Vietnamese Kale and Tomatoes

Lots of kale - and tomatoes - coming in from the garden these days. Here's a quick and easy combination of the two that is a little different from the usual. And did you know that a few Valley farmers actually grow ginger here? I got some fresh Lionsville Farm recently.

Canola oil
3-4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
6-8 cups chopped kale leaves
1/2 - 1 tsp fish sauce

Heat a little canola oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and ginger and saute over medium high heat until fragrant, about a minute or so. Add the tomatoes and saute for another couple minutes. Add the kale and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted. Add fish sauce to taste and serve hot.

Serves 3-4.

Peanut Sauce

This isn't based on local ingredients, but it's a great condiment for noodles, vegetables, and even new potatoes.

1/3 - 1/2 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar 
3 Tbsp peanut or canola oil 
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter (preferably natural)
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
2-3 tsp chili paste 
Up to 1/4 cup water
Up to 1/4 cup sugar or honey (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add water as needed to reach desired consistency.

Makes enough to sauce 1 lb of noodles, 2 lbs of potatoes, or vegetables to serve 6.

Noodles with Spinach Peanut Sauce

This is a great dish for hot weather. I have made peanut noodles before, but I wanted to try the idea of getting some vegetables worked right into the sauce, and this worked really well. Plus my kids loved it. You can dress it up by adding tofu, meat, and raw vegetables if you like - later in the summer I'll be adding snap peas, carrots, and eventually red peppers.

1/2 lb spinach, stemmed and washed
2 stalks green garlic (or substitute scapes or garlic cloves)
2-3 Tbsp ginger root, coarsely chopped or grated
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup canola or peanut oil
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 Tbsp honey or brown sugar
Salt to taste
1 lb linguine or other noodles

Lightly steam the spinach, then immerse it in a bowl of cold water to cool it off.

Combine the spinach with the green garlic, soy sauce, oil, vinegar, peanut butter, and honey or brown sugar in the blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside (chill if you like).

Cook the noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water. Drain when done, then rinse with cold water until thoroughly cooled. Drain again.

Combine the noodles with the sauce in a large bowl. Serve cold or room temperature.

Serves 4-6.

Ginger Maple Roasted Parsnips

Parsnips take really well to dry heat cooking, which brings out their natural sweetness. They pair well with sweet spices and seasonings. If you want to get fancy with the presentation here, you could serve these topped with a sprinkling of fleur de sel. Regardless, do add salt - it works well against the sweetness of the syrup, which gives the parsnips a nice candied texture around the edges.

2 lbs parsnips
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 Tbsp walnut or canola oil
1/2 tsp ground ginger
Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Peel the parsnips and cut out woody cores, then cut into cubes or spears. Toss them in a bowl with the maple syrup, oil, ginger, and a sprinkling of salt. When well coated, spread on a rimmed baking sheet (you may want to use parchment paper or foil to prevent a sticky cleanup job). Roast for 20-25 minutes, turning once, until the parsnips are tender and nicely golden brown.

Serves 3-4.

Asian Noodle Bowl with Bok Choy, Bacon, and Scapes

A chance of pace from stir fries, and easy to assemble. Some shiitake mushrooms would not go amiss here, but I didn't happen to have any when I made this.

1 lb linguine or spaghetti (or Asian noodles if you have them)
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 lb bacon, diced
3-4 Tbsp minced ginger root
1-1 1/2 cups chopped garlic scapes
1 lb bok choy, sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce
Asian hot sauce (optional)

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain, toss with the sesame oil, and set aside.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet or wok until chewy. Remove and drain on paper towels. Pour off most of the bacon fat, leaving 1-2 Tbsp.

Add the ginger and scapes to the skillet or wok and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the bok choy and stir fry until tender. Stir in the soy sauce and mix well to coat.

Assemble each bowl by placing a serving of noodles in the bottom, then adding the bok choy mixture and the bacon on top. Serve with additional soy sauce or hot sauce if desired.

Serves 4-5.

Ginger Beef Noodle Soup

Don't be shy with the ginger here - use the full amount. And feel free to substitute other vegetables (peppers, celeriac, broccoli, even greens) depending on what you have on hand. You could also skip the beef shanks and make this with leftover pot roast if the seasonings are compatible.

2 lbs beef shanks
Canola oil
Salt and pepper
8-10 cloves garlic, minced
2 large onions diced
1/4 cup grated ginger root
2-3 large carrots, sliced into rounds
2-3 cups shelled edamame (frozen is fine)
Beef stock
2 cups egg noodles, rombi, or similar

Preheat the broiler of your oven. Lightly oil the beef shanks all over, then liberally sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Broil for 3-5 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Set aside.

Heat a little canola oil in a soup pot, then add the garlic and onion and saute for 3-5 minutes. Add the ginger and saute for another minute or two. Add the vegetables, then the browned shanks. Pour in enough beef stock to almost cover the shanks. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours, until the beef is very tender.

Remove the shanks from the pot. Discard the bones and connective tissue and shred the meat, then return to the meat to the pot. Bring the soup back to a boil and add the noodles, then simmer vigorously until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.  Taste the soup and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serves about 6.

Ginger Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Ginger goes well with the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes. As always, I like to roast them with walnut oil, but olive or canola will do.

1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 Tbsp walnut oil
1 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp brown sugar (optional)
Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to coat evenly. Spread the sweet potatoes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet (like the sheet with parchment paper if you like). Roast for 30-35 minutes, stirring once or twice, until tender. Serve hot.

Serves about 4.

Carrot and Celeriac Fried Rice with Tofu

Leftover rice + root vegetables + broiled tofu = delicious, quick, satisfying meal.  Toss a few cashews in at the end to jazz it up if you like. This is great with short grain  brown rice, which gives it extra substance. If you want more color, feel free to toss in some greens at the end.

1 lb firm or extra firm tofu, cubed

1/4 cup soy sauce, or more to taste

Canola oil

6-8 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 Tbsp grated ginger root

3 large carrots, peeled and shredded

1 large celeriac, peeled and shredded

3-4 cups cold leftover rice, preferably short grain brown rice

1/2-3/4 cup cashews (optional)

Preheat the broiler. Toss the tofu gently with the soy sauce, then spread in a single layer in a baking dish. Broil for 5 minutes, then flip the cubes and broil for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

While the tofu broils, heat some canola oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for about 1 minute, then add the carrots and celeric. Stir fry over medium-high heat until tender. Add a little soy sauce to keep it from sticking, if needed. Add the rice and stir well. Gently stir in the broiled tofu and whatever soy sauce is in the pan. Taste and add additional soy sauce if desired. Toss in the cashews if using.

Serves about 6.

Coconut-Ginger Braised Chicken with Peppers and Carrots

I made this Thai-themed dish inspired by the last of the Thai basil (you can substitute cilantro, which is more plentiful this time of year) in the garden plus the colorful peppers and carrots that are coming in abundantly right now. You can use bone-in chicken parts if you like - no need to stick to thighs - but they will need to braise longer to be fully cooked. Serve this over rice.

Canola oil
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
3 Tbsp minced or grated ginger
1 1/2 - 2 lbs boneless chicken thighs
1 14-oz can coconut milk (lite is fine)
2 large sweet peppers, sliced the long way
2-3 large carrots, sliced into rounds or matchsticks
1 tsp lime juice, or to taste
Salt to taste
1/4 cup chopped Thai basil or cilantro

Heat a little canola oil in a large skillet or braising pan.  Add the shallots and ginger and saute over medium high heat for about 1 minute, then add the chicken. Brown quickly, turning over once, then add the coconut milk. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through.

Once the chicken is cooked through, add the vegetables and continue to simmer for a few minutes until they are tender but not too soft. Add lime juice and salt and stir to combine well. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.  Stir in the Thai basil or cilantro and remove from heat.

Serve hot over rice.

Serves 4-6.

Peach Ginger Ice Cream

This recipe requires an ice cream maker and is calibrated for the 1 1/2 quart size.

I'll definitely be making this again - the peaches (straight from our tree) and candied ginger are excellent together, all against the backdrop of sweet local cream. Make sure you use a nice, soft, ripe peach.

3 cups cream (or 2 cups cream + 1 cup milk)
1 medium peach, pitted, peeled, and mashed
3/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and refrigerate for an hour or so.  When you're ready, process in the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions.  Serve immediately or freeze in an airtight container for later.

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts.

Sesame Ginger Grilled Asparagus

Enjoy the asparagus while you can - we've got maybe two more weeks before it's done for the season.

This recipe would work for roasting, too, but who can think about roasting when its 95 degrees in the shade?

2 Tbsp grated ginger root
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 lb asparagus, tough ends snapped off

Combine the ginger, sesame oil, and soy sauce in a small bowl and mix well.

Place the asparagus in a wide, shallow bowl or baking pan and drizzle with the sesame-ginger mix, then toss until thoroughly coated.

Grill over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes, until the asparagus is tender.

Serves 4.

Gingery Asian Vegetable Soup

Good for lunch or a light supper, this veggie-heavy soup has a wonderful savory, gingery broth.  It's vegetarian as presented here, but you could substitute shredded cooked chicken for the tofu if you like. I pulled snap peas and red peppers from the freezer to combine with storage carrots, but substitute other vegetables if you like.

1 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 large shallot or small onion, finely chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp grated ginger root
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
1 1/2 cups diced red pepper (frozen is fine)
1 cups snap peas or edamame (frozen is fine)
Vegetable stock
1/2 cup soy sauce
14 oz. firm tofu, cubed
4 oz. noodles, in roughly 2-inch lengths (lo mein, vermicelli, whatever you like)
Hot sauce (optional)

Heat the sesame oil in a soup pot.  Add the shallot, garlic, and ginger, and saute for about 2 minutes.  Add the vegetables and 4-5 cups of stock and bring to a boil.  Add the soy sauce, tofu, and noodles and reduce heat to moderate.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until noodles are done and veggies are tender.  Pass hot sauce at the table if desired.

Serves 4-6.

Ginger-Lime Beef Stir-Fry

Did you know that ginger is grown right here in the Valley?  The folks at Old Friends Farm in Amherst grow it and harvest it young.  Among other places, it's available for sale at Green Fields Market.

This quick stir-fry has the flavors of Southeast Asia.  Serve over rice, maybe cooked with coconut milk.

Canola oil
1/4 cup minced ginger root
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 red bell peppers, thinly sliced (frozen is fine)
1 1/2 - 2 lbs cooked steak, sliced thin
Salt to taste
1 medium lime, in quarters or eighths

Heat some canola oil in a wok or large skillet.  Add the ginger, garlic, and peppers and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add the steak and toss to coat well with the seasonings.  Stir fry just long enough to heat through.  Add salt to taste, then sprinkle with the juice of one quarter of the lime and toss again.

Serve hot over rice.  Sprinkle with additional lime juice at the table, giving each diner a piece of lime with which to do so.

Serves 4-6.

Asian Style Pot Roast

This recipe is definitely a keeper. The Asian flavors of ginger, garlic, and soy sauce come through nicely without being overwhelming, making for a great variation on an old standard. Serve this over rice or noodles (lo mein or regular egg noodles).

2-3 lb brisket, chuck roast, or similar
Salt and pepper
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 small onions, peeled and quartered
1-inch chunk ginger root, peeled and halved or quartered
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp hoisin sauce (optional)
Beef stock

Remove the roast from the refrigerator about an hour before cooking. Generously season it all over with salt and pepper and let it warm up a bit on the counter.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place the roast in an oven proof pan. Brown in the oven, about 10 minutes on each side.

When the roast is browned, place it in a Dutch oven or similar sized pan. Pour off excess fat if there is much. Add the garlic, onion, and ginger and cook briefly on the stovetop, then add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and enough beef stock to cover the meat about three quarters of the way. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer over very low heat for 3-4 hours, until the meat is very tender. Turn it over once or twice during the cooking time.

When the meat is tender, remove it from the pot to a platter and cut it into slice or chunks. Pour the braising liquid through a sieve to remove the solids, then return it to the pot along with the meat.

Serve the meat over rice or noodles with a generous spoonful of braising liquid.

Serves 4-6.

Note: You can save the leftover braising liquid for another use. It will keep a long time in the freezer and can be added to a slow cooker meal or another stovetop braise for quick preparation.

Sweet and Savory Tomato Jam

Try this on sandwiches, as a condiment for pork, or with some soft cheese. This makes a small batch, but feel free to multiply it.

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes (halved if large)
1 tsp calcium water (comes with Pomona's)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp ground sage
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp Pomona's Universal Pectin

Combine the tomatoes, calcium water, salt, lemon juice, and sage in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, mashing the tomatoes as they soften. Simmer for 10 minutes or so. If desired, partially puree the mixture.

Combine the sugar and pectin in a small bowl, then stir into the tomato mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring as you go, then remove from heat. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Makes about 1 cup.

Variations: 1) Instead of sage, add 1/4-1/2 tsp grated ginger root. 2) instead of or in addition to sage, add a couple bruised whole garlic cloves while the jam simmers; remove before pureeing or adding the sugar and pectin.

Gingery Carrot and Parsnip Soup with Tofu

If you use a food processor for the shredding, this soup goes together very fast indeed.

1 Tbsp canola oil
2-3 Tbsp minced ginger root
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
3 large carrots, peeled and shredded
3 medium parsnips, woody cores removed, peeled and shredded
16 oz. firm tofu, in 1/2-inch cubes
Vegetable stock (and/or water)
2-4 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup snipped chives
Salt to taste
Hot sauce to pass at the table (sriracha is good)

Heat the canola oil in a soup pot. Add the ginger and garlic and saute over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the carrots, parsnips, tofu, and enough stock to generously cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer about 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Stir in the soy sauce and chives. Taste and add salt if needed.

Serve in large bowls and pass hot sauce at the table.

Serves about 6.

Malay-Style Curried Beef Stew with Vegetables

This is adapted from a recipe in How To Cook Meat by Christopher Schlesinger and John Willoughby. I simplified it a bit, adjusted the seasonings, and add vegetables. The result is savory, spicy, hearty and satisfying - and my increasingly picky three-year-old scarfed it right down. Serve it straight up or, if you like, over rice.

2 lbs stew beef or cubed chuck
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp cayenne
Salt and pepper
3-4 Tbsp canola oil
3 medium onions, sliced lengthwise
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 Tbps minced ginger root (about a 1-inch chunk)
2 Tbsp curry powder
2 red peppers, in chunks (frozen is fine)
2 large carrots, in rounds
1 can light coconut milk
2-3 cups water or beef stock
2-3 Tbsp lime juice

Toss the beef in a bowl with the flour, cayenne, and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper and mix to coat well.

Heat about 2 Tbsp of the oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot until it is hot but not smoking. Add the beef and brown thoroughly on all sides. Set the pot aside.

In a large skillet, heat another 1-2 Tbsp of oil and add the onions. Saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they are soft and beginning to brown. Add the garlic, ginger, and curry powder and cook, stirring frequently, for another 2-3 minutes. Add a splash of water to loosen what's stuck to the bottom of the pan, and scrape it all into the Dutch oven with the beef.

Add the peppers, carrots, and coconut milk to the Dutch oven, then add enough water or stock to just cover the meat. Simmer for at least an hour, and as long as three hours if you have time. Before serving, add the lime juice, taste, and adjust seasonings.

Serves about 6.

Gingery Edamame and Carrot Soup

We grew edamame in our garden this year, and basically froze the whole harvest after blanching and shelling. Last night I took out the first packet to make this soup. I've always liked edamame, but homegrown is definitely better than the frozen kind from the store - much more flavorful. Here I combined them with carrots, salad turnips, and some tat soi (a cold hardy Asian green) from our CSA share. If you want to give the soup some more substance, you can add the optional vermicelli and/or tofu.

1 Tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 Tbsp grated ginger root
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks (or rounds if you're in a hurry)
2-3 salad turnips, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1/2 - 3/4 lb shelled edamame
Several cups water and/or vegetable stock
1/4 lb vermicelli, in 1-2" lengths (optional)
1 lb tofu, cubed (optional)
1/3 cup soy sauce
Salt to taste
1/4 lb tat soi (or other greens of your choice)

Heat the canola oil in a soup pot. Add the ginger and garlic and saute over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, turnips, and edamame and saute an additional minute or so, then add enough water and/or stock to generously cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the carrots and turnips are tender.

When the vegetables are tender, add the pasta and/or tofu if using and cook until the pasta is done, about 6-8 minutes. Add the soy sauce, salt to taste, and add the tat soi. Cook until the tat soi is tender, 2 minutes or so.

Serve hot. Serves 4-6.

Simple Squash Soup with Ginger

Okay, it's October, I can start to think about cooking winter vegetables. I know winter squashes have been in the farmers markets for weeks, but with all the tomatoes and eggplants and so forth still so abundant, and with summer such a recent memory, I can just never bring myself to cook squash in September.

A farmer friend gave us a bunch of small butternuts that couldn't be sold. Most had their stems broken off and wouldn't keep. So I put the whole lot in the oven last night. Some went into this soup and the rest is in the fridge, destined for the freezer. I haven't quite decided whether to package it all in quarts for soup or in 1 cup bags for baking. Maybe some of each.

1 Tbsp canola oil
2 medium onions, sliced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp grated ginger root
6 cups cooked butternut squash (or similar smooth-fleshed squash)
Water (or use stock if you like)
Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onions and saute over medium heat until soft, 5 minutes or so. Add the garlic and ginger and saute another 2-3 minutes. Add the squash and some water. Remove from heat and puree, either with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender or food processor (in the latter case, return to the pot when done). Add additional water if needed to achieve the desired thickness. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4-6.

Stir-Fried Snap Peas with Beef and Red Peppers

Sugar snap peas are excellent straight out of the garden or in a salad, but they are also great in cooked dishes. Just be sure to cook them very lightly, so that they retain a little crispness. Here I combined them with red bell peppers, mainly because I am still using up the ones in my freezer - but it is a felicitous combination in both flavor and appearance. Thai basil I grow in my garden. If you don't find it locally, you can substitute Italian basil (not quite as good, but workable) or for a different flavor, cilantro. Serve this over rice.

1 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 lb steak, cubed or thinly sliced
2 Tbsp minced ginger root
3/4 cup finely chopped garlic scapes
1-2 hot peppers, minced (optional)
1-2 red bell peppers, chopped
3/4 lb sugar snap peas, stemmed and stringed
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch + 2 Tbsp water, combined in a paste
1 1/2 cups Thai basil leaves

Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the beef and cook over high heat until done, a few minutes. Remove to a plate or bowl.

Return the pan to the stove and add the ginger and scapes. Saute for a minute or two, then add the hot peppers and bell peppers. Saute for 2-3 minutes, until just tender. Add the snap peas and soy sauce and saute very briefly, then stir in the cornstarch mixture and Thai basil. Cook just until the basil starts to wilt, then remove from heat.

Serve over rice.

Serves about four.