ginger Archives -

November 1, 2016

Ginger Pear Tea

Last week my daughter’s brownies troop had an apple orchard outing on the calendar. Nevermind that it was 38 degrees and raining, they were determined to carry on. “Always be prepared” is one of their mottos. With our rain boots, coats, hats, mittens, and umbrellas, we were good to go. We toured the cider mill, drank cider and donuts, and then it was time to pick apples in the biting wind and rain. Most of girls toughed it out cheerfully, happy with their rainy day adventures. Not my daughter though. She made sure to let me know about how freezing she was, and how she just wanted to go home and take a bath. Later that evening we discovered that she had a fever of 102. Poor girl.

[Read more…] about Ginger Pear Tea

March 21, 2016

Ginger Chicken Brown Rice Congee

Sickness hit our family pretty hard last week; first it was my daughter, then me, and then my son. Unfortunately for us, Ryan happened to be gone on a work trip and the three of us were left to fend for ourselves. It was nothing too serious, mostly just stubborn colds and minor fevers, but it was enough to make us all tired, weary, and worn out. We appreciated the extra time at home, however, as we slowed down and got in some extra snuggles. This time instead of the usual chicken noodle soup, I made a pot of this soothing and healing ginger chicken congee (or in Chinese jook). Congee, a savory rice porridge, was my childhood comfort food and I could always count on my mom to have a big pot simmering on the stove whenever anyone in the family became sick. It’s prepared by slowly cooking rice with some type of meat or vegetable stock and it turns wonderfully creamy and almost smooth after the slow cooking. Its quiet simplicity makes it the perfect vehicle for adding an endless number of condiments and garnishes.

March 10, 2015

Easy Baked Ginger Chicken

I started feeling a little under the weather a few weeks ago and made this ginger chicken so I could pack in as much immune-boosting, antioxidant-rich ginger into my diet as possible. The amount of ginger in this recipe might seem excessive (see recipe below for a tip on mincing large amounts of ginger), but the baking mellows out any bite and it all melds together nicely. I usually use chicken thighs since they are virtually impossible to overcook, but chicken breasts would also work well if that’s your preference. The overnight marination is essential to deepen the ginger-soy-sesame flavors, but the slight effort in early preparation pays off the next day when all you need to do is place the dish in the oven. As the chicken bakes, a savory sauce develops and is wonderful when accompanied with a bed of brown rice or whole-grain noodles. The ginger scallion garnish adds a nice touch at the end, but it is certainly optional and fine without. This dish is also great leftover and can be served warmed or at room temperature.

Easy Baked Ginger Chicken

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

12 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 4½ pounds
¼ cup honey
⅓ cup tamari or soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic, about 6 garlic cloves (see note)
3 tablespoons minced ginger, about 3-inch piece ginger (see note)
extra ginger and scallions for garnish, optional

Instructions

Arrange chicken thighs skin-side down in a 9x13 baking dish.
In a small saucepan over low heat, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger until honey is melted and well blended. Pour mixture evenly over the chicken thighs. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 350. Take chicken out of refrigerator while oven is preheating. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Raise temperature to 375. Remove foil and turn chicken thighs to skin-side up. Bake uncovered for another 30 minutes, until juices run clear.
To serve, garnish with finely julienned ginger and scallions, if desired.

Notes

To quickly mince garlic and ginger, coarsely chop and pulse garlic and ginger separately in a mini-prep food processor.

adapted from Barefoot Contessa