ginger, simple syrup and thighs (chicken thighs that is)

No, not THAT ginger...

That's right, THAT one!

so one of the other things that Ming does on this one episode is using the ginger simple syrup in a chicken recipe. he uses thighs which are sweeter and juicier than some other parts of the bird; but obviously you use whatever parts you like best, or use a variety of parts or the entire bird. i'm a leg man so i'm good with the thighs. he does alot with the process of starting out with a master recipe and then making alot of things from that. i think it's a great way to develop a menu. invariably when i'm thinking of chicken recipes i'm reminded of that great Julia Child episode where she drops the bird on the floor then just picks it up and sort of dusts it off and says that no-one knows what goes on in the kitchen but you. Julia was an amazing chef and really fun to watch on tv. it's hard to keep from imitating her when you do. check out the link with her name on it my "peeps"!


anybody thirsty besides me at this point? how about that ginger-tini?

Ice
3 ounces vodka, any flavor but i like a citrus flavor for this
1/2 to 1 ounce ginger syrup, recipe follows
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Twist of lemon or lime

Fill a cocktail shaker or small pitcher with ice. Add the vodka, ginger syrup, and lime juice. Cover and shake vigorously, or stir, until combined and chilled, about 30 seconds. (In general, by the time the shaker mists up the drink is ready.) Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add twist and serve.

ginger, simple syrup and cocktails (with florence)

so last time i mentioned how i had gotten this great idea from watching Simply Ming on tv. Ming Tsai is this really cool chef and you can check him out on the video below giving a "ginger 101" lesson. on this one show he makes the ginger simple syrup and uses that for cocktails. he makes a ginger ale with it, which i've tried and it's really good, but my favorite thing to make with it is a ginger martini. you can also use it for mojitos, which i've also done, and it's a nice twist to add the ginger symple syrup instead of plain when you make them. ginger is a great spice; it has alot of anti-oxidants but because it's very fragrant alot of people don't really care for it. it can also be a bit spicy, like hot spicy; but depending on the cooking process it can mellow out alot. the crystallized ginger is really great for cooking, cocktails and for desserts. my friend Florence ( love you Florence! ) is a really good cook and she's very middle and far eastern inspired in her recipes. she does alot with ginger and i've borrowed alot of techniques and recipes from her, including her ginger cookies. i'll never forget the first time i met her. i was invited to her place for dinner and by the time my partner John and i got there Florence was smashed from drinking boxed wine. halfway through the dinner Florence is having a hard time keeping her eyes open and she's doing this blinking thing and next thing you know she's praying to the porcelain god and we're keeping her from winding up head first in the toilet. anyway, she's a really cool person and i hope i get invited to dinner again soon. she lives on the lower east side of manhattan with a great view of the river and brooklyn from her 21st floor apartment. she's also a great collector of beads, and she has some beautiful african trade beads, and venetian beads.




ps
you can click on the link under Ming Tsai and it leads to another short video of his where you can watch him do more with ginger.
enjoy. or just copy and paste the url from below.

http://simplyming.dreamhosters.com/rss/media/simplyming_3-05.mp4




to make the simple syrup all you have to do is put equal parts water and sugar into a pan and bring to a boil, lower the heat to simmer until the sugar is dissolved and let cool. to make the ginger simple syrup you simply add a whole stem of peeled and thinly sliced ginger to the pan with the sugar and water. you can then make the crystallized ginger by taking the slices of ginger from the simple syrup and coating them with regular sugar and laying them out on a baking sheet. put the slices in a 250 degree for about an hour or until they have dried out. store them in an airtight container and they will keep for months.

carrot soup, snow day, and firemen

this past friday i was lucky enough to have a day off while the snow fell outside. one of my favourite things to make is soup, especially on a day like that, so i made a cream of carrot soup with ginger that really hit the spot. it's a really simple recipe from one of my oldest cookbooks, the better homes and garden cookbook. this book has been so used and abused that the spine is all cracked and split and there are burn marks on the cover where i've let it get too close to the stove (my current kitchen is really tiny and it takes some creative maneuvering to work in it). anyway, i've changed the recipe a little to accomodate for the ginger, which i add fresh to the soup in the process and then i sprinkle some chopped crystallized ginger over the top when i serve it. you would kill yourself for this soup! really! i make the crystallized ginger myself; it's a process that starts out with making a ginger simple syrup and you go from there. it's this whole synergistic cooking thing that i picked up from watching Ming on tv. you start out with one recipe that leads to all these other things. i'll talk more about that at some other time. anyway, one of the first times i ever made this recipe was about 15 years ago for my friend Colleen ( Hi Col! ) who at the time was strictly vegetarian. i haven't seen her in a while, although we keep in touch, because she's been back in school too and has a new job. she lives in rockville center and hosts a great bbq on her rooftop deck every 4th of july. it's totally cool 'cause the fireworks done by the town of rockville center are set off in a field right next to her building so they literally go off over your head. afterwards the town firemen come on the roof to make sure there are no fires from the falling ash. so you get to see great fireworks and cute firemen too!
well, hope you all enjoyed this entry and touch base again. i invite your comments if you're so inclined.

THE RECIPE

3 cups veg. or chicken stock/
1 cup chopped onion/
4 cups peeled, chopped carrots/
2 tablespoons fresh or 2/3 tablespoon dried parsley/
3 tablespoons fresh or 1 teaspoon dried basil /
1 and 1/2 inch piece peeled, chopped fresh ginger/
4 tablespoons softened butter/
4 tablespoons flour/
2 cups of milk/
1 teaspoon salt or more to taste/
a couple of dashed of white pepper/

in a saucepan combine the first six ingredients and bring to boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or 'til the carrots are tender. while this is happening make a roux by mixing the softened butter and flour together thoroughly, no lumps. when the carrots are tender you can use an immersion blender to puree the mixture or a regular blender. BE CAREFUL WITH THE HOT LIQUID IN THE BLENDER! do not overfill the container of the blender and make sure the lid is secure. the hot contents will expand. add the milk, salt and pepper, and the roux to the blended mixture in the saucepan and simmer, stirring constantly until the roux is completely dissoved and the soup begins to thicken. that's it, your soup is ready to enjoy. if you have some crystallized ginger you can chop some and add to the top of each serving. i recommend it.

tom.

FOOD SHOULD BE BETTER THAN THIS...