Pretty on the Inside

This unattractive stuff is ginger root.

I don't mean to be rude, but honestly, it's not pretty.



As we all know though, outer beauty doesn't make one attractive. It's what's on the inside, and there's some seriously good stuff inside this ugly package.



I love it.



Sometimes I just take it out and sniff it.



That sounds weird doesn't it? In retospect, I'm a little sorry I said it.

But it's the truth.



Buy some and you'll do it too.



Anyway, it's great stuff, and if you've never cooked with it you're missing out. After you try it, you'll never go back to the dried and ground form again.



Promise.



The following is a recipe I came up with a couple of weeks ago when I cautiously looked into the bottom produce drawer in the fridge and found the 'pears' I had purchased about a week before. I was pretty sure they were pears. I felt sure that they had been pears when I put them in there. So it was settled then.



They were pears.



They were hovering in that kind of "iffy" place between "Yuck" and "Wait, I can save them!"



So I went the lifesaving route and after cutting off all the really bad spots, and peeling off all the other unpleasantness, I ended up with nice ripe pear slices.



Really ripe.

But the whole thing turned out to be really, really good.

Have you been counting the "reallys"? I'm sorry. I'll stop.

Anyway, please try the recipe.

BUT WAIT! Before you do. You must have this valuable, indispensible information!


1. A Microplane is the absolute best way to grate fresh ginger. Or garlic, or hard cheeses like parmesan or pecorino romano or any kind of citrus zest... If you don't have one, this is your excuse.

This is what you say:

"I must grate ginger." "I must have a Microplane."

Don't you like how I settle things so easily?

I knew you would.

Yep,the Chief really likes it too. Sorry, I used that word again.


2. Keep fresh ginger in a plastic freezer bag in the freezer.

It will keep forever.

Or until your freezer dies.

Or a hurricane hits.

But that's not important.

OK, here goes:

Wait, Wait, you MUST serve this with Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.

OK! Now here goes:

Ginger Pear Crisp

Filling:

5 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and cut into ½ “ slices
3 T. butter
1/4 c. – 1/3c. sugar
1 t. freshly grated ginger
Juice from ½ lemon

Crisp Topping:

1 ½ c. flour
¾ c. brown sugar
6 T. cold butter cut into small pieces
½ t. salt


In a large skillet, melt the 3 T. butter over medium heat. Add the pears and sugar and sauté for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ginger and lemon juice and cook for 4 minutes more. Pour the mixture into a 8” or 9” baking dish. Combine all ingredients for the topping until crumbly. Sprinkle over the filling.
Bake at 350º for about 25 minutes until brown and bubbly.

Or, (I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier) just do the whole pear and sugar saute' bit in a cast iron skillet, sprinkle the topping right over the whole shebang in the skillet and bake it in there!!!

Just occasionally, I have a great idea!