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Wednesday, January 18, 2012
The Vicksburg Post
Ghee: Better than butter, even if harder to find in stores Ravioli with fried sage, asparagus and walnuts
By J.M. Hirsch For The Associated Press Why not just use butter? Fair question, especially since ghee is going to be more trouble to find (it’s hidden in your grocer’s international or natural foods aisles) and you’ll pay way more for it ($5 or more for a 7 1/2-ounce jar). Despite that, it’s an easy answer — because ghee is a rich indulgence that is so totally worth the effort and expense. Ghee is a form of clarified butter. Which means it is butter that was heated until the milk solids separated from the liquid. Then it was heated some more, until the liquid evaporated and the solids began to brown. The result is a thick yellowbrown paste with a nutty and intensely — Are you ready? — buttery flavor. But it’s true. This is butter on steroids. It’s easy to make your own. And no, most of us won’t. Ghee originated in India, where the heat spoils conventional butter. Clarifying
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Ravioli with Fried Sage, Asparagus and Walnuts. The asparagus and walnuts pair perfectly with the sage and ghee in this recipe. it prolongs its unrefrigerated life from a couple of weeks to many months. When to use it? Given the price, not every day. But this is the stuff to reach for when you want to be seriously slapped
around by buttery goodness. As in making the very best popcorn. Ever. Here’s why: Not only is the flavor of ghee richer than standard butter, it also has no water. Butter is 15 percent water; that water
makes popcorn soggy. Use ghee and you get rich flavor, not wet kernels. For more ideas for using ghee, check out the Off the Beaten Aisle column on the Food Network.
The asparagus and walnuts pair perfectly with the sage and ghee in this recipe, but don’t hesitate to mix it up. Almonds and cauliflower florets would be great, as would lightly chopped pistachios and baby bella mushrooms. The pinch of red pepper flakes doesn’t add much heat; it just helps heighten the other flavors. But if you like your dinner with punch, up your pinch. Start to finish: 20 minutes Servings: 4 10-ounce package fresh cheese ravioli 3 tablespoons ghee Pinch red pepper flakes 5 large fresh sage leaves (left whole) 1 bunch asparagus, bottoms trimmed, cut into 2-inch lengths 1/3 cup toasted walnuts, lightly chopped Salt and ground black pepper, to taste Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the
ravioli and cook according to package directions, then drain and set aside. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the ghee. Add the red pepper flakes and sage leaves, then fry until the sage is crisp. Remove the sage from the pan and set aside. Return the pan to the heat and add the asparagus. Sauté until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the walnuts, toss well, then add the drained ravioli and toss again. Crumble the fried sage leaves into the dish, then season with salt and pepper. Nutrition information per serving: 414 calories; 212 calories from fat (51 percent of total calories); 24 g fat (11 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 71 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrate; 13 g protein; 5 g fiber; 431 mg sodium. •
J.M. Hirsch is the national food editor for The Associated Press. He is author of the recent cookbook, “High Flavor, Low Labor: Reinventing Weeknight Cooking.” His Off the Beaten Aisle column also appears at FoodNetwork.com.
Chefs root for ginger’s versatile properties By Michelle Locke The Associated Press Fresh, dried, candied or pickled, the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale — ginger root to you and me — is a hot commodity at the moment. Used quietly for years to add zip to everything from stirfries and sushi to breads and cookies, ginger also happens to be a key ingredient for the noodles and dumplings traditionally eaten for Chinese New Year, the two-week celebration of food and family that begins Jan. 23. But at the moment the knobby brown root is enjoying a bit of zeitgeist that goes far beyond that celebration, showing up in desserts, upscale sodas, marinades for pricy meats and fancy cocktails as the food world embraces this zingy root in anything but a gingerly fashion. At the Lukshon restaurant in Los Angeles, chef-owner Sang
Cookies
Yoon laughingly describes himself as the guy who’ll “eat my own weight in the pickled ginger” when sitting down to sushi. “I really enjoy that light burn on the palate. It almost acts as a palate cleanser. It’s especially really pleasing for richer, oilier dishes like mackerel.” So at his restaurant, he has taken ginger well beyond the stir-fry, making a syrup from ginger and galangal (a more savory relative of ginger) for cocktails, juicing ginger for sauces and vinaigrettes and hot pickling ginger for raw fish dishes. Chef and Asian food authority Bruce Cost is such a fan he wrote the 1984 cookbook, “Ginger East to West,” which traced the history of ginger. He created Bruce Cost Ginger Ale for his restaurants and now sells it in specialty and food service retailers across the country. Unfiltered, it’s brewed in Brooklyn and made
from fresh, whole ginger and cane sugar. “It’s probably the premier herb on the planet,” he says, noting that ginger is an ancient food that has been embraced by diverse cultures. And his brew is hardly alone. Grocer’s shelves are suddenly crowded with fancy ginger ales sporting big, bold flavor, from Reed’s Extra Ginger Brew to Maine Root Ginger Brew. Ginger also shows up in marinades to help tenderize meat and is a natural partner to crab, steamed fish or in rich dishes, such as pork belly or dumplings.
they are teaching skills to lead America,” she said. Barfield said she felt like it was also interesting to see how the Girl Scout program has managed to stay current “cool for a girl” in today’s times, while still staying true to the fundamental
principles. For more information about the cookie sales or questions concerning Girl Scouts, contact Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi Marketing and Grants Manager Linda Lauderdale at 601-693-2903 or 601918-3957.
sodium chicken stock or broth 20 dried shiitake mushrooms 8 small bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds total), skinned Salt and ground black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion 1/2 cup sweet red vermouth (such as Martini Rossi), divided 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard 2 teaspoons lightly chopped fresh thyme In a medium saucepan over medium-high, combine the chicken stock and mushrooms. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside. In a medium bowl, place the chicken stock and mushrooms. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove and discard the mushroom stems. Cut mushroom caps in half and return to the stock. Heat the oven to 325 F. Season all the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or other oven-safe pot, heat the oil over medium-high.
Add the chicken, half at a time if necessary, and brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate, then add the onions to the pan. Cook over medium heat until the onions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add half of the vermouth and stir to deglaze the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, then add the stock and mushroom mixture. Cover and bring to a simmer. Transfer the pot to the oven and bake, covered, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Once the chicken is cooked, uncover from the pot. Place the pot on a burner over medium heat and add both mustards, the remaining vermouth and the thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly and glazes the chicken. Divide the chicken between 4 serving plates. Spoon the sauce over and around the chicken. Nutrition information per serving: 338 calories; 9 g fat (24 percent of calories from fat) (2 g saturated); 115 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrate; 31 g protein; 3 g fiber; 676 mg sodium.
Ginger lemon drop spritzer Start to finish: 5 minutes Servings: 1 Ice 12-ounce bottle ginger beer 2 ounces Domaine de Canton (ginger liqueur)
Continued from Page C1. are now trying to transform society,” she said. “The focus also includes advocacy, which deals with such major social concerns as poverty, teen pregnancy and volunteerism. They are not just about inspiring a woman to work outside the home, but
Chicken Continued from Page C1. way to create tender meaty dishes. Cook this dish at a lower temperature in your slow cooker if you need to be away from the kitchen for the day. Or you can do it in the oven at 275 F for 3 to 5 hours. Just be sure you have a tight-fitting cover for your pot to make sure the liquid doesn’t evaporate. The braising liquid uses something that’s probably been residing, forgotten, in the back of your liquor cabinet since the days of the Nixon administration: sweet red vermouth (used mostly for Manhattans). Vermouth is a wine infused with a concoction of herbs. Combined with thyme and two varieties of mustard, the vermouth creates a lusty sauce for the chicken that packs unbelievable flavor. So when you’re craving a diet meal that’s low in fat and calories, but rich with delicious flavor, try this one. Just about any side dish goes with it, be it baked potatoes or yams, brown rice or steamed veggies.
Braised chicken with mushrooms and mustard Start to finish: 1 hour (20 minutes active), plus cooling Servings: 4 1 cup fat-free, reduced-
1 ounce vodka 1 ounce lemon juice 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger Fill a highball glass with ice and pour in enough ginger beer to fill the glass two-thirds of the way. In a cocktail shaker filler with ice, combine the ginger liqueur, vodka, lemon juice and fresh ginger. Shake well, then strain into the glass.
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Ginger root