Recipes of the Week–October 15, 2012

Rosemary Roasted Blue Potatoes
from: http://thewellseasonedcook.blogspot.com/2007/10/fit-for-party-roasted-blue-potatoes.html(seasoning adapted from Kalyn’s recipe, noted above; blue potatoes inspired by Lucy of Nourish Me)
1 pound small blue potatoes, unpeeled but washed whole,
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons dried rosemary leaves, slightly crushed
1 tablespoon sea salt, slightly crushed

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Cover bottom of natural finish skillet with heat-resistant handle (cast iron works best) with the oil. Cut potatoes into quarters, add to skillet and toss to coat with oil. Position skillet on middle rack of oven. Roast potatoes for 20 minutes. Turn off oven heat. Stir potatoes and keep them in oven another 10 minutes. Stir potatoes one last time,then transfer to a serving bowl,tossing the rosemary and salt mixture over them. Serves 4

Rice & Sweet Pepper Bowl
from: http://www.livingthecountrylife.com/country-life/food/sweet-pepper-recipes/

4 medium green and/or red sweet peppers
1 8.8-oz. pouch cooked Spanish-style rice
1 14.5-oz. can stewed tomatoes
4 1-oz. slices Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers
1 oz. Parmesan cheese, shaved
Fresh oregano (optional)
1 Tbsp. olive oil

1. Quarter peppers; remove stems, seeds, and ribs. Place in 2-quart square microwave-safe baking dish. Add 2 Tbsp. water. Cover with parchment. Microcook on high 4 minutes, until crisp-tender; turn dish once if no turntable. Remove peppers from dish; drain and set aside.

2. Microcook rice according to package directions. Drain tomatoes, reserving 2 Tbsp. liquid. In baking dish layer half the peppers (cut sides up), the rice, drained tomatoes, Jack cheese, and remaining peppers (cut sides down). Drizzle reserved tomato liquid. Cover with parchment. Microcook on high 5 to 6 minutes, turning once. Let stand 5 minutes. To serve, top with Parmesan and oregano; drizzle olive oil. Makes 4 servings

GINGER Culinary Hints: this is freshly harvested ginger, so no peeling is necessary!

Grate ginger for stir-frys, sauces & dressings.

Slice into “coins”, then whack each coin to break up the fibers and release the ginger essence, heat oil in your sauce pan or wok and let ginger stir-fry for 30 seconds (stir-fry longer for a stronger ginger flavor, but do not allow to burn) – add your GARLIC and you have a start to a classic Oriental stir-fry.

Use a vegetable peeler to peel paper-thin slices of the ginger root, then slice thinly and add as a condiment to soups, dumplings, fresh vegetable dishes.

Make homemade Ginger Ale!

STORING GINGER: from: http://frugalliving.about.com/od/freezingfoods/ht/How-To-Freeze-Ginger.htm Place your unpeeled ginger in a freezer-safe container; label it; and pop it in the freezer. It's really that simple. Note: If you bought a large ginger root, you can cut it into smaller pieces, so it takes up less space.

To use your ginger: Simply remove a piece from the freezer, and grate as much as you need. There's no need to thaw it first; in fact, frozen ginger is actually easier to grate than fresh.

Storage Time: As with any frozen foods, it's best to use your ginger within six months. You can safely use it after that date, but expect some loss of quality.

Tips: Prefer to use julienned or chopped ginger in your recipes? Simply cut your ginger to the desired size and then freeze it.

Peeling ginger with a vegetable peeler can be difficult and lead to a lot of waste. For better results, try peeling it with a spoon.