Carrot Pie - Testing

https://www.amish365.com/amish-summer-carrot-pie/

1 - The first attempt, following the recipe, required I use 1 cup of flour in the filling. It produced a kind of rubbery pie. In looking at my pumpkin pie recipe, there is no flour at all, otherwise very similar. I won't remove the flour completely yet, but I have reduced it to 1/4 cup, but probably will try it with none at all. We didn't feel like we tasted carrot in the same way that pumpkin pie tastes of pumpkin though but I wonder if the flour didn't absorb a lot of flavor.

1 pie crust

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon dark molasses

1/8 tsp ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ tsp (dry or fresh? I'm going to try fresh) ginger

1 ½ cup cooked mashed carrots

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

½ tsp salt

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup 1/4 cup flour

1. In a small saucepan, heat the milk (to 140–170 °F, steaming with small bubbles forming around the edge) and add the molasses, cloves, cinnamon and ginger. Remove from the heat to allow for the spices to infuse in the milk for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl combined the carrot, the sugars, the salt and the eggs.
3. Add the infused milk and mix well.
4. Mix in the flour until very well combined.
5. Bake in unbaked pie shell at 425 for 10 minutes.
6. Turn down temperature to 350 for 45 to 50 minutes.
7. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

Tourte argovienne aux carottes (Aargau-style Carrot Tart) - Untested

https://www.bio-suisse.ch/fr/vivre-bio-suisse/recettes-bourgeon/detail/tourte-argovienne-aux-carottes-bio.html

250g carrots, finely grated

5 eggs, separated

200g sugar

Zest of ½ lemon

250g ground almonds

75g flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground cloves (tip of a knife)

Pinch of salt

100 g apricot jam

Glaze

250 g icing sugar

2½ Tbsp lemon juice

Decoration (optional):

10 marzipan carrots

Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line the bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper and grease all the inside surfaces with a little butter.

In an electric mixer, whisk the yolks with the sugar and lemon zest until pale and frothy.

Add the ground almonds. 

Fold the carrot immediately into the egg mixture.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and spices, then gently fold into the batter to try and maintain the loft in the egg yolk.

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the batter using a spatula.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the lower part of the oven for 50–55 minutes.

Remove from oven, let cool briefly, then remove from the pan and invert onto a wire rack.

Heat the apricot jam, strain through a fine sieve, and brush over the warm cake surface and sides. Let cool completely.

Glaze

Mix icing sugar with lemon juice until thick but pourable.

Pour the glaze over the centre of the cake, tilting slightly to evenly coat the top and sides. Allow to dry.

Decorate with marzipan carrots if using.

Tarte spirale à la carotte et à la moutarde - Untested

https://deliacious.com/2021/06/tarte-tourbillon-carotte-vegan.html#recipe

1 blind baked pie crust

650 g carrots (preferred width?) scrubbed or peeled

200 mL heavy cream

100 g plain yogurt

20 g chickpea flour

10 g cornstarch

15 mL (1 tbsp) Dijon mustard

15 mL (1 tbsp) whole-grain mustard

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Wash and peel or scrape the carrots.
2. Shortcut for thin slices: Use a vegetable peeler to create long, thin ribbons instead of finely slicing each carrot. This is much faster and still looks elegant.
3. Steam the carrot ribbons for 8–10 minutes, until just tender (they will finish cooking in the oven). Use a vegetable steamer to make it easier to delicately handle the strips.
4. In a bowl, combine the cream, yogurt, chickpea flour, cornstarch, Dijon mustard and whole-grain mustard.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until smooth. Pour into the pre-baked tart shell and spread evenly.
6. To arrange the carrots, start from the outer edge, and layer the steamed carrot ribbons over the cream, pressing gently so cream peeks between the layers. Continue inward until all carrots are used.
7. Change the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry edges are golden and the filling is set.
8. Let cool slightly, then serve warm with a salad. 

Tourte à la carotte - Untested

https://www.cuisineaz.com/recettes/tourte-a-la-carotte-85987.aspx

5 carrots (about 500 g, peeled weight)

60 g melted butter

40 g grated Parmesan (4 tablespoons ≈ 40 g)

20 g extra grated Parmesan (for egg mixture)

2 whole eggs

3 egg yolks

200 g crème fraîche (20 cl ≈ 200 g)

1 pinch dried oregano

1 pinch ground nutmeg

15 g Dijon mustard (1 tablespoon)

4 g chopped parsley (1 tablespoon)

Salt and pepper

2 recipes pie crust

1 extra egg yolk (for glazing)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Peel and grate the carrots. Blanch them in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 1 minute. Drain well and transfer to a mixing bowl.
3. Add the melted butter, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole eggs and 2 of the egg yolks with the nutmeg, grated Parmesan (20 g), crème fraîche, salt, and pepper.
5. Roll out one sheet of pie crust into a pie dish (about 23–24 cm / 9-inch). Spread the Dijon mustard evenly over the pastry.
6. Spread the carrot mixture over the pastry, then pour the egg mixture on top.
7. Cover with the second sheet of pie crust. Seal the edges well and cut a small hole in the centre to create a steam vent.
8. Brush the top with the remaining egg yolk.
9. Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.

Gajar Matar, Carrots and Peas Curry - Testing

https://mission-food.com/gajar-matar-carrots-and-peas/

1 - Inconclusive first try. Ben liked it just fine, I felt like there was a bitterness likely caused by not enough veg-to-spice ratio. I will try again, this time increasing the carrots and the peas by 100g each.

1 small onion (4oz/115g) groughly chopped

1 garlic clove roughly chopped

1 inch piece of ginger peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric

1 ¾ cups (350 grams) diced carrots

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 ⅔ cups (350 grams) peas (thawed if frozen)

1 teaspoon kosher salt (or as needed, see notes below)

¼ teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon Indian red chili powder (you can substitute cayenne)

¼ cup water

½ teaspoon garam masala

1. Put the onion, garlic and ginger in a small food processor and blend until finely chopped.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan, then add the onion mixture and stir over high heat for 2 minutes, or until softened. Reduce the heat to medium and add the cumin seeds and turmeric. After 1 minute, add the carrot and stir for 2 minutes. Add the ground cumin and coriander and fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the peas, salt, sugar, and chili powder. Add water.
3. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the carrot and peas are tender. Stir in the garam masala and serve.

Pasta with Sausage and Arugula - Untested

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pasta-with-sausage-and-arugula 

Yield 4 servings

2 small red onions, sliced into ½"-thick wedges

1 fennel bulb, sliced into ½"-thick wedges

6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

8 oz. hot or sweet Italian sausage (about 2 links), casings removed

10 oz. gemelli, casarecce, or other medium pasta

1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

6 cups baby arugula

Finely grated Parmesan (for serving)

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Toss onions, fennel, and 2 Tbsp. oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Spread out into a single layer. Pinch sausage into small pieces and scatter around onions and fennel. Roast until vegetables and sausage are cooked through and well browned, 25–30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
3. Combine vegetables, sausage, and pasta in a large bowl. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining 4 Tbsp. oil, and ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid and toss to coat, adding more pasta cooking liquid if needed, until sauce comes together and coats pasta. Toss in arugula.
4. Divide pasta among plates and top with Parmesan. Season with more salt and pepper.

Lentil & Barley Stew - Testing

https://www.latimes.com/recipe/lentil-and-barley-stew

1 - Maybe add 1 tsp tomato paste. The recipe can definitely be doubled, which might be better.

LHSS score: 🟢 ~9 / 10

1 Tbsp butter (½ oz/14gr)

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion (4oz/115g) onion, chopped 

2 cloves garlic, minced

⅛ tsp celery seed

1 bay leaf

¼ tsp dried rosemary

16oz/450g fresh tomato, chopped (canned is ok)

2 to 3 cups water

¾ cup lentils duPuy/French

⅓ cup pearled barley

½ tsp salt, plus more to taste

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to finish

1 small Parmesan rind (20g)

½ cup (2oz/55g)carrots, shredded 

1–2 tsp red wine vinegar (to finish)

1. In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add the garlic and celery seed and cook 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
2. Add the bay leaf and rosemary, stirring briefly to bloom them in the fat.
3. Throw in the tomatoes and cook for 5 to 7 minutes to let them lose their rawness.
4. Add the water, lentils, barley, salt, pepper, and Parmesan rind. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and barley are nearly tender.
5. Stir in the shredded carrots and continue cooking 5–10 minutes, until all grains are tender and the stew has thickened slightly. Remove and discard the bay leaf and Parmesan rind.
6. Stir in 1–2 teaspoons red wine vinegar. Taste and adjust salt and black pepper as needed.
7. This stew wants rest — it improves noticeably after 15–20 minutes off heat.

Quiet, steady, metabolically kind food — especially with your yogurt commons bread alongside.

If you ever want to nudge this one notch further (still internally consistent), we could talk about herb timing or tomato concentration — but this version is already doing its job very well.

Coconut Curry Chickpeas With Pumpkin and Lime - Test 1

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020463-coconut-curry-chickpeas-with-pumpkin-and-lime

1 - Well this was a roaring success! And I learned the difference between light and regular coconut milk. It's all about the texture (duh, like milk vs. whipping cream but, I'd say, even more dramatic). I didn't have enough chickpeas, but even with what I had, it was really good. I also missed the bit about the half cup water, and I'm not sure it's really needed, but I've put it back in to try it out next time. Because there will be a next time.

4 to 6 servings

3 Tbsps. oil

1 large onion (10oz/285g) chopped

2 jalapeños, seeded or not, thinly sliced or a good pinch of red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

1" piece of fresh ginger, grated

4 garlic cloves, minced

1½ tsps. garam masala

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp turmeric

3 cups (16oz/454g) cooked chickpeas, rinsed

1¾ cups (1 can) coconut milk (do not use light coconut milk)

1¾ cups (1 can) pumpkin purée

½ cup water

1½ tsps fine sea salt, more as needed

¾ cup chopped cilantro, more for serving

2 to 3 Tbsps. fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 
2. Stir in the onion, jalapeño and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is just golden, about 8 minutes.
3. Add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. 
4. Stir in garam masala, cumin and turmeric; cook for an additional 30 seconds.
5. Stir in chickpeas, coconut milk, pumpkin, ½ cup water and 1½ teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer and continue to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the flavors meld. (Add more water if it starts to look too thick.) 
6. Stir in cilantro and lime juice to taste. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

Tarte fine aux pommes - Untested

TARTE FINE AUX POMMES

For a 20–22 cm tart

1 recipe sweet pie dough

Filling

3–4 Calville Blanc d’Hiver apples (about 550–650 g total)

15–25 g sugar 

15 g butter, melted

Zest of ½ lemon (optional but excellent here)

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1. Blind bake the crust. Allow the shell to cool completely before continuing, preferably to refrigerator temperature.
2. Place the oven rack in the lower middle position. 
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
4. Peel the apples and slice to 3–4 mm thick — not thinner.
5. In a bowl mix together the lemon juice, the optional zest, the sugar and the melted butter. Put in the apple sliced and gently toss. Don't let them sit, use them immediately.
6. Starting at the outside edge, overlap the slices tightly, like scales or shingles. Work inwardly in concentric circles. Once done, press them down gently.
7. Bake bake for 35–40 minutes, until the apples are softened and slightly translucent; the edges just beginning to colour and no visible liquid pooling.
8. A final option is, when the tart comes out, brush lightly with apple jelly warmed with a teaspoon of water.
9. If the apples brown before they soften, tent lightly.

Hummus Sandwich - Test 1

Ben invented this sandwich and it's quite good! I don't quite know which tradition it might fit in, perhaps simply 'fusion'. We've had this several times and it's been enjoyable every time. Now I just want to be able to provide some guidelines on quantities. Because.

2 - The original was made with the carrot salad, which is delicious, and the upgrade is with the coleslaw, which Ben calls the Sto-Lat Special. When I make it, I think I can add a bit more horseradish.

LHSS Score: 8.6 / 10 with Coleslaw with Vinaigrette

LHSS Score: 8.2 / 10 with Salade de Carrottes

Per sandwich

60g hummus

100g Coleslaw with Vinaigrette or Salade de Carrottes

2 tsp horseradish sauce

2 slices Commons Yogurt Bread (160g)

1. Toast the bread.
2. Spread the hummus on the bottom piece of bread.
3. Evenly spread the salad on top of the hummus.
4. Spread the horseradish sauce on the other slice of bread (it will be quite thin).
5. Put the two sides together and enjoy!

Cabbage and Frisée Salad - Untested

1 - I'm trying to use the frisée lettuce fresh, but mistrust its level of bitterness in terms of desirability to eat. I thought mixing it with sweeter cabbage would help.

4 cups (300g) shredded green cabbage

4 cups (140g) ripped frisée

Optional additions: grated carrot, thinly sliced onion, chopped parsley or cilantro.

3 Tbsps. (36g) good olive oil

2 Tbsps. (27g) lemon juice

2 tsps. (14g) honey or maple syrup

1 tsp (7g) Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Toppings:

Toasted sunflower seeds or slivered almonds 

1. Combine the cabbage and frisée (and any optional vegetables) in a large bowl.
2. Whisk or shake together the vinaigrette ingredients (olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, sweetener if using, salt, and pepper) in a small bowl or jar until emulsified.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
4. For best results, chill the salad for 15-30 minutes before serving.
5. Garnish with toasted nuts or seeds if desired. 
6. This crisp, tangy, and refreshing salad is a great side dish.

Mogette de Vendée (White beans) - Testing

https://maison-solidaire-de-lalimentation.fr/la-vraie-recette-de-mogette-de-vendee-avec-jambon/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

1 - Ok. So, 'mogette' is actually the name of a white bean from the Vendée area in France. I don't have any but I do have Cannellini beans, so I will substitute. Apparently the key is to cook the beans with all the fixings at a very low temperature. I'm tempted to simply slow-cook the whole thing. LATER: I liked it! I think Ben found them to be a bit dull, but I thought they were really flavorful. I did not pair them well, at all, with other side dishes (Failed Rutabaga gratin dish, didn't have any bread to go with). I'll likely use the leftovers to make the frisee pasta, but I would also like to make them again with appropriate accompaniments. This may require looking up how the French tend to eat them.

500g de mogettes de Vendée sèches (white beans)

1 oignon piqué de 2 clous de girofle

2 carottes

1 bouquet garni (thym, laurier, persil)

2 gousses d’ail

Sel et poivre du moulin

1. La veille, mettez les mogettes dans un grand saladier et couvrez-les largement d’eau froide. Laissez tremper pendant 12 heures minimum. 
2. Le lendemain, égouttez et rincez; placez-les dans une grande casserole et couvrez-les d’eau froide. Ajoutez l’oignon piqué, les carottes coupées en rondelles, l’ail écrasé et le bouquet garni. 
3. Portez à ébullition, puis baissez le feu et laissez mijoter à couvert pendant environ 45 minutes à 1 heure. Vérifiez régulièrement la cuisson en écrasant une mogette entre vos doigts – elle doit être tendre mais pas en purée. Environ 15 minutes avant la fin de la cuisson, salez l’eau (jamais avant, car le sel durcit les légumineuses).
4. Une fois les mogettes cuites, égouttez-les en conservant un peu de bouillon de cuisson. Disposez-les dans un plat de service, arrosez-les d’un filet d’huile d’olive. Servez immédiatement, bien chaud, avec quelques tours de moulin à poivre.
5. Habituellement servit avec des tranches de jambon.

Macco di Fava (broad bean purée) - Untested

https://www.gustiamo.com/gustiblog/macco-di-fava-with-fave-di-amelia-from-umbria/?srsltid=AfmBOooACzMSZ7nSK9Ith8rL4-JbPEJOO-ncW8O0fMl0RgSGwqzHseUW

Another version with potato: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/may/20/rachel-roddy-recipe-fava-bean-puree-wilted-greens

SERVES: 4 as a main, 6 as an appetizer

TIME: 1 hour

1 to 2 Tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

250g / 8.8oz fresh fava beans

600-800ml or 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 cups Vegetable broth, warmed

500g / 1 lb leafy greens, such as spinach, chicory, or chard 

Salt Flakes

Bread, to serve

1. Heat a glug of olive oil in a dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat. 
2. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but not browned.
3. Raise the heat to medium and add the fava beans. Cook for 2-3 minutes, moving the beans about the pan.
4. Gradually add the stock, “mano a mano”: one ladle at a time. You don’t want to totally submerge the beans in liquid, add just enough stock for them to cook through. The fava will be done in approximately 25-30 minutes. When the fava beans are ready, turn off the heat, lid the pan, and allow to rest.
5. In a separate pan, braise the greens in some olive oil and a splash of any leftover broth.
6. The final texture of the macco di fava is up to you, from ultra chunky to super smooth. Blend the macco to your desired consistency with an immersion blender.
7. To serve, spoon the greens around a mound of macco in each plate. Nestle a hunk of bread on the side, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and finish with crunchy salt flakes.