Raspberry and Ginger Russe from Schwartz.
This dessert offers the wonderful contrast of the slight spiciness of the ginger and the sweetness of the raspberry fruit and jelly.
Courtesy of heymrleej
The American media organization National Public Radio (NPR) held a competition for its listeners to submit their ‘best and most creative ginger-inspired’ recipes. See the winning recipes and maybe try one or two.
Ginger, in its many forms, is used to add flavour to a wide range of dishes and drinks including starters, main courses, desserts, preserves and confectionery. It is generally used in small amounts.
Fresh Ginger
How fresh ginger is used in cooking is determined by whether the ginger is young or mature. Young fresh ginger is pale in colour and has thin skin which does not require peeling. It can be diced, chopped, grated and julienned. Mature fresh ginger, which is the most widely available form in the West, has tougher skin and does require peeling. It can be diced, chopped, grated and ground.
Ground Ginger
Ground (or powdered) ginger is made by cleaning, slicing, drying and grounding fresh ginger. It is far more potent than fresh ginger and can be used as a substitute at the rate of one part ground to 6 parts fresh.
Crystallized Ginger
These are strips of young and tender ginger which have been coated and impregnated with sugar and stored in syrup. This versatile form of ginger can be eaten on its own as a snack, added to prepared dishes such as cottage cheese and ice cream, added to a cup of tea or eaten with an espresso, or used in cooking & baking. It is also known as candied ginger.
Dried Ginger
Dried ginger (sliced, not ground) tends to be used in fruit dishes, gingerbread, gingersnaps and many savoury dishes (e.g. soups, curries & meat). Many traditional European & Middle Eastern dishes specify dried ginger as this form was the only way that ginger could be viably transported over long distances.
Preserved Ginger
Preserved, or candied, ginger is ginger that has been peeled, cooked and then preserved in a sugar syrup. It is commonly used in confectionery or as an ingredient in desserts.
Pickled Ginger
Pickled ginger is a form of ginger popular in the Far East, particularly in Japan where it is known as gari. It is commonly used between courses to cleanse the palate.
Note: If a recipe calls for fresh ginger, it is generally agreed that dried ginger should not be used as a substitute.
An award winning food blog features a butternut squash soup with gingerbread and brown butter recipe as one of its tastiest moments of 2010. Lick My Spoon won the Blogger’s Choice Awards 2010 Best Food Blog.
Stem ginger and ground ginger are expected to disappear from the shelves at Waitrose following a Delia Smith TV ad for her Rhubarb and Ginger Brûlée recipe.
Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer, best served over a ice with a slice of lemon, has teamed up with Michelin starred celebrity chef Atul Kochhar to create four exclusive recipes marrying together delicious ingredients from East and West.
If you want to make an authentic Moroccan dish with ginger, use dried and not fresh. Historically, ginger was transported along the ancient trade routes from Asia and the Far East in dried form.
Ginger should be stored carefully as it can be affected by odour-emitting products.
Pour 160ml (5 fl.oz) of double cream into a bowl and add 2-3 tbsp of stem ginger syrup and 15g (1/2 oz) of finely chopped stem ginger. Whisk into soft peaks.
Nose,nose,jolly red noseWho gave you this jolly red nose?
Nutmegs and ginger, cinnamon and cloves
And they gave me this jolly red nose.
When buying fresh ginger, look for rhizomes with a smooth skin, are firm when pressed, and have a fresh and spicy aroma.
In the Middle Ages, the value of one pound (weight) of ginger was nearly the same as the value of one sheep.
Unpeeled fresh ginger will remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks if wrapped in a paper towel. Unpeeled fresh ginger, if wrapped in a paper towel and placed in a freezer bag with the air expelled, can be stored in a freezer for many months.
Ginger and garlic are often paired together in many Asian dishes from India to Japan.
“Mixologists and chefs alike have embraced Ginger as the hot new ingredient, many making their own Ginger syrups and extracts to add an exotic, yet sophisticated taste to new creations and old favorites,” said Andrea Conzonato, Chief Marketing Officer, Skyy Spirits.
Stem ginger ice cream is just one of the recipes included in Rediscovering Food And Flavours by TV chef Lawrence Keogh. This cookbook is aimed at patients who are on restricted diets as a result of kidney disease. It is available free of charge from UK GPs and renal dietitians, and is also available as a PDF.
Your main course has been cooked with ginger and you are wondering which wine to drink with it. Consider a Pinot Noir, a versatile wine which complements ginger exceedingly well.
Cooking meat by steaming is very popular in the Far East. Try steaming pork, beef, fish & shellfish with ginger beer.
Try Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio) to either cook with or as an accompaniment because of its subtle ginger aroma and flavour. Must be something about the Pinot family!
Wash down a ginger-based dessert with a slightly chilled Sauterne.
A ginger stir-fry goes well with Riesling and Austrian Grüner Veltliner, both of which are white, spicy, light, zesty and high in acidity.