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Ginger

“Had I but a penny in the world, thou shouldst have it for gingerbread.”
- Love’s Labor’s Lost, Act V, Scene I

More than any other spice, ginger has a presence that transcends taste and scent. The warm perfume of cooking ginger is a nostalgic waft from the past; as Laurie Colwin wrote, “ginger is the smell of childhood.” Its spicy pungency warms the belly, strengthens the heart, gives courage to the faltering and inflames lasting passions. All in all, ginger is a useful spice to have around.

The ginger we know best (zingiber officinale) has been grown in the Middle East, Asia and southern Europe for thousands of years. Spanish and Portuguese conquerors carried it to their colonies around the world, where it was cultivated and sold back to cold, foggy northern Europe. Ginger then, as now, was the taste of sunshine and warmth, of feasting and revelry.

We may have lost our taste for other medieval treats, such as myrrh, juniper, and swan, but the use of ginger has come down to us in traditional European holiday foods like gingerbread, ginger cookies, ginger molasses and ginger beer. The infamous holiday gingerbread house is a holdover from a kind of hard, molded gingerbread that was sold at fairs.

In the past ginger was often used with meats, as it still is in Asia, but the savory tradition fell from favor in the West and our love of ginger lived on only in sweets. The Ladies Indispensable Companion of 1859 uses ginger freely in many recipes, especially in pies, puddings, preserves and with apples, with which they have a particular affinity. Ginger was a frequent addition to the medicines and tonics made by every housewife for her family.

Then, for decades, ginger became homely and old-fashioned. None of Escoffier’s many books, the 1965 Gourmet cookbook, nor Mastering the Art of Fresh Cooking (1974) have recipes featuring ginger as the main ingredient. But when cutting-edge Asian-fusion cooking became all the rage, ginger was rediscovered by chefs looking for that punch of flavor and aroma that only ginger delivers.

Ginger is a rhizome, one member of a generously endowed family of aromatics known as zingiberaceae, which includes turmeric, galangal, cardamom and other exotic plants, many unknown in this country.

Usually the root is eaten, but in Asia, the Pacific and elsewhere the tips and shoots are used for flavoring steamed foods and in stir-fries, or snipped and eaten raw as a garnish for rice, pickled, in soups, curries and chutneys, condiments, beverages and candies. Ancient Hawaiians used the shoots to flavor meats roasted in underground ovens.

In Asia, ginger has a long medical tradition. Chinese herbalists use dried ginger to restore yang, and use it to treat conditions of the spleen, stomach and lungs. Fresh ginger is considered warming and anti-emetic for all cold conditions and digestive upsets. A powerful detoxificant, it is often used in combination with other herbs to modify their action. In this country, many people have learned that a little ginger root helps combat nausea and motion sickness.

Fresh ginger has a distinctive flavor that is neither sweet nor savory, but works surprisingly well to unite other strong flavors. Happy pairings include cilantro, vinegar, big spices, garlic and onions, fruits and vegetables. Use ginger to inspire, unite, and lift flavors; contrast with blander foods like rice or rich foods such as creams, pork and duck.

On the sweet side, ginger is a natural with apples, stone fruit and pears. It is amazingly good with chocolate. Dried ginger is used mostly in baking, where it adds a spicy zing.

The balanced flavor of ginger goes well with white wines that have their own spicy personality, such as Riesling and Gewurztraminer, and Sauvignon Blanc.

ABOUT GINGER

Ginger is used in many forms. The fresh root may be dried, ground, pickled, preserved in sugar syrup or crystallized.

Dried ground ginger has a tendency to be spicy, peppery hot. It is used almost exclusively in baking and is never a substitute for fresh ginger.

Fresh ginger root should be firm and thin-skinned; the fingers will snap off easily. Always avoid flaccid, shrunken roots.

Buy ginger in small quantities. Keep it wrapped and refrigerated until use. If you use it infrequently, the root can be peeled, cut into one-inch chunks and frozen until you need it.

PREPARATION

Ginger is always peeled before use. Very fresh ginger is easily peeled by scraping the skin away with the edge of a spoon, or peel with a sharp paring knife.
The root has many stringy fibers. Grating the root on a fine grater or special Japanese ginger grater will render pulp and juice without fiber. To chop, thinly slice the ginger across the fibers and then chop as finely as possible.

RECIPES

OLD-FASHIONED GINGER WALNUT COOKIES

If you do not care for molasses, this is the ginger cookie for you. The recipe is very old, probably German in origin. The best crystallized ginger comes from Australia, and may be purchased in most supermarkets and health food stores. Or, you can try making your own (below.)

Makes 36 cookies
2/3 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
¼ cup boiling water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 ounces crystallized ginger, cut into tiny pieces (about ½ cup)
½ cup chopped walnuts
Larger walnut pieces for decoration (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two cookie sheets.
2. In a mixer, cream the butter until soft; add the brown sugar a little at a time and beat until fluffy.
3. Stir the soda into the boiling water and add to the butter, along with the vanilla. Stir in the flour and when it is well combined, stir in the chopped ginger and walnuts.
4. Form the dough into 1-tablespoon balls and press flat with a fork. Top with a piece of walnut. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until set and lightly browned.

CRYSTALLIZED GINGER

1 pound very fresh ginger root
About 1 pound sugar (divided use)
¼ cup water

1. Peel the ginger, slice thinly crosswise or in long, thin strips, and place in a saucepan. Barely cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the ginger is tender when poked with a sharp knife, 15-20 minutes.
2. Drain the ginger. Measure the ginger and place into a small, deep saucepan. Add an equal measure of white sugar and the water. Bring to a boil, stirring.
3. Cook until the syrup is very thick but not turning brown – stir often.
4. Toss the ginger in a bowl of dry sugar to coat. Spread out on a nonstick cookie sheet to dry. Store in an airtight container.

STIR-FRIED SHRIMP WITH GREEN CURRY-COCONUT SAUCE

“Curry” refers to any kind of complex seasoning mixture, not that nasty canned yellow powder lurking on the back of your spice shelf. This recipe has Thai origins, and is traditionally served with seafood. If you like spicy, this is for you. (If you don’t like spicy, use 1 serrano.) The ginger unites the other powerful flavors, and everything is smoothed out with coconut milk and lime. Serves 4.

1 bunch cilantro, washed and chopped
A 4-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
4 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
10 cloves of garlic, peeled
4 large serrano chiles (more or fewer to taste)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided use)
1 ½ pounds large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
1 – 14 ounce can coconut milk
½ cup water, as needed
To Serve: Cooked white rice

1. Make the Green Curry: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cilantro, chopped ginger, shallots, garlic, serranos, cumin, salt and pepper. Puree to a smooth paste, scraping the sides down frequently. Measure out 3/4 cup of Green Curry for the recipe. (The rest may be refrigerated and used with one week.)
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat in a wok or large sauté pan. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until the shrimp are pink and just barely firm. Remove the shrimp and keep warm.
3. Return the pan to medium heat and add the remaining oil. Add the Green Curry Paste and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the lime juice and coconut milk and stir well. Add the shrimp back to the pan and cook a minute longer. Add the water only if the sauce seems too thick. Correct seasoning with lime juice and salt.
4. Serve immediately on the cooked rice.

GINGERED CARROT SOUP

This is my favorite fall soup – a beautiful orange color, full of warming ginger energy. And talk about healthy! The ginger flavor is quite pronounced – feel free to reduce the quantity. Serves 6.

2 tablespoons butter
3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped, about 1/3 cup
1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped, about 1 ½ cups
6 cups unsalted chicken stock
5 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon white pepper
Water as needed
To serve: ¼ cup crème fraiche
Chives, thinly sliced

1. In a 3-quart saucepot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the ginger and onion and cook, slowly, until the onion is soft but not colored; it will smell wonderful.
2. Add the stock, increase heat and bring to a boil. Add the chopped carrots and salt, and cook at a steady simmer for about 30 minutes or until the carrots are very, very soft. Stir in the white pepper.
3. Let the soup cool for a few minutes, then puree in a blender until absolutely smooth. Return to the pot and thin as needed with small amounts of water. Reheat over gentle heat, stirring often, and correct seasoning.
4. Whip the crème fraiche until it will drizzle off a spoon. Serve the soup very hot with streaks of creme fraiche on the surface, and scattered chives.

PEAR AND APPLE CHUTNEY

Some chutneys are very complex, but this is a quick and simple recipe you can whip up in no time. Serve with ham, roast pork, grilled chicken or roast duck, or spread inside a grilled cheese sandwich. You can use it immediately, but the flavor improves after a day in the refrigerator. Makes about 2 ½ cups.

2 firm pears, peeled and chopped in ½ inch pieces
2 green apples, peeled and chopped into ½ inch pieces
1 tablespoon lime juice, or to taste
1/2 cup dried cranberries
½ cup white vinegar
1/3 cup white sugar
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and very finely chopped
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 whole star anise *
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Place in a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat and simmer, stirring often, until fruit is very tender, about 30 minutes.
3. Chill. The chutney will keep in the refrigerator for a week.