How to

10 Ways to Cook with Ginger

Ginger

Ginger is a great source of vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, copper and manganese. It's also widely studied for its medicinal benefits, including aiding nausea and vomiting, relieving the pain of osteoarthritis, and possibly a factor in treating heart disease. Of course, it's also delicious in all sorts of dishes and versatile. Try it using one of the techniques below.

 

1. Make sauces, dressings and dips all perk up with the addition of ginger. For a simple dipping or marinating sauce, add minced ginger to soy sauce. For a salad dressing upgrade, stir a bit of minced ginger to an otherwise plain vinaigrette.

Ginger soy sauce

2. Combine it with red miso and tahini in this colorful Kale Salad with Ginger Miso Dressing

Ginger miso dressing

3. Enhance flavor. This Ginger Beurre Blanc Sauce would nicely flavor any seafood or chicken, for starters.

Ginger Beurre Blanc

4. Add it to grain dishes and mashed sweet potatoes.

Mashed sweet potato

5. Spruce up a simple stir fry with beef, chicken, or veggies. In this Grilled Tofu with Cilantro Ginger Pesto, ginger combines with cilantro.

tofu cilantro ginger pesto

6. Add fruit. Apples, pears and other fruit are delicious when seasoned with ginger. Sprinkle minced ginger on top of the fruit before baking or cook the fruit in gingered butter until softened.

poached pear

7. Pickle it. Pickled Ginger is great for cleansing the palate or a light snack. This version is easy to make and, unlike many commercial varieties, uses no food dyes.

Pickled Ginger

8. Add it to sweets. Dried and ground ginger performs well in desserts, like spice cookies, carrot cakes, or pumpkin and apple pie fillings.

Baking hands

9. Stir into cream cheese for spreading on fruit bread.

Ginger Cream Cheese

10. Serve it with curry. Offer tasty little bites alongside curried dishes.

Chopped ginger

DIY Herb Butters & Spreads

Herbs

A softened butter mixed with herbs, spices, and other seasonings, compound butters can quickly and effortlessly add flavor to many dishes.

To try your hand, have ready a small bowl of softened butter. Rinse herbs, then shake dry; gently pat with paper towels. Finely chop, then mix into the butter. A mini food processor can speed things along. You can also use the processor to fully blend a small amount of herb into the butter until it turns a lovely shade of green. 

Store your herb butter in a sealed container and refrigerate to use over the next several days. For larger amounts, roll the butter into a log shape with the help of plastic wrap. Over-wrap in foil, label, and freeze.

Try creating compound butters with different flavor combinations, and experiment with a variety of uses, such as the following:

Spread on sandwiches

Try tarragon/chive butter on a chicken sandwich or a cucumber and watercress tea sandwich for a bridal shower, tea party-style.

Finish roasted or grilled salmon or sautéed shrimp

Dill/parsley butter and a squeeze of lemon will complement seafood for your next dinner with friends.

Toss with pasta

Marjoram/basil butter with a grind of black pepper and plenty of Parmesan will make a nice side dish.

Add to rice pilaf

Cilantro/green onion butter plus some tomato sauce or paste can give rice a Southwestern flair.

Rub under the skin of a chicken, then roast

Chicken is less likely to be overwhelmed by sturdier herbs like thyme and rosemary, so try them in a butter, which will keep the chicken moist and add flavor. You’ll also get delicious pan juices for an accompanying sauce.

Finish vegetables

Most vegetables taste great with a dollop of butter, and the already-incorporated herb is a plus.

For toast and pancakes

Compound butters with spices like cinnamon and nutmeg are great for brunch.

Finish grilled meat

Add butter with blue cheese or smoked paprika to your next cookout.