Winter Minestrone - Test 1

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/nov/24/winter-minestrone-soup-recipe-celery-soffritto-rachel-roddy-

1 - Yeah! This turned out well. It's a very good vegetable soup, and I like the rustic feel of it. I didn't use cavolo nero, but instead some young red kale leaves and the flower buds of various brassicas I harvested before cutting down the plants this spring. Yeah, it was good. And the few alterations I made worked nicely. I will say though I used the Rouge Vif d'Estampe pumpkin and it's too mild and watery for this soup. A more dense pumpkin would be better, something with a finer grained flesh. I will try the Musquee de Provence next. Regardless, I have no other grand changes other then what I've indicated so this can graduate to Test 1 right away.

Serves 6

500g cavolo nero (try Mustard Greens)

1 large onion (10oz/285gr) diced

3 ribs of celery (4–5oz/120–150g) with a few leaves, diced

6 tbsp olive oil

Salt and black pepper

400g pumpkin/squash flesh, bite-sized dice

1 potato (8oz/215gr) bite-sized dice

400g cooked white beans

1.5 litres of water or bean broth (or a mix of both)

A parmesan rind (if you have one)

A small sprig of sage, minced

1. Wash the cavolo nero, strip any particularly thick stems from the leaves and roughly chop, roll the leaves and shred thickly.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based pan and slowly fry the onion, celery and a pinch of salt for the soffritto, until soft, which will take about 8 minutes.
3. Add pumpkin and potato to the pan along with the cavolo nero stems and a tiny pinch of salt, stirring to prevent sticking, until each chunk glistens with oil. Add half the cavolo nero leaves, half the beans, the water and the parmesan rind.
4. Raise the heat so the soup nearly boils, and then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. 
5. Five minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the rest of the cavolo nero and beans. Taste, and add salt and pepper as needed.
6. Add the sage and allow it to sit for 5 minutes, then serve, passing round a bowl of grated parmesan for anyone who wants it.

Celery Soup - Testing

1 - I got a bunch of aging celery from Ally who wasn't going to use it, and I thought I should figure out a soup to make with it. So here it is, a bit of a Frankenstein with a lot of my own ideas in there, so no links to anyone else. I discovered it is a classic UK recipe, and I got from Mrs Beatton's book that it's seasonable from September to March (well, in the UK)! Fun!

1 tbsp Olive oil

1 onion, large chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 lbs celery, see instructions

1 lb potatoes, chopped

4 cups vegetable stock

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

OPTIONAL dash of nutmeg

Handful fresh parsley

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Toss in the garlic and cook about 1 minute, until the sharp aroma softens.
2. Meanwhile, separate the tougher outer celery branches and chop about the same size as the potato. Reserve the tender inner branches (how much?) to chop into small dice to add later.
3. Throw in the celery and potato, let it sweat for a minute or two before adding the stock. Simmer until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. 
4. Run the veg through a sieve and put the veg in a food processor and process until perfectly smooth.
5. Add the small chopped tender celery along with the salt, pepper and nutmeg and simmer for half an hour. 
6. Seasonable from September to March. 
7. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Boozy Fruit Crumble - Test 1

1 - I've adapted the Berry Crumble to include the boozy fruit that's leftover from when I make liqueurs. Not bad, I must say. The apple worked really well to soften the alcoholic edge of the boozy fruit, but I felt like it was a bit dry. It could be the King apple varietal I used that isn't very juicy after languishing in the refrigerator all winter. I'm curious about a couple of things - what if I mixed in half fresh/frozen blackberries, substituting half the apple for it? Also, or maybe instead, what about adding a couple of tablespoons of the actual liqueur to the fruit layer?

2 - Much better. Chopped the plum, substituted half the apple for frozen blackberries, removed the flour to allow for juiciness. Everything else the same. I want to reproduce this.

½ cup (1.8oz/50g) walnuts or hazelnuts, toasted and finely chopped

Crumble Filling

¾ cup (6oz/170g) boozy plums, pitted and chopped

¾ cup (6oz/170g) boozy blackberries

¾ cup (6oz/170g) apple, peeled, cored and chopped

¾ cup (6oz/170g) fresh or frozen blackberries

1 Tbsps. lemon juice

Crumble Topping

1½ cups (180g) flour

½ cup (110g) brown sugar

2 Tbsps. (25g) granulated sugar

½ tsp. Poudre Douce

½ tsp. salt 

½ cup + 1 tbsp (4.6oz/130g) butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9" glass baking dish and set aside.
2. While the oven is preheating, put the nuts on a baking sheet to toast, about 15 minutes.

Prepare the Filling 

1. Combine the plums, blackberries and apples with the flour and lemon juice in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Allow to sit for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Spread evenly into the bottom of the prepared dish.

Prepare the Crumble Topping

1. Melt the butter.
2. In a medium bowl put the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt and nuts and give it a quick stir.
3. Add the butter and mix together until completely combined.
4. Sprinkle the crumble topping on top of the fruit mixture in the prepared dish spreading it evenly.
5. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until bubbly and golden. 
6. Let cool for at least 15 minutes to allow the filling to thicken.

Pâté de Campagne - Untested

https://raymondblanc.com/recipes/pate-de-campagne-country-pate/

To compare with:

https://www.splendidtable.org/story/2005/12/17/p-t-de-campagne

https://www.whats4eats.com/appetizers/pate-de-campagne-recipe

250g Boned pork shoulder, cut into 3cm dice

250g Boned belly of pork, cut into 3cm dice

250g Smoked streaky bacon, cut 3cm dice

300g Pig’s liver, cut into 3cm dice

1 Medium organic or free range egg

6 pinches Salt

1 pinch Freshly ground black pepper

4 Juniper berries, crushed

2 pinches Five-spice powder

1/2 tsp Fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

50ml White wine, boiled 30-40 seconds to evaporate the alcohol

2 tbsp Cognac

20g hazelnuts

1 Fresh bay leaf

2 sprigs Fresh thyme

1. Chopping the meats: Pre-heat the oven to 160C.
2. In a food processor, using the pulse button, chop the pork shoulder until you have a coarse mince texture.
3. Using a spatula, transfer the meat from the food processor to a large mixing bowl.
4. Proceed in exactly the same way with the belly of pork, the smoked streaky bacon and the liver, combining all the meats
5. together in the bowl.
6. Preparing the pate: Add the egg, salt, pepper, juniper berries, five-spice powder, chopped thyme, white wine, cognac and nuts to the bowl and vigorously mix everything together with a large wooden spoon.
7. Filling the terrine: Tip the mixture into a 23x 9x 7, 5cm terrine mould and, with the edge of a spoon, press and pack the meat down into the mould.
8. Tap the terrine a couple of times on the work surface to ensure that there are no air pockets and that the meat is compact.
9. Press the bay leaf and thyme sprigs onto the top of the mixture.
10. Cooking the paté: Cover loosely with a piece of buttered greaseproof paper, then place the terrine in a roasting tin and slide it onto the oven shelf. Pour boiling water into the roasting tin until it reaches two-thirds of the way up the side of the terrine mould.
11. Cook for 1 hour. The top of the pate should be slightly rounded.
12. The inside should be 65-70C; if you have a temperature probe, check this. Remove the terrine from the oven leave it to cool at room temperature for 2 hours, then cover with cling film.
13. Refrigerate for two days, so the flavours mature. To serve, dip a knife blade in hot water and slide it against the sides of the terrine to loosen the pate.
14. Turn the terrine upside down on a tray and tap the base to free it from its mould. Carve generous slices onto a plate.
15. Cooking is always an expression of care and generosity.