Good Uses of Ginger

Use only fresh, firm ginger if possible.

Any good use for any ingredient involves making the most of that ingredient’s natural taste and texture. When it comes to ginger, it means using its inherit piquancy, zest and subtle sweetness to play off other foods. The uses of ginger are limited only by the palate and personal tastes. Nearly every type of food preparation -- sweet or savory, drink or dessert -- can benefit from the counterpoint of flavor ginger provides, which, when used judiciously, enhances other flavors without masking them. Does this Spark an idea?

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Beverages
- Ginger root makes an excellent base flavor for numerous traditional and non-traditional beverages. When exploring exotic uses for ginger in a drink look outside of the United States for inspiration. The Caribbean switchel, Jamaican ginger beer and Balinese ginger minuman all integrate the root with locally sourced produce. All three of the aforementioned drinks entail boiling water, pouring it over freshly grated ginger and steeping for a day. Finishing the drinks involves straining out the grated ginger, adding fresh fruits, such as calamondin oranges and kefir limes, and sweetening to taste with a natural sugar, such as molasses, honey or turbinado sugar. Some drinks, such as the switchel, have a touch of cider vinegar that augments the zest of the ginger and while highlighting the fruits’ natural sweetness. Others are supplemented with aromatic bitters and fresh herbs, such as mint and basil. (See references one and two)
Sweet
- Many associate ginger with sweet food and drinks for a good reason. The ubiquitous gingerbread house, ginger ale and gingersnap cookies all hold a place in classic Americana. Ginger’s flavor profile, however, lends its complexity well to progressive preparations that bear little resemblance to the gingerbread man cookies that serve as comfort food for so many. For example, the ginger-basil sponge – a relatively unknown, light and airy confection best likened to a translucent sorbet with perforations that resemble the surface of a sponge – uses the root and fresh basil as flavoring agents as well as color enhancers. (See reference three)
Savory
- Ginger is used extensively in Asian and Asian-fusion cuisine. Stir fries, curries and satays owe much of their piquancy to ginger. You can also incorporate ginger into other world cuisines to a great, and often exotic, effect. Ginger root puts a special twist on the Italian and French classics piadina, pot au feu and bistecca alla Florentine. Shaving a knob of ginger into the braising liquid of pot au feu, a French beef stew, or bistecca alla Florentine, a slow-cooked cut of beef prepared in the style of Florence, brightens other flavors in the dish and plays well off the garlic they contain. (See reference three)
Other Uses
- Candied ginger, roasted ginger and fried-shaved ginger all use cooking methods that alter the flavor and consistency of the root. For example, chewy candied ginger, made from cooking and steeping freshly grated ginger in sugar syrup, has little trace of fresh ginger’s hallmark spiciness, but just enough piquancy to contribute a tart finish. Roasting produces the same effects on ginger as it does on garlic -- softening its harshness while adding smokiness to its flavor. Experiment with different cooking techniques when preparing fresh ginger and incorporate your successes into tested recipes for interesting flavor profiles. (See reference four)