GINGER:
STORE: Fresh ginger will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator or several months in the freezer. Since freezing makes it easier to peel, slice and crush, you might as well freeze it as soon as you get it.
USE: Ginger can be used in Indian curries, and in Chinese, Japanese, and European spice blends, or in the always-popular ginger snap cookie! You can also add ginger flavor without any texture by juicing the root. Extract juice from a small piece of ginger by putting it through a garlic press. A juicer can handle much bigger chunks and extra juice can be frozen in ice cube trays.
PREP: To properly prep ginger, start by taking a “hand” and separate it into “fingers” Cut off any protruding “nubs” with your knife and then peel with the edge of a soup spoon using a downward scraping motion. Using the edge of a spoon is not only quicker, but it will result in a better yield since all that’s being removed is the ginger’s paper-thin skin. Next, cut the peeled ginger “finger” into round chunks about a quarter to a half inch thick. Using a traditional mincing motion, mince ginger to desired size.
ZUCCHINI:
STORE: Keep the zucchini in a cool place and store, if needed, in a perforated plastic bag. That will allow this vegetable to last approximately a week without perishing. Don’t store a zucchini in the refrigerator if at all possible. The cold inside the unit is not the best environment for a zucchini and can prematurely age it. Fresh zucchini doesn’t freeze very well. So if you want to freeze it, cook it in a recipe and then freeze the dish.
USE: Zucchini’s make a great and colorful addition to almost any dish. Whether you chop them up and roast them in a hot oven with olive oil and salt. They go well with tomatoes and onions, and add some herbs like oregano or thyme if you like. Or consider cutting them in half, scooping out the seeds and making zucchini boats to cook in the oven. The beauty is they can be stuffed with almost anything.
PREP: When it comes to preparing zucchini’s, the beautiful thing about this vegetable is that it’s hard to go wrong. Dicing, slicing, or mincing, this vegetable tastes great with the outer layer on or off. Simply rinse it off with water and enjoy them raw, cooked, boiled, or roasted.
KIWI:
STORE: Kiwis are a very simple fruit to please. You can keep a ripe kiwi for several days in your fruit bowl at room temperature. If you’re looking to keep it for an extended period of time, putting it in the refrigerator will make it last up to four weeks. When you’re ready for it, bring it out and allow it to ripen.
USE: Kiwis are a beautiful fruit and their sweet, green insides look fantastic when combined with raspberries, blueberries, oranges, and other fruits. They’re terrific pureed! You can use the puree to sweeten strawberries or raspberries, drizzle it over ice cream, or put it in ice cube trays, freeze, and eat like sorbet (there’s no need to add sugar).
PREP: While some believe you need to peel a kiwi in order to eat it, let us be the first to tell you, you don’t! Simply washing a kiwi will suffice. The thin brown skin does not taste bitter, and it holds the fruit together for eating out of hand.
KIWI ICE POPS:
Ingredients:
– 1 3/4 cup(s) water
– 1 cup(s) sugar
– 4 kiwis
– 1/2 cup(s) (about 4 limes) fresh lime juice
Directions:
- Make the syrup: Combine 1 cup of water with the sugar in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil. Set aside to cool.
- Make the ice pops: Using a paring knife, cut kiwis into quarters, peel, and remove the white core and seeds from each piece. Place the seeded kiwi pieces in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and purée to a liquid — about 1 minute.
- Combine the puréed kiwi, 3/4 cup syrup, lime juice, and remaining 3/4 cup water in a large bowl.
- Pour the mixture into molds and freeze until solid, for about 6 hours.
*Recipe courtesy of Countryliving.com