Triple ginger biscotti
Unlike traditional biscotti, these won't break your teeth. They are more like ginger molassescookies in biscotti form, with big chunks of chewy, crystallised ginger and toasted almonds.
Makes 16
120g butter, softened
130g brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp treacle
270g plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
110g crystallised ginger, chopped
80g flaked almonds, toasted
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
2 Add the eggs one by one, beating after eachegg, then drizzle in the treacle. Beattogether well.
3 In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and powdered ground ginger. Add this to the wet ingredients and then stir in the fresh ginger, crystallised ginger and toasted almonds.
4 Form the mixture into two logs of dough (each log should be about 20cm long and 5cm wide). Place the logs on a lined baking tray and bake for30 minutes, then leave them to cool for around 5minutes.
5 Carefully slice the logs into biscotti (the dough might still be a little crumbly), then turn each one over on its side and bake for another 10-12 minutes. Leave to cool.
Recipe supplied by eatliverun.com
Herb and ginger fish cakes with beetroot relish
The ginger and abundant herbs and spices make these fishcakes sing. They really are overflowing with flavour, so all you need is a squeeze of lemon juice. However, the beet and horseradish sauce will add a sweetness and heat that complement the flavours well.
Serves 4
4 fillets firm white fish (about 720g), skinless andboneless
25g dill, chopped
15g mint leaves, chopped
10g tarragon, chopped
25g ginger, peeled and finely grated
Zest of 1 lemon, grated
3 small garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground turmeric
2 eggs
30g breadcrumbs
8 mild, long green peppers
2 tsp sunflower oil
Salt and black pepper
For the relish
300g cooked beetroot, finely grated
50g soured cream
¼ tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
¾ tsp caster sugar
25g horseradish, freshly grated
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 Start with the relish. Place the beetroot in a colander for 30 minutes to let some of the juice drain or gently squeeze out some with your hands (glovesrecommended).
2 Transfer to a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients, along with ½ tsp of salt and some black pepper. Mix well, taste to adjust the seasoning and set aside.
3 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Slice the fish very finely then chop into tiny dice – just 1–2mm. Place in a bowl and add the fresh herbs, ginger, lemon zest, garlic, ground spices, eggs, breadcrumbs, 1½ tsp of salt and some black pepper. Mix well, separate the mixture into 12 golf-ball size pieces and form intoround patties.
4 Place a heavy ovenproof iron or chargrill pan on a high heat. When the pan is very hot, add the peppers and grill for 15 minutes, turning once, until the skin is nicely charred and blistered. Remove from the pan and set aside.
5 Wipe the pan clean and add the sunflower oil. Sear the fishcakes for 4 minutes, turning once, then transfer the pan to the oven for 8minutes, until the fishcakes are cooked through. Place 3 fishcakes on each plate, along with 2 peppers. Spoon the beetroot relish alongside and serve at once.
Recipe supplied by ottolenghi.co.uk
Ginger lassi
A savoury lassi – ginger-spiked in this case – isboth warming and refreshing. You can drink them at breakfast time, but they are equally handy for quelling fiery curries. If you'd prefer a sweet version, swap the cumin seeds and salt for a pinch of ground cardamom and sweeten with jaggery, honey or brown sugar.
Serves 2
1 tsp cumin seeds
200ml natural yoghurt
200ml cold water
A handful of ice
1 heaped tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
A pinch of salt
1 Toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying panthen crush in a mortar and pestle.
2 Blend everything in a liquidiser and serveintall glasses.
Recipe supplied by alicehartfood.com
Pickled ginger
A delicious complement to fish or meat in banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches), noodle salads or rice, this sharp condiment retains its vibrant yellow colour and should have amoreish sweet-and-sourtaste.
250g fresh ginger
Salt
1½ tbsp rice vinegar or fruit vinegar (notbalsamic)
½ tsp sugar
1 Wash and peel the fresh ginger and slice it thinly using a vegetable peeler or mandolin. You want the slices to be paper-thin. Alternatively, you could slice the ginger intothin strips.
2 Cover the ginger with boiling water and dissolve 1 tbsp of salt. Let the mixture sit for 3-5minutes; this will soften and slightly cook the ginger, making it last longer and absorb the brine better. Be careful not to make it too soft though – the ginger should still be crunchy when you strain the hot brine.
3 Retain the hot brine and place the sliced ginger in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle over 1 tsp of salt. Squeeze the ginger with your hand so the salt is absorbed.
4 Add the vinegar to the ginger and rub well. Balance the flavours by adding sugar to taste.
5 Put the ginger into jars and submerge it in the reserved brine. Leave in the fridge overnight. The pickle can be kept for several weeks inthefridge.
Recipe supplied by banhmi11.com
Sticky ginger cake
This recipe guarantees a truly successful sticky, treacly ginger cake.
Serves 6-8
225g plain flour
1 tsp mixed spice
3 tsp ground ginger
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
285ml milk
1 egg
85g butter
85g black treacle
85g golden syrup
115g caster sugar
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 900g loaf tin and line it with baking parchment.
2 Sift the flour, mixed spice, ginger, baking power, bicarbonate of soda and salt into alarge mixing bowl. Measure out the milk inajug and beat in the egg.
3 Put the butter, treacle, golden syrup and sugar in a pan and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted.
4 Pour this treacle mix on to the dry ingredients, followed by the milk and egg mix, and beat with a wooden spoon until the contents of the bowl are well mixed.
5 Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 90 minutes or until the gingerbread is well risen and feels firm to the touch.
6 Leave the cake in its tin until it is cool enough to handle, then turn it out on a wirerack and allow it to cool further.
Conventional wisdom has it that your ginger cake should now be wrapped up in greaseproof paper and foil and stored for a few days before eating, as this makes it more sticky and gingery, but it's also pretty good eaten fresh and still warm.
Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer by JaneBrocket (Hodder and Stoughton). Order a copy for £11.99 with free UK p&p (save £3) from guardianbookshop.co.uk or call 0330 333 6846
Claypot chicken with ginger
A homely, comforting dish that tastes even better if you leave the chicken bones attached. The makrut lime leaves are optional but add an extra kick at the end and contrast perfectly with the ginger.
Serves 4
300g chicken thighs or drumsticks
1 tsp gia vi (a Vietnamese spice mix, but you can also substitute with 1 tsp salt, sugar and peppermix)
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp garlic, crushed
50g ginger, thinly sliced
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp shallot, finely sliced
4 tbsp water
3 tbsp fish sauce
½ tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp makrut lime leaves, thinly sliced (optional)
1 Marinate the chicken with the gia vi or salt and pepper mix, cover and leave in thefridgefor an hour.
2 In a braising saucepan heat 1 tbsp of oil along withthe garlic and ginger, toss for 2-3minutesuntil it becomes fragrant, thenstirin thesugar.
3 Add the chicken to the saucepan and toss it for 2-3 minutes, then lower the heat, add the shallot and stir for a minute.
4 Add the water and extra fish sauce to taste. Simmer for about 45 minutes, adding a little water when necessary, until the chicken is soft and the sauce has thickened. Then add black pepper to taste.
5 Transfer the chicken on to a plate and sprinkle with the makrut lime leaves.
Recipe supplied by banhmi11.com
Double ginger breakfast crumble
Topped with a few spoonfuls of plain, tart yoghurt, thiscrumble is a great way to start theday, but can be eaten any time.
Serves 4-6
1kg rhubarb, sliced
130g brown sugar
2 tbsp fresh ginger, diced
2 tbsp crystallised ginger, diced
Juice and zest of 1 large orange
120g plain or gluten-free flour
45g whole rolled oats
120g cold butter, cut into cubes
Pinch of sea salt
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350C/gas mark4. In a medium-size pan, place the rhubarb, half the brown sugar, 1 tbsp each of fresh ginger and candied ginger, along with the orange juice and zest. Put the lid on and bring to the boil over a medium-high heat.
2 Turn down the heat and simmer for a few minutes until the rhubarb has softened.
3 Spoon the rhubarb compote into an ovenproof dish (or several ramekins, if makingindividual portions).
4 To make the crumble topping, combine the remaining brown sugar, the remaining ginger (both candied and fresh), the flour, oats, butter and salt into a bowl. Use your fingers to blend the mix into crumbs.
5 Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the rhubarb mixture and bake for 40 minutes or until the crumble is golden and bubbly.
6 Cool slightly and serve with ice-cream, whipped cream, custard or yoghurt.
Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver and supplied by poppytalk.blogspot.co.uk
Sweet potato and ginger soup
This is a wonderful, zingy soup that balances sweet with sour, richness with sharpness. It's one for a murky winter's day, or a hazy autumnafternoon.
Serves 4
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 red onions, sliced
1½tbsp fresh root ginger, grated
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1½ litres chicken stock or water
150ml double cream
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
Juice of ½ lime
1 Melt the butter in a large pan and sweat the onions until they're starting to soften.
2 Add the ginger and cook until aromatic. Addthe potato and stir until it becomes slightly shiny.
3 Add the stock or water. Cook for 30 minutes, or until you can mash the potatoes easily against the side of the pan.
4 Blitz in the pan using a hand-held blender, until you get a nice smooth consistency.
5 Stir in the cream, soy sauce and maple syrup and squeeze in the lime juice. Season to taste.
My Favourite Ingredients by SkyeGyngell(Quadrille). Order a copy for £11.99 with free UK p&p (save £3) from guardianbookshop.co.uk or call 0330 333 6846
Ginger crunch
This Kiwi classic is best eaten the day it is made, but it will keep for up to four days in an airtight container – so long as you don't tellanyone you've made it!
Makes about 12 slices
150g plain flour
25g cornflour
100g caster sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
100g cold unsalted butter, diced
For the icing
150g icing sugar
115g unsalted butter, diced
3 tbsp golden syrup
4 tsp ground ginger
1 Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/gas mark 3.
2 Sift the flour, cornflour, sugar, ground ginger, baking powder and salt into a bowl, then add the diced butter. Mix together with a wooden spoon or, using an electric mixer, mix on medium speed with the paddle attachment until everything comes together.
3 Press the dough evenly into an 11 x 34cm baking tin lined with baking parchment. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
4 About 5 minutes before the shortbread base is cooked, make the icing: combine all the ingredients in a small pan and heat gently, stirring constantly until the butter has melted.
5 Pour the hot icing over the shortbread base as soon as it comes out of the oven.
6 Cut into slices while still warm, then leavetocool.
The Modern Pantry by Anna Hansen (EburyPress). Order a copy for £20.00 with free UK p&p (save £5) from guardianbookshop.co.uk or call 0330 333 6846
Stem ginger and spice ice cream
An ice-cream full of warming spices that works particularly well with crumble. The finely chopped chunks of ginger add texture, but you may prefer a smooth ice-cream.
Serves 6-8
450ml whole milk
2 vanilla pods, split with seeds scraped out
6 egg yolks
170g unrefined caster sugar
600ml double cream (or 300ml each of creme fraiche and double cream)
8 pieces of stem ginger, 2very finelychopped
1 tbsp ginger syrup
6 cloves, crushed
Cinnamon bark, crushed
1 Heat the milk and vanilla to just below boiling, stirring constantly.
2 Put your egg yolks and sugar in a bowl then whisk into the milk and vanilla pod and seeds.
3 Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a low heat, whisking as you go, until it thickens perceptibly. Don't allow the mixture to boil – you don't want it to curdle.
4 As soon as the mixture has thickened, remove from the heat and whisk in the cream and creme fraiche. In a separate bowl, crush the cloves andcinnamon.
5 Whizz the mixture in the blender with 6 balls of stem ginger, the syrup and ½ tsp of the cinnamon and clove mixture, tasting as you go. The ginger should dominate, but with a musky breath of spice.
6 Churn in an ice-cream maker for 30 minutes, then add the chopped stem ginger. If you don't have an ice-cream maker, you can also successfully make this in your freezer. Turn your freezer on high, place the mixture in a metal container and freeze. Stir the setting walls of the ice-cream into the middle of the container after the first hour, and then again an hour or two later, to prevent crystals forming, add the chopped ginger then leave in the freezer to firm up.
