Ginger Raw Honey Syrup {Recipe}

It's baby ginger season again!

Swainway Urban Farm is harvesting several dozen pounds of Hawaiian baby ginger each week. Unlike the grocery store stuff, fresh young ginger doesn't need to be peeled and has a pleasant crisp texture when raw. The flavor is complex and well-rounded with an alluring floral aroma.

I enjoy chopped pieces raw in stir fry or soup. A savored slice settles the stomach while making me feel alert*. Sadly, fresh ginger doesn't last long (though you can freeze it) and some members of my family don't like it raw.

So what else can I do to enjoy the delicate aroma and mild flavor? How about syrup?

I started by making a very strong tea of simmered roughly chopped pieces (including the stems and roots). To sweeten, I added raw local honey, a healthy, immune-boosting sugar*, after the tea cooled.

The resulting ginger raw honey syrup is the best thing I've made in months. It is sweet, flowery, and soothing. I 'prescribed' a shot in tea to Alex when he was complaining of an upset stomach*. Combined with soda water, the syrup makes top-notch ginger ale. And I can attest it pairs well with rum and whiskey.

I estimate this syrup will last in the fridge for at least a month. I'll report back on experiments with canning and fermenting some to further extend the shelf life through the winter cold and flu season.

In the meantime, find some baby ginger at the Clintonville Farmers' Market and make this healthful* and tasty syrup for yourself.

Ginger Raw Honey Syrup

Makes: 3-4 cups Time: 45 minutes

2 cups scrubbed fresh baby ginger, chopped 4 cups water 3/4-1 1/2 cups raw local honey, to taste

1. Gently simmer ginger and water in a heavy bottomed pan for 30 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature. 2. Pour ginger tea through a strainer to discard ginger pieces. 3. Add honey and stir vigorously. 4. Store in the refrigerator. Use as a base for ginger ale, cocktail mixer, addition to hot tea, or sip as a health tonic*.

*Health-related statements have not been approved by the Food & Drug Administration, who is shutdown and can't approve anything right now. Cultures around the world have eaten ginger and honey in various forms to treat a multitude of symptoms so I defer to their wisdom and my personal experience.

Scotch Eggs - Better Than Fair Food {Recipe}

The Ohio Poultry Association invited Lil and I to an eggstravagana at the Ohio State Fair this year. We learned how to make the perfect omelet, talked to poultry farmers, pet chickens, ate Ohio-farmed food for lunch, and indulged in Ohio ice cream while basking in the glow of the butter cow. My friend Kristin aka CbusMom has a great recap of the day including a picture of yours truly riding the giant slide.

There was only one problem with our visit. The Ohio Poultry Association fed us so well that we were too full to experience the deep-fried goodness of street fair food. The meals we ate in the Taste of Ohio center nutritious and filling but I left wanting some indulgence.

Fortunately our extended family was happy to appease this desire on our recent vacation to the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Inspired by the Ohio Poultry Association and our abundance of backyard eggs, we made a British creation for the first time: Scotch eggs.

Scotch eggs are hard-boiled eggs nestled in sausage, rolled in a bread crumb coating, and deep fried. We used backyard eggs and homemade bulk breakfast sausage because even fried food can be locally sourced.

Hearty does not begin to describe this protein-packed treat. We gobbled up scotch eggs for dinner one night. Most of us couldn't finish more than one so we chilled leftovers overnight in the fridge. Cold scotch eggs are a familiar train stop food in Great Britain; Alex and others were happy to much on them for breakfast the next day.

Maybe next year we'll see Scotch eggs at the fair!

Scotch Eggs makes one dozen

13 fresh eggs, divided 1 pound bulk (not stuffed) sausage 1 cup all-purpose flour, divided 1/2 cup cornmeal 1/2 teaspoon salt 10 grinds fresh black pepper 1 teaspoon Old Bay or other spice mix, optional 1 gallon lard or peanut or other oil for frying

1. Hard-boil 12 eggs in your preferred manner. I cover mine in cold water in a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the pan until boiling, turn off the heat, cover, and time for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, fill pot with cold water and ice until eggs are chilled. This step may be done up to five days ahead. 2. Peel eggs. 3. Use approximately three tablespoons of fresh sausage to completely cover the eggs in an even layer. Set eggs in a single layer on a plate or tray and refrigerate until use. 4. Heat a pot of lard or oil to 375 degrees F for deep frying. Always use a tall, heavy-bottomed pan for deep frying and never fill more than half way. Keep a fire extinguisher and/or can of baking soda nearby in case of a fire. 5. Meanwhile, make a three-bowl breading station. In the first bowl, pour 1/2 cup flour. In the second bowl, mix one fresh egg with 2 tablespoons water. In the third bowl, mix 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1/2 cup flour, salt, pepper, and optional spice mix. 6. When oil is ready, retrieve sausage-covered eggs from the fridge. 7. Roll eggs in the breading bowls in this order: flour, eggs, cornmeal. 8. Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer eggs to the hot oil in small batches. Cook for approximately five minutes or until the breading browns. Drain on a towel-lined cooling rack. 9. Serve warm or cold with mustard.

Disclosure: The Ohio Poultry Association provided my family with Ohio State Fair tickets, parking passes, food vouchers, and ride wristbands. All opinions about the deliciousness of homemade fair food are our own.

Pea Shoot Pesto {Recipe}

Pesto is the simplest sauce in the world. All you need are fresh herbs, a little salt, and oil. Basil is traditional but you can use any seasonal herb. You can even use a mortar and pestle or lots of knife work instead of a blender or food processor.

And yet, there are secrets to making a bold, balanced pesto.

First, don't skimp on the fat. Oil creates a smooth texture while holding the color and flavor of the herbs. Use high quality oil because the flavor comes through the final product. Oil also tones down the strong flavor of the greens. To prevent freezer burn, top a container of pesto with a layer of oil before freezing.

Always add a little acid. A splash of lemon juice or vinegar balances the richness of the oil and preserves the color.

Experiment seasonally. Basil pesto is a classic in the summer but don't leave pesto behind in the other seasons. Play with spinach and kale in the fall and microgreens in the winter and spring. I developed this recipe for customers of Swainway Urban Farm to sample at the farmers' market. Simply adapt the recipe below to your ingredients on hand!

Pea Shoot Pesto Recipe

2-3 garlic scapes (1/4-1/2 cup) or 1-3 cloves garlic 1 bag (2.5 oz) fresh pea shoots 1/2—1 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup olive, grapeseed, or sunflower oil 1 teaspoon white or rice wine vinegar

1. Wash scapes, removing both ends, or peel garlic. Chop roughly. 2. Place garlic, peashoots, and salt in food processor or blender. 3. Blend, drizzling in oil and vinegar as the mixture purees to your desired consistency. 4. Serve as a dip with veggies, spread for bread, or sauce for pasta. 5. Store in the fridge with a light covering of oil for up to ten days or freeze for future use.

Are You Ohio State Fair Award Winning?

A few decades ago, I entered a fair baking contest. I was eleven or twelve, the contest was baked goods, and my entry was a blueberry peach pie with lattice crust. My first place pie won the right to be auctioned off at the Franklin County Fair. Then-Sherrif Jim Kearnes bought my pie for somewhere around $75, the most money I had ever earned. The cash is long spent and ribbon lost, but I remain smitten by the idea of fair cooking contests.

So it is that every year around this time, I browse and consider the Ohio State Fair culinary competitions. The fair offers awards (cash and ribbons) for winners in categories as diverse as jam and pickled beets, pumpkin breads and jerky. How cool would it be to list 'State Fair Award-Winning Jam Maker' on a resume?

Sponsored special competitions offer greater challenges and bigger prizes. This year, the granddaddy of Ohio State Fair contests is the Kenmore 100th Anniversary 'Greatest Generations of Grilling Cookoff', described on page 19 of the .pdf contest information packet. Entries are due June 20th. Celebrity Chef Bobby Dean will be judging for the top prize of a kitchen makeover and trip to New York City and available to meet guest goers on July 27. Mighty tempting!

With this summer being as busy as it is, I simply can't go after the blue ribbon this year. Perhaps you can? I'd love to see a Harmonious Homestead reader take first prize at the fair!

PS. A little internet sleuthing found that Kenmore is offering similiar prizes in an online contest. If you can't make the fair, maybe you want to enter online?

The Drunken Botanist and Bakeless Sweets {Book Hounds}

Welcome to another episode of the long-lost series, Book Hounds. It's not that we aren't reading, I'm simply not finding time to write about books very often. But two came into my life recently that must be shared.

The Drunken Botanist The Plants That Create The World's Great Drinks

The Drunken Botanist hit me like a cold, strong drink on a long, hot afternoon. It is crisp, refreshing, and a beautiful pairing of two of my favorite things: gardening and cocktails. Part plant-text complete with latin names and growing instructions, part cocktail recipe book, Amy Stewart's latest is a refreshing homage to the many leafy, flowery things that comprise alcohol.

Organized by species, The Drunken Botanist describes basic fermentation ingredients like barley, apple, grapes, and agave and then delves into more obscure flavoring herbs and flowers. In her trademark witty writing style, Stewart tells how each plant grows, a short history of how the plant first became alcohol, and modern uses. Pages are illustrated with Victorian-esque single-color drawings.

Stewart includes cocktail recipes and growing instructions for the most commonly available imbibe-ables. These practical bits of information are written simply for beginning mixologists and gardeners, though if I have one criticism of the book it's that some of the growing instructions are not detailed enough for true success in my experience. More details, including a plant collection available on the West coast where Stewart lives, are on The Drunken Botanist website.

If you enjoy mixed drinks and growing plants, take a sip of The Drunken Botanist.

Bakeless Sweets Pudding, Panna Cotta, Fluffs, Icebox Cakes, and More No-Bake Desserts

Well over a year ago, TheKitchn.com editor Faith Durand and husband Michael joined us for dinner at mutual friends'. They were headed out of town, so Faith brought over a raft of desserts she was testing a cookbook project. The puddings and toppings I tasted then went on to become part of Bakeless Sweets, just released.

Bakeless Sweets is a cookbook of puddings, custards, jellies, and icebox cakes. All are prepared without an oven, from scratch, with simple ingredients and methods. Many are gluten-free; an index in the introduction lists desserts to meet all dietary preferences. Faith calls for serving most recipes at room temperature or chilled, making them great candidates for summer picnics and cookouts.

Bakeless Sweets contains classic recipes and updated versions like Lemon and Sour Cream Custard, Peach Jelly Terrine, and S'mores Pudding Cake. Like a tasty trifle, the book includes many useful side bars, trouble-shooting tips, and overviews among the smooth, well-tested recipes. I'm glad to see that Toasted Coconut Brittle made the cut into the cookbook because the sample I tried was fantastic. I bought rhubarb at the farmers' market yesterday to make Strawberry Rhubarb Fool when our next batch of strawberries are ripe.

Far from the stodgy, box-mix recipes of the 70s, Bakeless Sweets offers a fresh take on spoon-able desserts. Photographs by Stacy Newgent effortlessly illustrate this intersection of vintage inspiration and modern appeal. Two weeks ago, I bought some nesting gelatin molds at an antique store in anticipation of receiving Bakeless Sweets in the mail; when I opened the book it landed on the page pictured above with the same molds!

Faith is sharing photos that didn't make it into the book on the Bakeless Sweets website. She'll sign books and offer a demonstration at the Country Living Fair in early September in Columbus and I'm hopeful she'll have a pudding party in Central Ohio sooner than that as well. In the meantime, I highly recommend finding a copy of Bakeless Sweets to enliven your summer desserts.

Punch Rhyme Time With Pink Rum Punch Recipe

Bring out your bowls and cups - punches are coming back! These mixed drinks are returning in a big way for good reason - they're fun, fast, and festive. I make punches following the ratio recipe of the traditional Barbadian national rhyme:

One of Sour, Two of Sweet, Three of Strong, Four of Weak.

Traditionally, the sour was lime juice, sweet was sugar, honey, or molasses syrup, strong was rum, and weak was black tea. Perhaps punches originated this way because when made with the above ingredients, Barbados rum punch contains alcohol, caffeine, carbohydrates, and scurvy-preventative - everything a sailor needed to make it through a voyage.

Playing with Punch

The punch rhyme is a jumping off point for creative cocktail makers like ourselves. We make punches with all types of alcohol. They're a convenient way to use up vodka infusions. A few drops of bitters creates yet another layer of flavors and punches always taste better after aging overnight in the fridge.

Here are some ideas for the ingredients:

Sour - lemon, 100% cranberry, 100% cherry, or lime juice

Sweet - diluted honey, simple syrup, maple syrup

Strong - rum, bourbon, vodka, fruit or herb infusions

Weak - black tea, herbal tea, light fruit juices

Pink Punch Recipe

1 part 100% cranberry juice 2 parts simple syrup 2 1/2 parts white (unaged) rum 1/2 part sour cherry liqueur 4 parts raspberry hibiscus tea Angostura bitters, to taste

1. Mix all ingredients in a glass jar. Hint: A Ball quart or half-gallon jar has convenient measures on the sides for parts.

2. Shake well to combine and store in refrigerator overnight or up to five days.

3. Serve over ice, perhaps with a stainless steel straw.

Probiotic Ranch Dressing Recipe with Food Bloggers Against Hunger

Have you ever been hungry? Really hungry like the 16.2 million kids in America who are food-insecure living in families without the means to regularly put nutritious food on the table?

I'm hangry when I forget to eat a big breakfast before becoming immersed in a project and suddenly it's two pm and I want to eat RIGHT NOW. I was hangry yesterday, in fact. I was surrounded by healthy food; I only had to stop a moment to prepare and eat it and my belly would be full. I thankfully have never been truly hungry.

But 48.8 million Americans struggled with hunger at some time during the year 2010. 1 in 4 Americans used at least one of the 15 USDA food and nutrition assistance programs. While many local food advocates like me disagree with some of the food choices available in some USDA nutrition programs, there's no denying that any food, even factory-farmed food, is better than no food at all for those who are hungry.

A country as great as America is cannot stay this way when children and families are hungry. Children cannot learn in school, crime and domestic unrest increase, and our national productivity declines when people are unable to meet their most basic needs.

My family delivers food donations to our local food pantry. We plant extra rows in our garden and share our harvest. The farmers' markets I work at collect fresh seasonal food for donations. But this type of charity is clearly not enough to meet the need when food pantries are inundated with hungry families.

To truly eliminate hunger, governmental leaders must continue to address and fund anti-hunger and anti-poverty programs. Take 30 seconds now to send a letter to Congress lending your voice to the cause.

When you have a little more time, consider the new film A Place At The Table documenting the complex problem of hunger in America. Accompanied by the music of T Bone Burnett and The Civil Wars, the picture also promotes solutions. Find a viewing of the film in your city or on demand through iTunes and Amazon.

Today, April 8, food bloggers around the world are sharing recipes to address hunger. I am proud to contribute my recipe for probiotic ranch dressing to the Food Bloggers Against Hunger project.

One way my family saves money at the grocery and adds flexibility to our dining is by making our own salad dressings. A bottle of dressing is at least a few dollars at the store and often includes manufactured oils, sugars, and stabilizers that I would prefer not to feed my family. The ingredients to make simple, fresh dressings at home are cheaper and healthier.

We whisk together this buttermilk ranch dressing recipe frequently because it pairs well with fresh greens in season now and is useful as a dipping sauce too. It uses buttermilk and sour cream, both full of live active cultures that can aid digestion.

Probiotic Ranch Dressing Time: 2 minutes active, 30 minutes inactive  Makes: 1 cup

1/2 cup buttermilk with live active cultures 1/2 cup sour cream with live active cultures 1-2 teaspoons minced garlic chives (can be grown from a sprouting garlic clove planted in a pot of dirt or foraged from your backyard if you are lucky like us and they grow wild in your area) 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley or 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano flakes 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper salt to taste

1. Mix all ingredients. Adjust consistency to your liking by adding more sour cream for a thicker dressing or more buttermilk for thinner dressing. 2. Refrigerate for at least thirty minutes to allow flavors to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. 3. Serve within one week.

Food = Love Indian Paneer Cheese {Recipe Guest Post}

I am pleased to share an authentic Indian paneer cheese recipe today from Susan Saldanha. She is a Columbus cook originally hailing from India who teaches custom cooking classes about Indian culinary traditions for groups and individuals in your home. Contact Susan by email to experience her healthy, delicious take on Indian cooking. 

June 2012 was memorable because I went back home to India after eight long years. Landing in Mumbai India I was hit by the heat, the humidity, the flood of humanity and a hunger in your belly. I began to realize I missed all of this so much.

My mom grumbling to a visiting neighbor awakened me one sweltering afternoon. In muted tones she said "Mrs. Advani, please stop sending food. All the neighbors bring her food claiming it was her favorite dish when she was a girl and I don’t get a chance to cook for her. After all, she’s my daughter visiting after eight years."

In India, Food= Love and believe me I had a lot of good “love” growing up.

Today I will share with you a taste of my Motherland: a Paneer cheese recipe. This is often eaten in the US as Mattar Paneer (peas and paneer) or Palak Paneer (spinach and paneer). Paneer comes from Northern India. It is a fresh milk cheese that is easy to make. Highly nutritious, it is a great source of protein. Its subtle flavor profile allows it to absorb the Indian spices very nicely but can be eaten by itself as a delicious ‘anytime-snack.’

How to Make Paneer

Ingredients

• 4 cups of whole milk

• 3/4cup sour cream or yogurt (sour cream adds a decadent lusciousness to the paneer)

• Cheesecloth folded over to give you four layers

• Colander

• Heavy bottomed pan

Method:

1. Bring the milk to a boil on a medium flame in the heavy bottomed pan. Keep the flame on medium as milk burns very easily and will add a burnt taste to your paneer.
2. Add the sour cream and keep stirring gently. Turn the heat up to high to facilitate the curdling process.
3. The milk will begin to appear lumpy and will have light green whey around it.
4. Strain the whey in a cheesecloth lined colander.
5. While the paneer is still in the colander run cold water over the paneer till it cools down. Squeeze as much of the extra water out of the paneer as you can by twisting the lose ends of the cheesecloth.
6. While still in the cheesecloth place the paneer under a weight (a heavy pan or a foil lined brick) on your counter for about 1-2 hours.
7. Unwrap the paneer and cut it into cubes. It’s ready to eat.
8. Paneer keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing is possible and cutting it into cubes before you freeze it is a good idea. After thawing you have to lightly fry (preferably in homemade ghee) on both sides before you use it in cooking or else it tends to break apart.

Serving suggestions:

In my home we eat paneer fresh and love it with a slight drizzle of honey or on a toothpick with a small piece of pineapple and a sprinkle of chaat masala. (Chaat masala is a spice blend used on a variety of snacks and has spicy, salty, and sweet tones. It is available in any Indian grocery store.)

Note from Rachel: Our favorite Indian cooking book is 1,000 Indian Recipes by Neelam Batra.