October 19, 2023 - This Week's Box Contents Featuring Fresh Ginger

 

Cooking With This Week's Box

Fresh Baby Ginger:  

Golden Milk
Photo from www.teaforturmeric.com

Easy 5-Minute Carrot Miso Ginger Dressing (See Below)

Pear Ginger Walnut Muffins (See Below)

Homemade Pickled Ginger 

Golden Milk 

Orange Carrots: 

Sesame Ginger Carrot Salad 

Carrot Oatmeal Cookie 

Orange Marmalade or Bon Bon Winter Squash:  

Japanese Roasted Kabocha Squash 

8 Kabocha Squash Recipes to Keep In Your Back Pocket 

Starry Night Acorn Squash: 

Roasted Acorn Squash with Sesame Seeds & Cumin 

Sourdough Stuffing with Apples, Acorn Squash & Hazelnuts  

Japanese Roasted Kabocha Squash
Photo from www.justonevookbook.com

Yellow Onions: 

French Onion Bread 

Onion Tart 

Italian Garlic: 

Sopa de Ajo (Spanish Garlic Soup) 

Rosemary Garlic Smashed Potatoes 

Cauliflower or Broccoli Romanesco or Broccoli: 

Broccoli Slaw 

Curried Cauliflower & Acorn Squash Soup 

Onion Tart
Photo from www.tasteofhome.com

Salad Mix: 

Mixed Greens Salad with Cranberries, Walnuts & Blue Cheese 

Purple Majesty Potatoes: 

Garlicky Roasted Purple Potatoes 

Pan-Fried Purple Potatoes with Cilantro Gremolata 

Red Summercrisp or Green Boston Lettuce: 

Butter (Boston) Lettuce Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette 

Mibuna: 

An Easy Chinese Greens Recipe

Purple Daikon Radish:  

Daikon Radish & Soba Noodle with Chickpea Miso Ginger Sauce 

Soy-Pickled Daikon Radish 

Garlicky Roasted Purple Potatoes
Photo from www.foodabovegold.com

This week is definitely feeling more like fall, complete with changing leaves on the trees, a cool, crisp air hanging in our valley in the morning, and a shift in cooking from tomatoes, peppers and summer vegetables to winter squash, root crops and very soon…sweet potatoes!  This week we’re featuring another one of our unique tropical vegetables, Fresh Baby Ginger!  I included a few recipes for you to consider, the first being Pear Ginger Walnut Muffins (See Below). This is the perfect muffin for a fall breakfast on the go. I also included a simple recipe for Easy 5-Minute Carrot Miso Ginger Dressing (See Below). This recipe will be a great accompaniment to a green salad topped with shredded daikon radish, carrots, and grilled steak! I also included a recipe for Homemade Pickled Ginger in case you want to give that a try.  Lastly, I love a hot cup of Golden Milk so thought you might enjoy it too!

I enjoy purple daikon radish because it’s beautiful, but I also like having a smaller radish to work with.  One of my favorite things to do with purple daikon is to make Soy-Pickled Daikon Radish.  This is a great condiment to have in the refrigerator. Enjoy a few slices alongside fried rice, grilled steak, ramen noodles, etc. If you want something that is a bit more of a complete meal, check out Andrea Bemis’ recipe for Daikon Radish & Soba Noodle with Chickpea Miso Ginger Sauce.

I hope you’re ready to make winter squash part of your weekly line up, and for starters try Roasted Acorn Squash with Sesame Seeds & Cumin or Sourdough Stuffing with Apples, Acorn Squash & Hazelnuts.  I seldom do anything with kabocha squash other than bake it, season with salt, and melt some butter on it. But if you do want to get a bit more adventurous, check out this recipe collection for 8 Kabocha Squash Recipes to Keep In Your Back Pocket.

Ok, there’s another load of carrots coming in from the field very soon so I’d better wrap up and head back to the packing shed!  Richard has been monitoring the sweet potato curing process and, hopefully, we’ll be able to start washing them next week for your boxes!  We’re also saving Brussels sprouts for next week.  Plenty to look forward to! 

Have a great week-----

Andrea 

Vegetable Feature: Fresh Baby Ginger

by Andrea Yoder

Newly planted Ginger

Along with this year’s lemongrass and jicama, baby ginger is another unique crop that is on our list of crops we grow periodically, but not every year. Our growing season is much different than Hawaii and other ginger-producing regions, however it is possible to grow ginger in this climate! Ginger is actually a rhizome, which is a stem that grows horizontally underground.   It produces roots to anchor it and sends up shoots to grow into foliage above ground as it grows and expands. In our northern climate, we have the best results growing ginger in a greenhouse as we just don’t have a long enough growing season to get any kind of appreciable yield when grown in the field.  The ginger we produce is actually referred to as baby ginger as we don’t have enough warm days, even when grown in the greenhouse, to produce fully mature ginger.  

Harvesting Ginger

Baby ginger is different than fully mature ginger, which is what you have likely purchased if you’ve bought ginger from the store.  Baby ginger has very thin skin with some pink coloring, especially at the points where the stems have grown from the main rhizome. This is very different from the thick, brown skin you are likely most accustomed to seeing in the store.  Due to its thin skin, baby ginger is more perishable and should be used within about a week for optimal quality. It is best to store it at room temperature as it can get rubbery in the refrigerator. When you cut into a piece of baby ginger, you will notice it is more tender, juicy and has a bright and perhaps a bit more mild flavor than some fully mature ginger that can be quite spicy.  In many ways, young ginger versus fully mature ginger is very similar to the differences you experience with using fresh garlic harvested in late June versus mature garlic that has been cured.  We also chose to leave some of the stem and a bit of leaf attached to the ginger. These stems are also edible, although the flavor is milder than the main rhizome. I like to add them to soup, stews, tea or broth and use them to infuse additional flavor into the liquid.

Freshly washed baby Ginger

Ginger is used as both medicine and food. As a medicine, it has anti-inflammatory properties, can sooth a whole host of gastrointestinal maladies, and helps to boost the immune system. When used in cooking, you will find it is a common, if not staple, ingredient in many Asian cultures. It is often paired with garlic and scallions in Chinese stir-fry or combine it with chiles, lemongrass and a variety of other ingredients to make Thai curry pastes. Ginger has a spicy, warm flavor which also makes it an excellent ingredient to pair with other warming spices and rich, comforting foods such as sweet potatoes, winter squash, mushrooms, broccoli, etc. It can be used extensively to make beverages, teas, baked goods, stir-fry, salad dressings, vegetable dishes, curries, and much, much more!

To use baby ginger, simply cut a piece from the main chunk and peel if necessary. The skin is so thin and tender that it usually comes off quite easily. As I mentioned above, it’s best to use baby ginger within about a week.  If you do not think you’ll be able to use all your ginger within a week, consider preserving it for later use.  There are several options for ways to preserve ginger. First, consider making a ginger syrup that you can keep in the refrigerator to use as a base to add to beverages or just eat a spoonful each day for an immune boost. You can also turn fresh ginger into pickled ginger. Traditional Japanese pickled ginger that is commonly served with sushi is made with baby ginger. The pink hue of pickled ginger comes from that pink color you see on the skin of baby ginger. This is also the preferred form of ginger to use as it’s more tender and delicate compared to fully mature ginger.  Pickled ginger is very easy to make and will keep for up to six months in the refrigerator.  Lastly, you can freeze fresh ginger. Just wash it well and cut it into smaller pieces, about the amount you may want to use at a time. Place the clean ginger pieces in a freezer bag and freeze it raw. When you have a recipe that calls for fresh ginger, pull a piece of the frozen ginger out and let it rest at room temperature for a few minutes. The ginger may be a little soft once fully thawed, but that doesn’t really matter.  Just chop it up and use it wherever you need “fresh” ginger! We’ve come to appreciate this crop over the years and hope you enjoy this little taste of the tropics!  

Pear Ginger Walnut Muffins

Yield:  12 medium sized muffins

Pear Ginger Sauce:

2 cups peeled, cored and diced ripe pears (Bartlett or similar)

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

¼ cup sugar

2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

Muffins:

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground ginger for batter plus ½ tsp for topping

¼ tsp salt

2 eggs

⅓ cup sugar for batter plus 2 Tbsp for topping

½ cup plus 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1 ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1. 
   First prepare the Pear Ginger Sauce. Heat 1 Tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When butter is melted and frothy add pears, tossing with a wooden spoon to coat. 
2. Add ¼ cup of sugar, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
3. Add grated ginger and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, until pears are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for at least 15-20 minutes while you assemble the muffin batter. 
4. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Grease muffin pan.
5. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1 tsp ground ginger and salt.
6. Whisk together eggs and ⅓ cup sugar in a large bowl until combined well, then add butter whisking or blending with electric mixer until creamy. Add 1 cup of the cooled pear ginger sauce and stir to combine.  Next, fold in flour mixture until the dry and wet ingredients are fully incorporated. Stir in 1 cup of walnuts and divide batter among muffin cups.
7. In a small bowl, combine remaining 2 Tbsp sugar, ½ tsp ground ginger and ½ cup walnuts. Sprinkle topping evenly on top of muffins. Bake until muffins are golden, and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then remove muffins from pan and cool slightly. Once cooled completely, the muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, or in the refrigerator for about a week. 

Recipe borrowed from www.food52.com.

Easy 5-Minute Carrot Miso Ginger Dressing

Yield:  approximately 1.5 cups

Photo from www.kalejunkie.com

½ cup white miso

¼ cup avocado or olive oil

½ cup grated carrots, packed

2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 tsp maple syrup or honey

¼ cup water

½ tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

1. Start by adding all of the ingredients, except for the sesame seeds, to a high-speed blender.  Blend until smooth.
2. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. If you are using sesame seeds, stir them in by hand.
3. Once done, transfer your dressing to a jar and store in the fridge for up to one week. Put it on your favorite salads, eat it with veggies, or use it as a sauce for chicken or fish.

Recipe borrowed from www.kalejunkie.com.

Vegetable Feature: Fresh Baby Ginger

By Chef Andrea

     We are very excited to deliver possibly the freshest ginger you may ever have experienced! Given our shorter growing season, the ginger we grow is actually considered “Baby Ginger.”  Ginger has a wide variety of culinary uses and is a common ingredient in the cuisine of many Asian cultures. It is a base ingredient in Chinese stir-fries. It is combined with lemongrass and chiles to make Thai curry pastes and in Japan, it is often served alongside sushi in its pickled form. Ginger has a spicy, warm flavor which also makes it an excellent ingredient to include in baked goods, tea and other beverages. 

     To use your ginger,  cut off a piece from the main chunk and peel it. Remember, this is very fresh ginger and still has a very thin skin so you don’t have to peel very deep, rather just gently scrape away the thin skin. You can store  ginger pieces for several days at room temperature or if you aren’t going to use it right away you can store it in the refrigerator. It can also be preserved for long term storage by freezing it. I like to cut it into smaller pieces before I freeze it so I can just pull out a small portion as I need it. You will find this fresh ginger to be very juicy and crisp with a bright flavor. The long green stems attached to the lower portion contain a mild ginger flavor as well. I cut them into 5-6 inch pieces and use them to infuse a little more ginger flavor into soups, stocks, curries, tea, etc.

     We have more recipes available on our website from past newsletters. A few of my personal favorites include Golden Milk, Chai-Spiced Bread, Ginger-Cardamom Tea and Pickled Ginger. Have fun using and experiencing this tropical Wisconsin treat!

Crystallized Ginger

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown, The Food Network

Photo borrowed from The Food Network Website

8 oz fresh ginger root

4 cups water

½ lb granulated sugar, or as needed

1. Spray a cooling rack with non-stick spray or brush lightly with oil and set it in a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. 

2. Clean and peel the ginger. Because the ginger is so young and fresh, a spoon or knife scraped against the root should work well for peeling. 

3. Slice the ginger into ⅛ inch slices. Place ginger and water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat, and simmer for 35-50 minutes, or until the ginger is tender. 

4. Drain the ginger, reserving ¼ cup of the liquid. Weigh the ginger and add an equal amount of granulated sugar. Return the ginger, sugar and up to ¼ cup of the reserved liquid back to the pan. You only need to use enough liquid to dissolve the sugar. 

5. Stir over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, and continue stirring and watching as the syrup thickens. Keep stirring and cooking until the syrup has dried and the sugar has recrystallized, about 20 minutes. The transformation will be obvious. Immediately move the ginger to the wire rack and cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

HVF Note: Use the crystallized ginger in the carrot-ginger soup recipe in this newsletter or add it to banana bread, sugar cookies, ginger snaps, citrus salad, granola bars, cakes, pies, muffins, cupcakes, shortbread, pancakes, waffles, over ice cream, in lemon pound cake, cranberry relish or in pear or apple crisp. Save any gingery sugar crystals to put in your coffee or tea. You can even add the ginger water that you made in the first step to tea, but be careful - it’s spicy!

Carrot-Ginger Soup

Recipe adapted from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen

Yield: 6 servings

HVF Note: This recipe aims to keep it simple by amplifying the sweet flavor of carrots by using a few basic aromatics and lots of carrots, including carrot juice. If you’ve been stockpiling your carrots for the last few weeks, this would be a great recipe to use. The addition of baking soda is to tenderize the carrots and ginger, producing a perfectly creamy soup.

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, ghee or vegetable oil

2 onions, chopped fine

¼ cup minced crystallized ginger (see recipe, opposite) 

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick

4 cups water

1 ½ cups carrot juice, divided

2 sprigs fresh thyme

½ tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

Salt and pepper, to taste

Optional Garnishes: chopped chives, sour cream, croutons

1. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onions, crystallized ginger, fresh ginger, garlic, 2 tsp salt, and sugar. Cook, stirring often, until onions are softened but not browned, 5-7 minutes

2. Stir in carrots, water, ¾ cup carrot juice, thyme sprigs and baking soda. Increase heat to high and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer gently until carrots are very tender, 20-25 minutes. 

3. Discard thyme sprigs. Working in batches, process soup in blender until smooth, 1-2 minutes (caution: vent the blender carefully, as steam will be released). Return pureed soup to clean pot and stir in vinegar and remaining ¾ cup carrot juice. 

4. Return soup to brief simmer over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, garnishing individual bowls with chives, sour cream and/or croutons.

Ginger: Spicy, or Anti-Inflammatory?

By Laurel Blomquist

Fresh Baby Ginger

     Welcome to another article in our anti-cancer series. Today’s focus is on the tropical rhizome, ginger. Don’t forget, these anti-cancer foods also combat neurological, immunological, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and metabolic disorders, as well as the process of aging. 

     Ginger has not yet been studied by Richard Beliveau and Denis Gingras, authors of Foods to Fight Cancer. However, they do include it in their appendix as a flavor you should include in your anti-cancer meals, particularly any of an Asian flair. They say, “One of the principal molecules present in this spicy root, known as gingerol, has often been put forward as a powerful potential anticancer agent, for its anti-inflammatory properties as well as its inhibiting activity on cancerous cells.” (p. 179)

     David Servan-Schreiber also mentions ginger in Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life. He calls out ginger’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and protective effects. He cites three studies that demonstrate this, as well as ginger’s ability to reduce the creation of new blood vessels. He recommends ginger to alleviate nausea brought on by chemotherapy or radiation, and suggests making a simple tea by slicing an inch of ginger and steeping in boiling water for ten to fifteen minutes. (p. 134)

     Ginger has been found effective at inhibiting liver cancer, a particularly fast-growing cancer that spreads rapidly. Researchers in China found that ginger reduced serum liver cancer markers and liver tissue growth factors. Ginger was also found to inhibit inflammation and promote apoptosis (ritual cell death) using three of its compounds: geraniol, pinostrobin and clavatol. 6-shogaol and 6-gingerol, two of ginger’s active ingredients, also prohibited metastasis, or the spread of liver cancer to other parts of the body. (Zhou et al. 2016)

Close-up: ginger in greenhouse

     I found a laundry list of benefits from ginger in the book The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, by Jonny Bowden (p. 284-285). For those of you who practice Ayurveda, India’s 5000-year old “Science of Life,” you may already know that ginger is known as the universal remedy. Bowden reiterates ginger’s ability to stave off nausea and vomiting, and adds that since ginger doesn’t have side effects, it may be particularly of interest to pregnant women experiencing morning sickness. He lists several active ingredients, including shogaol and zingerone, which are anti-inflammatory and could be used by those suffering from arthritis or fibromyalgia. He cites a study suggesting that gingerols may inhibit the growth of human colorectal cancer cells. Other studies show that ginger has positive effects on the gastrointestinal tract, the cardiovascular system, pain, and fever. 

     In mice and other animal studies, ginger was shown to lower cholesterol, slow the development of atherosclerosis (arterial plaque build-up), boost the immune system, slow the growth of tumors, and work as an antimicrobial and antiviral agent. Ginger can also improve circulation for those with perpetually cold hands and feet. However, precautions should be taken by those who take prescription medications that thin the blood, such as Coumadin or aspirin, since the effects will be amplified by ginger. Ginger also increases bile acid secretion, which is great for those with Fatty Liver Disease, but not so good for people with gallstones or gallbladder disease. An increase in bile helps the body process and absorb fats, which is necessary to absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as A, E, D, and K. 

Ginger in the greenhouse

     The most exciting article I read about ginger cited a recent study that showed 6-shogaol (a compound found in dried or cooked ginger) is 10,000 times more effective than chemotherapy drugs at destroying cancer stem cells! The study was done on breast cancer stem cells, but the research suggests it could be used for any cancer. What is a cancer stem cell? It is the “mother” cell that regenerates to produce new cancer cells, forming tumors and offshoots. Chemotherapy does not kill off these cells, even at very high doses. Chemo also does not differentiate between healthy cells and cancer cells, which is why it typically makes the patient feel sicker in the short term. Killing cancer stem cells is very important for the long-term fight of any patient against cancer. Doctors may be able to remove cancerous cells and tumors, but unless they kill off the stem cells, cancer may return in the future. For more information on this study, and a link to the study itself, visit: foodrevolution.org/blog/ginger-cancer-treatment.

     I used to eat ginger a few times a week, but now I think I’m going to try to incorporate it into my meals or drinks every day. With its distinct flavor and potent anti-cancer compounds, ginger can’t be beat!

References:

Beliveau, Richard, and Denis Gingras. Foods to Fight Cancer. 2007. 

Bowden, Jonny, PhD, CNS. The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. 2007.

Ji, Sayer. “Ginger: 10,000 times stronger than Chemo in Cancer Research Model”. FoodRevolution.org. [Green Med Info], Oct. 19, 2015. 

Servan-Schreiber, David. Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life. 2009. 

Zhou Y, Li Y, Zhou T, Zheng J, Li S, Li H-B. March 10, 2016. Dietary Natural Products for Prevention and Treatment of Liver Cancer. Nutrients. 8(3): 156.