Veggie Frestelse

Groensak Frestelse (Veggie Temptation)

Ingredients:

• 6 T butter
• 6.5 oz sliced onion
• 4.75 oz mushrooms, cut up
• 12 oz zucchini, cut up
• 18 oz cauliflower, cut up
• 1 cup cream, drizzled over
• 2 cans anchovies in evoo, distributed; drizzle oil over
• 1/3 c flaxseeds; grind coarsely with a little onion powder and salt, sprinkle on top

Saute onions in butter.
Assemble in dish.
Bake at 400 for at least 1 hr.

Orange saffron oopsies (lazy version)

Another new recipe yesterday: Orange Saffron Oopsies a la Zig
They're lazy because I can't be bothered to separate the eggs
Let alone whip the whites, then suffer through folding them with the yolks
I'm too lazy
It's a flaw

Anyway, recipe:

8 oz cream cheese, softened at room temp (I just leave it out for a couple days)
8 T butter, same
5 eggs, same (uncracked, of course)
zest of 1-2 oranges, depending on size
4 T orange blossom water or rose water (I used former)
generous pinch of saffron (I probably used 9-10 stigmas)
1/2 to 1 tsp salt, depending on your taste

Soak the saffron in the orange/rose water overnight or longer (I think mine was out a couple days, I kept putting off making these, due to sheer laziness)
Blend the cream cheese and butter
Stir in the eggs, and water (add sweetener here if you want to)
Stir in the salt and orange zest
Don't worry about lumps

Distribute into muffin tin (lined with parchment cups)
Set it on food scale
place tiny dollop of honey on top of each "muffin"
My dollops were so tiny that 12 muffins held 3/8 oz honey.  This added 8.6 carbs, distributed over 12 muffins.  the pluses to adding honey: coloring the top of the muffins, heavenly smell (this is way too little to add any discernible sweetness at all, and I didn't add sweetener to the batter); the minuses to adding honey: extra carbs, fructose, and all that. 

Bake at 350ish for about 45 minutes.

Jansson's Frestelse, LCHF

Also known as: Jansson's Temptation

I'll be back to add more details, but here are the bare bones:

Saute 1 large onion(7 oz) in 8 T butter
Cut up 1 large celeriac (14 oz)
layer in glass dish: celeriac--onion--anchovies--repeat
drizzle anchovy-evoo from cans (I used 3 56-g cans)
pour 2/3 to 3/4 c. cream over it
sprinkle libearlly with salt and pepper
cover with coarsely ground flax seeds (I used 1/3ish cup, pre-grind volume)
bake ~1 hr at 400

Serve with some of juices from bottom of pan.
Eat.
Moan.
Swoon.

Based off LCHF William's video.

Hibiscus tea, homeblended

I love hibiscus tea.  There's something about it that leaves the mouth feeling moist, unlike some other beverages that leave you with a dry feeling. 

I like Hibiscus High-tea.
But don't want the stevia (I suspect it of stimulating my pancreas to release insulin, which is counterproductive to my current weight loss effort).

So I make my own out of all this dried stuff (measurements are approximate--I like mine tangy and minty):

• 1/4 c. hibiscus flowers
• 1/8 c. rose petals
• 1.5 T rosehips
• 2 T orange peel
• 2 T lemon peel
• 2 T lemon grass
• 4 T spearmint (I luuuuurve spearmint)

Gently toss these all together.  Steep.  Slurp.  Enjoy!

NOTE: My hibiscus and rose petals were in quite large pieces, so I gently used the mortar and pestle on them, adding the orange and lemon and rosehips after a little bit.

Braised Lamb Shank, LCHF style

Ingredients:

• 2 T butter, lard, tallow, etc.
• 2 lamb shanks, cut how you like them (or whole)
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 of a large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 diced carrots
• 2 diced celery stalks
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 frond of fresh rosemary (the size you'd get in a spice pack, which is where mine came from)
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried marjoram

Directions:

1. Melt the fat in the bottom of a large pot or Dutch oven (needs a good lid).
2.  Salt and pepper the lamb shanks well.
3. Brown the shanks very well in the melted fat, on all sides.
4. Remove them to a plate to rest, and collect juices.
5. Sauté the onion and garlic, carrot, and celery.  For a while.
6. Deglaze the pan with the wine, vinegar, and water.  Scrape up the fond and stir it in.  Add the fresh and dried herbs while you do this.
7. Add back the lamb shanks.  Dump in any collected juices, as well.
8. Simmer, covered for 3 total hours.  After each hour, turn the shanks over in the liquid.  

My shanks came cut into pieces, but still connected by some flesh.  So I was able to get at the marrow, which is GOOD STUFF.  After 3 hours, I pulled all the meat off the bone, and ate all the marrow out of the bones.  Next time, I might ask about whether the shanks can be cut lengthwise, or maybe into more pieces.

Fauxtatoes, LCHF-style

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower
• cream cheese (I used 6 oz for a small head of cauliflower, so a serving would emphasize fat, and minimize carbohydrate)
• butter (I used 4 T, the end of a block of unsalted Kerrygold)
• salt and pepper, to taste

 Optional add-ins or toppings:

• minced or crushed garlic
• roasted garlic
• minced onion
• sautéed onion
• bacon
• chives
• cheese
• different spices or spice blends to accompany the rest of your meal (e.g., curry powder, etc.)

Directions:

1. Remove stem and leaves of cauliflower, and break up the florets.
2. Steam it (stovetop, microwave, whatever) until it's fork tender, to your preference.  Try not to get water in it, as that makes the fauxtatoes soggy.
3. Mash it up with the cream cheese and butter, and incorporate the spices.

Very versatile!  Could be used to make fauxtato-pancakes.  Add whatever additions you'd normally add, some egg, and sprinkle some psyllium fiber or coconut flour on, to help it hold together.  If I try this, I'll update.

Mélange Classique

Ingredients (all herbs are dried):

• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1.5 tsp white peppercorns
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1.5 tsp coriander seeds
• 5 bay leaves, crumbled/torn
• 2 tsp cloves
• 2 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 2 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated is best, but use what you have!)

Put the peppercorns, coriander, and cloves in a spice grinder.  Grind them.  Add the herbs, and give them a quick whiz.  Add the cayenne and nutmeg, with a quick whiz to mix everything.  Store for up to 4 months.

Montreal Steak Seasoning

Ingredients:

• 2 t garlic granules
• 2 t onion granules
• 4 t coriander seeds
• 1 t dill weed
• 1 t thyme
• 2 t rosemary
• 2 t fennel seeds
• 4 t paprika
• 2 t crushed red pepper flakes (might sub cayenne)
• 4 t black peppercorns

Into a bowl, put the garlic and onion granules, dill weed, thyme, paprika, and cayenne if using.

Into a spice grinder, put the coriander seeds, rosemary, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper flakes if using, and peppercorns.

Grind the whole spices to desired consistency.

Stir into the powders.  STIR WELL.  Then put into a spice jar.  This totally fills up an old Whole Foods spice jar I have (possibly around 3/4 cup?).

NOTE: there's no salt in here.  I prefer to salt as I go, depending on my tastebuds that day.

High Fat Curried Zucchini

Ingredients:

• 3 T bacon fat
• 2 T ghee
• 2 T red palm oil
• 7 ounces zucchini, sliced or shredded
• 1 tsp curry powder
• salt to taste
• optional: juice of 1 lemon or 1 lime

Melt the fats in a pan, on medium-low heat.

Add the curry powder and heat it up a few seconds until it's fragrant.

Add the zucchini and cook until it's mashable with a fork and little elbow grease.

Mash up the zucchini with the fat.

Remove from pan into a small nonreactive storage container.

Stir in the lemon or lime juice.

Adjust the salt.

TIP: this is deliberately 1 T fat to 1 ounce zucchini, with seasoning.  Use it as a condiment in cooking (like heat up a couple T of this and scramble it into eggs, or ground meat, etc.; even stir it into a soup that's too lean, where the flavors would be appropriate). 

NOTE: it's easy to mix up the fats, and mix up the spices, depending on what you have on hand, and what you have a taste for.  For example, I had originally planned to use just bacon fat, and a little Italian blend with extra basil for the spicing, then stir in some flaked Parmesan I have, and sprinkle with a few pine nuts.  But I felt like red palm oil today, so changed it around.

ALSO: good garnishes with this would be chopped fresh herbs, chopped nuts and/or seeds, and even a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt, depending on the spicing and what if anything you add to this for protein.  

Jerk Seasoning Mix

Ingredients:

• 2 T onion granules
• 2.5 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• optional: 1/2 tsp salt
• optional: 2 T oil

Directions:

Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly.
I omit the salt, because I prefer to salt my food as I cook, depending on my tastes du jour.

The oil is for if you want to make a rub.
I just mix the dry blend up, and make the rub as I go if I want it.

This will keep for a while.
Smell it: the scent will fade as it ages.

Jerk Eggs

(Space saved for photo)

Serves 1.
Easy to double, triple, or quadruple, etc.
Low carb, high fat meal bursting with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.

Ingredients:

• 1 slice bacon
• 2.5 oz mixed greens (arugula, spinach, bok choy, red/Swiss/rainbow chard, collard, etc.), torn if necessary
• 1 T butter
• 1 t red palm oil
• jerk seasoning, to taste
• 4 yolks
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Cut up the bacon slice into "bits" and get them frying on medium-low heat.  Remove when they're done, but keep the fat in the pan.
2. Toss in the greens, and the butter.  Stir around until greens are well-wilted.
3. Add the red palm oil and the jerk seasoning (I used 1 tsp for my serving, but I like it spicy!) and warm them up. 
4. Then tilt the pan and press the greens so excess fat pools away from the greens.
5. Add the yolks to the pool of oil and scramble them lightly.
6. When the yolks are basically done to your liking, mix in the greens and stir the whole thing.  Add salt & pepper to taste.  Then serve topped with the bacon bits you fried at the beginning.

Garnishes might include lime, cilantro, avocado, and/or sour cream, and of course whatever else you might like, like hot sauce, sriracha, garlic-chili paste, catsup (sugar free, of course), other fresh herbs, fresh chopped tomato, fresh chopped onion, etc.

(Sort of) Lamb Shawarma

A low carb, high fat version of lamb shawarma.  Eat it out of a bowl or in a low carb wrap.  (pics to come when I have a new camera, or when I have a cord that will allow me to transfer pics from crappy camera to computer)

Makes 2 nice servings for modest appetites.

Ingredients:

• 2 T ghee
• 2 T red palm oil
• 2 T coconut butter
• 1 T shawarma spice blend (below)
• 6 oz ground lamb (poor man's version!)
• 5 oz spinach and other greens
• 1 lime, juiced
• sea salt
• optional: fresh cilantro, plain yogurt or sour cream

Directions:

1. Melt the ghee and red palm oil in a frying pan on medium-low to medium.
2. When they're melted, toss in the shawarma spice blend and let it warm up.  It's ready when it becomes fragrant.
3. Crumble in the ground lamb, or place in lamb chunks in the size you want.  Cook the lamb until partially done.
4. Add the coconut butter and cook until the lamb's done how you like it.  The coconut butter should be totally melted and stirred in.
5. Using a fork or slotted spoon, remove the meat to a bowl.  
6. Add the greens (in batches, if necessary) to the pan.  Stir as you add, incorporating sauce and greens.
7. When the greens are nicely wilted, dump the lamb back into the pan.  Turn up the heat a tiny bit and warm it all up.  Salt to taste.
8. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the juice of one lime.
9. Serve.  Fresh cilantro (chopped) and/or plain yogurt or sour cream would be really good on top of this.  Also try: chopped fresh tomato, minced onion or scallion, chopped orange slices, or even some chopped raisins, if you can handle the carbs.

Shawarma spice blend (this is not mine; I got this off the internetz somewhere, I have no clue where):

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. In a mixing bowl, add the cumin, coriander, garlic, paprika, turmeric, cloves, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and cinnamon.
2. Mix together well, and use as needed or place in an air tight container or bottle.

Heart and Kidney Stew

[Progress pics to come next time I make it.  I totally forgot!  oops]


NOTES:
This was a lot of chopping due to my pickiness.  I'm actually glad it made twice as much as I anticipated, since the time I invested (4.5 hrs!) was worth making 6-weeks' worth of stew, but not less!  I froze about 7/8 of this, in individual containers.  Next time, I'll either add another kidney, so the offal is in the proportion of a whole animal; or I'll use only 1/2 the heart.  I'm inclined toward the former, since this is pretty time intensive---but well worth it!

Also, as usual for my recipes, this is intentionally designed to be a delectable, high-fat, and high-quality-of-fat recipe.  Use the best ingredients that you can afford.  You can adjust the fat, of course, although as written, I found the stew too lean, and had to add a tablespoon of butter on top of my bowl---then it was perfect!


Ingredients:
1 beef kidney
1 beef heart with its fat (this was about 4 lbs total, a big one!)
1-1.5 lbs mushrooms
1 whole onion
1 bunch garlic
1 large carrot
1 large red pepper
3 stalks celery, with whatever leaves they have
5 (or more) slices very fatty bacon
8 oz unsalted butter (could use salted if you like; adjust salt below)
1+ T  rosemary, dried (substitute fresh if you want; I don't know how much)
1+ T  thyme, dried (same)
1+ T ground black pepper
1 scant T salt (this turned out to be way too little for me, but better safe than sorry)
2 large bay leaves, torn
2 large tomatoes (I used heirlooms because they're so funky looking, I can't resist them)
125 mL red wine (1 of those small bottles---the whole thing, hehe; I used a shiraz)
1 T worcestershire
2/3 cup beef broth gelatinized; probably equivalent to 1 quart beef broth??

Directions:

1. Soak kidney (whole) in well-salted water for 2 hours.  Then lightly simmer it in vinegared water for 30 minutes.  Then remove it and let it cool at least long enough to handle.
2. Chop the mushrooms as finely as you can.  They will be the same size as the kidney.  If you don't like kidney (which I don't), chop them (and the kidney) very finely so you can't tell the difference between the two.  It works!  (and takes time, boo)
3. Cut up the onion.
4. Peel the garlic.  Chop/mince/crush it.  If using a garlic press like me, keep the skin-leavings to toss in with the crushed garlic.  The long cooking time will take care of evening the texture and flavor.
5. Cut up the carrot, celery, and pepper.  I left the leaves long and whole, to add flavor during cooking, but so I could pick the out afterward.
6. Trim off the fat from the heart. Put it through the food processor until it's finely ground.  I ended up with about 1.5 cups of fluffed ground fat.  Toss it into the pot you'll use for browning, and heat it up on medium heat (turn on the vent if you have one).  Don't worry about the meat bits in there, they'll get nice and brown and then soften in slow cooking, giving flavor and gaining softening.
7. Trim the heart of blood vessels and nerves, and cut it up.  OR, be lazy like me, and cut it into chunks and just put it through the food processor.  I figured the slow cooking would soften any stringy blood vessels, or I'd be able to pick them out later.  So far, I've found none.
8. Put the onions into the hot beef fat and salivate over a smell that's reminiscent of fried onion rings at our local mom'n'pop burger joint, when they used to use tallow to make them.  (keep the vent on, though).  Fry them until they start to caramelize (forever, plus 10 minutes)
9. Cut up the kidney (match in size to the mushrooms if you don't like kidney, or are new to offal)  The white core of the kidney is fat (good) and gristle (umm...).  I just trimmed as much of it as I could, since I have texture issues with meat.  Since this is going in the slow cooker, probably leaving some in would be fine, since it'll soften and/or dissolve away. 
10. When onions have just barely started to caramelize, turn the heat down to medium-low, and toss in all that garlic.  Stir the whole shebang around for about 30 seconds, then dump it all out into a heat-proof bowl.  Scrape out all the bits, and as much fat as you can get.
11. Brown the bacon until it's how you like it.  It is, however, going into the stew.  At the very end of the bacon, toss in the chopped kidney to warm it up and cover it in bacon fat, then scrape out the pan into the same bowl. WARNING:  you will smell offal when the kidney warms up.  If you like this strong flavor, you can brown the kidney.  If not, don't be put off, the stew will be delicious when all is said and done.  Dump this in the heat-proof bowl
12. Brown the heart.  I only browned half of mind, as it was very finely ground.  Browning didn't work that well, as the fine grinding allowed too much moisture to leak out in the pan, and it just steamed.  If your heart is in chunks, they'll brown over high enough heat, while keeping the insides rare-ish.    WARNING:  browning heart has a strong meaty offaly smell.  Don't worry, same as for the kidney.  Toss onto the pile in the heat-proof bowl.
13. Melt 8 oz butter.  (trust me!)  You can add more if like. (trust me!)  Use medium heat, so it doesn't take forever.  It won't burn that quickly.
14. While the butter melts, whiz the tomatoes in the food processor until it's as liquidy as you can get it, or until the butters done.  It's all good!
15. When the butter's mostly melted, toss in the herbs and pepper.
16. When that becomes fragrant, add in the salt and all those chopped veggies, keep moving them around, and get them smelling good.  On medium high heat, this took about 1 minute.
17. Dump in the stuff from the heat-proof bowl, plus any accumulated liquid.
18. Pour in all of the following: all the ground tomato, the entire small bottle of red wine, the beef broth or gelatinzed stuff, and the worcestershire.
19. Stir it all together, and add pre-boiled water (still hot) to cover.  Stir in between adding, so you can make sure to add water to cover.  NOTE:  I had to divide this between my big pot (oven safe) and my slow cooker, because it made so much!  Thank God it tastes good...

IN OVEN: covered, at 350 F for 4 hrs, adding about 1 cup water in the middle, just in case.

IN SLOW COOKER:  on high for 4 hrs, just leave it alone.

When 4 hrs have passed, take the pot out of the oven, remove the lid, and let it cool a few minutes (basically until you can touch the handles). Then heat it on stove at about medium to reduce it to a nice thick stew, as thick as you like.  Stir occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn't stick/burn.

For crockpot, keep it on high, take the lid off, and just let it evaporate.  This is a lot slower than the stove-top way.

Since I had a half batch in both, at the end of reducing, I dumped the crockpot stew into the pot and stirred it together to ensure the flavor would be consistent.

As with any stew, this is better after it's sat over night or longer.  I left it in the pots over night, covered, to cool down and get manageable, and for flavors to blend nicely.  It was 70 F inside, and the stew was fine.

Reheat to serve.  Top with parsley for yumminess and prettiness.

SEASONING VARIATIONS:

• Mexican-style spicing, topped with cilantro and lime
• Jamaican-style spicing, same topping?
• Indian curry spicing, topped with yogurt (or sour cream) with some lemon stirred in or squeezed on top and fresh cilantro or basil maybe?

Lamb Burgers with Mint and Preserved Lemon

Take 1 lb ground grass-fed lamb

Mix in ~3/4 T Ras-el-hanout spice blend

Mix in ~1 T za’atar (no thyme in mine, in spite of the name, so just sumac and sesame seeds)

Mix in 1 beaten egg

Form patties and cook

Remove to plates

Tent with foil to keep warm

Add broth to lamb pan (1/4 cup per person)

Add sherry to lamb pan (1/2 T per person)

Reduce to half its volume while whisking briskly

Pour over burgers

Top with sauce (this will probably taste better tomorrow, so make it ahead; I’ll revise this if fresh tastes better):

¼ cup sour cream per person

½ pack mint (about 3/8 oz) per person, minced finely

½ tsp dried thyme per person, crushed gently

2 small slices preserved lemon per person, minced finely

VARIATIONS:

Use Baharat blend instead

Use preserved mandarin orange with baharat?

Use Jerk blend instead

Use preserved lime with jerk?

      Optional ACCOMPANIMENTS:
                  Fresh tomatoes, sliced or diced
                  Avocado with fresh lemon squeezed over
                  Side salad in a light vinaigrette

Superb Liver and Onions

Based on this wonderful recipe over at Edible Aria.  I made some tweaks:  used chicken liver instead of beef (butcher was closed on Sunday, so no grass-fed beef available, but grocer was open and they had organic chicken livers); added 1 huge clove garlic (more would have been better), and 1 sweet red pepper; we also substituted coconut flour for the wheat flour.  (Next time, I'd probably omit the flour all together, and just make sure to flash cook the morsels of liver so they're not over-done.)

Ingredients:

• 2 T bacon fat
• 6 slices bacon, chopped (not too small, imo; and of course, more or less as desired---this is what we had on hand, and Mom is a lipophobe so this amount of bacon is probably all she could conceive of three  people eating in one meal! Poor woman...)
• 1 sliced onion (more or less, depending on carb tolerance)
• 2 T grass-fed butter (we used Kerrygold, nummy!)
• 3/4 lb crimini mushrooms (an estimate; more or less to taste)
• 1 sliced sweet red pepper
• 1 clove garlic (more would be better, imo; crush, mince, garlic press it---whatever your normal garlic routine is)
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped into 1-inch(ish) pieces  (on the bias is prettiest, imo, but I was lazy and hungry and wanted to get on with things)
• 1 lb liver, cut into pieces of desired size (chicken is pictured), preferably from an animal raised humanely and on species-appropriate food (cow chow should be largely grass, imo; and chicken chow should be bugs and grass and worms and seeds and whatever else they peck up when they're walking and pooping all over the place---sorry to say "poop" when discussing food, Dad!)
• coconut flour with salt and pepper to taste, for dredging liver pieces--we used about 1 cup, but of course there was around 2/3 of a cup wasted, as that's the nature of dredging in flour  (I will omit this entirely next time---I think it only served to thicken the dish, which almost resulted in a scorched pan and bottom layer of food, and I couldn't discern that it added anything; possibly wheat flour would have better results, but Mom has celiac and I don't do grains)
• 1/2 bunch of parsley, chopped (more or less to taste)
• 1/2 pack of fresh sage, chopped (more or less to taste; more would be better, imo; keep a few for nice garnish at the end, if desired)

Instructions (see updates at bottom of post):

1. Melt the bacon fat over medium-low heat, and then add the bacon pieces and cook until the new fat has rendered.  The bacon will be mostly crisp at this point, which is good.
2. Add the onion, and cook until it's well on its way to being browned.
3. Add the butter, and stir to incorporate it while it melts, then add all the mushrooms.  Cook them until they're pretty done and getting "toasty" looking around the edges.  Mushrooms absorb fat nicely!
4. Add the chopped pepper and garlic, and cook (still low-ish heat) until very fragrant and droolsome.  Get the plates ready, and get the liver ready during the previous steps, because after the pepper starts to get a little cooked-looking, things will move relatively fast compared to the earlier "hurry up and wait" steps.  Give the pan one last good stir when the peppers look cooked through-ish.
5. Lay the liver pieces quickly and efficiently (as well as you can!  Don't stress out) in the pan on top of the goodies, and wait for about 90 seconds.  Then turn each liver piece over and wait another 60 seconds or so.  
6. Toss in the parsley and sage at this point (earlier if you like them more cooked; consider reserving a little sage for fresh garnish at the end)
7. Then gently stir everything as needed.  The liver pieces cook pretty damn fast compared to the earlier steps.  Really and truly, when people say not to over cook liver, there's a good reason for that!  Take the pan off the heat when the liver is still pretty darn pink.  While you fumble around and pour the wine and get the plates, it will cook a little more, so don't worry about it.
8. Plate, serve, eat, and enjoy!

Below are some pics from the middle and end stages.

This is the pan with everything in it except the liver, parsley, and sage:

Here is the flour-dusted liver, alongside the chopped parsley and sage:

And here is the final dish, plated (a few baked green beans in lower left---just ignore, I did!)

(Apologies for blurry and dark photo.  I need to learn how to take better pictures!)


Edited 4-Nov-12:
I made this tonight, and made the following changes:

• used 3 different mushrooms: crimini, shitaki, and maitake (stinky but good!)
• added 1/2 cup red wine as mushrooms were cooking (NOTE: if I hadn't used the maitake, which are very strongly flavored, I'd have used vermouth)
• used 4 whole garlic cloves (pressed, then chopped up and added the skins)
• put in my liver naked (in other words, didn't dredge in flour/salt/pepper)
• added 1/2ish tsp mélange classique; will use a tad more next time