Ginger, the super herb!
By L.I. Escobar

I love ginger! For me ginger is an ingredient that brings the flavors of other foods to a higher level. In my novice experience, I’ve noticed that ginger enhances the flavor of chilies in a way I would not have imagined.

In South Texas, where I live, we have wild chili pequine plants. The chilies are small and red and can pack quite a wallop! I started using ginger root in my every day cooking and when I used them with the chili pequines I noticed the compliment of ginger to the chilies was very appetizing. Now I can hardly use chili pequines without ginger.

Ginger is a root herb that is a culinary as well as a medicinal ingredient. This herb goes back thousands of years throughout Asia, India and the Middle East. So, though it’s not a “new” ingredient to the rest of the world, Westerners are just learning to use ginger and some day will make it a staple in their pantries. Right now, for the most part, it is used in Asian/Indian cuisine. However, you can bring it into your every day recipes and reap its medicinal benefits.

Among its curative properties ginger is known to alleviate upset stomachs, trouble with swallowing and decrease in arthritic pains. Ginger is said to have helped prevent skin cancer in lab mice and is known to kill ovarian cancer cells. There are many other health benefits being studied but right now. I expect nothing other than even better news to come from these studies.

I highly suggest you go to your local grocers and get some ginger for your kitchen. It comes in root, powder, or liquid form. Trust me, you’ll love its pungent goodness and maybe even get healthier in the mean time!

Breakfast: The Laurette

This is my favorite breakfast. And I make it so I named it after myself. There were three staple ingredients; bacon, eggs and potatoes. But when I added ginger one time that list of breakfast staples got bumped up to four. The seasonings vary by what I have available to me.

3 slices of good, thick bacon
1 small potato diced small
2 eggs whisked with about an 1/8 c of milk
½ tbs. of ginger root peeled and minced

These ingredients are optional: 3 or 4 chili pequines*, crushed ¼ of a red onion diced Salt and pepper to taste Fry the bacon in a pan. When the bacon is cooked to your taste, remove the bacon and use the bacon drippings to cook the potato. Add the ginger, the onion, the chilies and the salt and pepper. Cook until the potatoes turn golden and fork tender. When this is achieved add the whisked eggs. Mix well and let the egg cook.

This recipe can serve two somewhat hungry people or one famished person!

Lunch: Ginger Shrimp Pasta
1 lbs shrimp
½ lbs sliced mushrooms (less if you’re not that fond of them or substitute another vegetable….zucchini, broccoli, or even cauliflower)
1 tbs of ginger, peeled and minced
5 or 6 chili pequines*, crushed
1 lbs of organic whole wheat pasta (any type)
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
½ stick of butter
2 tbs of basil pesto

Melt the butter in a pan and then add the basil pesto. Basil pesto can be found in your local grocers already pre-made or you can process basil leaves with olive oil if you want fresh pesto. Add the chilies and the ginger, mix well. Add the shrimp and mushrooms to the melted butter/pesto sauce and let cook until the shrimp is done. Add salt and pepper to taste. While all this is cooking you can be boiling your salted and oiled pasta water. When it’s up to a rolling boil, add the pasta and stir. Let it boil until the pasta is tender. When the pasta is done drain it well and then add it to the pan holding the pesto, shrimp and mushrooms. Mix well and serve.

4-6 servings

Dinner: Naked Ginger Burgers
1 lbs of ground beef
1 tbs of ginger, peeled and minced

“Fixin’s”:
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Onions
Pickles
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix ground beef with ginger, salt and pepper. Form the meat into patties and fire up the grill! If you don’t have a grill, cook them on the stove top in a skillet. Use indirect heat to cook the patties. You want the burgers to cook thoroughly and evenly. Assemble your “fixin’s” on a plate and when the burger patty is finished add it to the plate! There is no bread so it’s a low carb meal and it’s good for you!

* If you do not have chili pequines in your area, please feel free to substitute whichever chilies you’d like.

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