cup (250 g) fresh, plain fromage blanc or labneh

2 tbsp (30 ml) crème fraîche (or full-fat yogurt)

1 small shallot, very finely minced

1 garlic clove, very finely minced or even grated

1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives

1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 Tbsp chopped fresh herb of your choice, or any combination of thyme, rosemary, marjoram, tarragon,  chervil, savory

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 Tbsps. olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Serve with your choice of Radishes, toasted baguette slices, or boiled (cold baby) potatoes

1. Mincing the shallot very finely is key to ensuring it doesn't overwhelm the flavor of the fresh cheese.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar and olive oil.
3. In a separate bowl, gently combine the fromage blanc and crème fraîche until just mixed.
4. Fold in the minced shallot, garlic, chives, parsley and herbs. 
5. Pour the vinegar and olive oil dressing over the mixture and stir until combined.
6. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.
7. Transfer the cervelle de canut to a serving bowl. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of fresh chives, and more freshly ground black pepper. 
8. Serve immediately with thinly sliced radishes, toasted baguette slices, or boiled potatoes. 

Marinara Sauce - Testing

https://asoutherngrace.blogspot.com/p/ingredients-2-tablespoons-olive-oil-1.html

1 - The weight of the tomatoes is something I found in my research. Seems to be right.

2 Tbsps. olive oil

1 onion (6oz/170g) diced

3 celery ribs, diced

8 cups whole tomatoes, peeled and cored (3.25lbs)

3 Tbsps. tomato paste

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsps. granulated sugar

1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned (2 Tbsps., 2 tsps.)

2 tsps. dried oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

Pinch of baking soda, if needed

1. In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Bust up the tomatoes so that the juices are released and they are partially broken up; add to the pot and stir.
3. Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, sugar, and herbs; stir to combine.
4. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
5. Adjust the sauce for seasonings; add a small pinch of baking soda if it seems too acidic.

Pizza Dijonnaise - Test 1

https://four-a-pizzas.fr/pizza-dijonnaise/

1 - First try was really good. I love it that Dijon mustard makes a good pizza sauce! I changed the onion and lardons instructions from the original, opting for pre-cooked and caramelized instead of raw on top. However, I will want to try it like that as well.

2 - Interesting. Made it a second time but on a larger pizza and the mustard flavor was way too strong. If I remember correctly, the first time I made it it cooked a bit longer, and the cheese was more melted, almost toasted, which may have permitted for more combination of mustard and cheese, modulating the sharpness of the mustard. Perhaps for the last few minutes turning on the broiler for more direct heat from the top instead of leaving the pizza in longer to get that toasted cheese effect? After some consultations, here is what I am going to try: Mix the mustard with a tsp of yogurt before applying it as a spiral so that dough shows through, bake it and then finish it with 1-2 minutes under the broiler. NOTE that overly thin layer of mustard gives it the chance to dry out which makes it sharper. 

100g bacon cut into lardons 

1 onion (6oz/170g) finely sliced 

3 Tbsps. Dijon

1 to 2 tsps full fat yogurt

Pizza dough

150g Emmenthal, Comté or mozzarella, grated

Herbes de Provence

Black pepper

1. Heat a sauce pot or dutch oven over medium-low heat and add the lardons. When they start to sweat, add the onion. Cook all together until the onion caramelizes. Drain any excess fat.
2. In a small bowl mix together the Dijon and yogurt.
3. Stretch out your pizza dough. Leaving about 1" around the edges, apply in a spiral the mustard mixture on the disc of dough, leaving 1/4-1/2" space between. Sprinkle with the herbes de Provence.
4. Sprinkle all the cheese evenly over the mustard, then the onion and lardons mixture on top.
5. Add a few grinds of black pepper as the last step.
6. Cook according to your pizza dough recipe instructions. When everything is bubbling and the crust is lightly golden, turn on the broiler and bake another 1 to 2 minutes, to get the cheese to start to become a golden brown. Separation of oil in the cheese is a good sign that the mustard has melted and mellowed.