(Mostly) Undocumented Recipes

Hello, everyone.

Today, there's a mischievous -22C windchill sneaking under and around all my layers of wool, cotton, and cashmere specifically donned in an order designed to be impenetrable to cold.

Brr.
But being cold makes me retrospective, which in this case is a good thing, because I discovered so many recipes that I hadn't finished, and that I always meant to post on here. Usually, the reasons they weren't posted were because I ran out of light for the second half of the process, or I just plain forgot to photograph most of it.

So, here are the many incomplete recipes, some photos of which I managed to find in the recesses of my Pictures folder, with some cursory directions if you want to try to make them.

Hasselback Potato and Cauliflower Cheese Casserole

 Thinly slice smallish Russet or Yukon potatoes nearly to their bases, stopping 1/4" from the bottom. Stick thin slices of garlic between potato-leaves.

Chunk up cauliflower until roughly same size as potatoes.

Shred some cheese, and add to a bechamel/white wine/whatever sauce. Although if you make a tomato version, save the cheese for the top.

After putting a layer of sauce on the bottom of the pot, lay the sliced potatoes and chunked cauliflower in the pot, and pour over with the sauce. Sprinkle cheese on top, bake till it's golden on top.

Potato and Root Vegetable Gratin

Simmer milk, chives, salt, and chive blossoms for about ten mins. Add some flour and let thicken over low heat. Let sit for an hour if possible.

Layer potato slices and turnip/carrot/beet layers, pouring chive-steeped sauce inbetween.

Top with cheese, or a light brushing of butter or oil, if you prefer. Bake till golden on top.

Veggie Chili

Bloom (dry-fry) cumin seed, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, paprika, and turmeric on medium heat until fragrant.

Add olive oil and fry onions and peppers, if using. After ten mins, throw in a dash of beer/wine/cider and fry for another five minutes. After the liquid has evaporated, chuck in canned tomato, three kinds of beans, corn, and any other tough veggies you have hanging around. Simmer for 45 mins.

Beef Stew

Cut up some beef. I'm an idiot when it comes to specific cuts, but for this, I think you can use tougher stuff since it'll essentially be cooked twice.
Sear until dark brown on all sides, and take out of the pot.

Now vegetables. Whatever you have, really.

Wish I had some carrots for this... ah well. Onions and peppers go in first, for about seven minutes. Deglaze with wine/beer/cider. Then put the beef, potatoes, mushrooms, and stock to cover in the pot as well. Put the cover on the pot and bake for 45 mins until potatoes are done and beef is tender.

Yeasted Molasses Bread

 Here's my ratio: however many cups of flour you have, the liquid should amount to slightly less than half of that.
Mix warm water, yeast, and molasses, and allow it to activate and foam.

 Pour it straight into your mix of flour and salt.

Stir, knead for ten minutes, and allow it to double in bulk. Form into a slightly tacky ball with a little more flour on your kneading surface, and allow to rise for a further hour in a warm place. Bake for 40 minutes to an hour (for four cups of flour).

Mediterranean Meatballs in Squash Sauce

Pictured here: onion, garlic, breadcrumbs in milk, parsely, dried mint, salt and pepper, cilantro, smoked sweet paprika, cumin, and cinnamon.

All of the above is in the below plus one egg and a pound of ground beef.

All of the above in several bits below, in olive oil. Bake for 20-30 mins.

Kabocha squash (some of you are now realizing my obsession). Chop, skin, add to bowl.

Add onions and garlic. Roast for 20 minutes, or until tender.

Blend till smooth, taste for salt/pepper. Pour over meatballs. Odd combo, but delicious.

I hope you've enjoyed this edition of Forgetful OneOven. More to come, I'm sure. Be well, everybody.

Chicken Soup with Garlic and Ginger

Finally. Winter is here.

I am STILL trying to blow the remains of a cold out of my system. This soup helped enormously.

It was also a great opportunity to test out my BEAUTIFUL NEW KNIFE.

Wooden sheath (as well as the cutting board) made by my Dad. 

Endless thanks, Dad. 

Start with the classics: onions, celery, carrots. Dice 'em up.

Keep mirepoix to the side, and thinly slice three cloves garlic and a one to two-inch piece of ginger.

Good job, knife.

Now, sear chicken breast on both sides. This soup is heavier on the vegetables, so I only used one.

Let it rest, and chuck the garlic and ginger into the hot oil.

Yup, right in there. No cleaning.

Fry garlic and ginger until fragrant, and put in the rest of the vegetables. 

Sauté until softened, about ten minutes, then cover with chicken or vegetable stock. Shred the chicken breast and put shreds into the pot. I remembered I had some leeks in the fridge. Slice as shown, and throw in the pot as well. 

Simmer soup for about twenty minutes, then season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Best with biscuits.
Keep warm, everybody.