ISO Nutmeg Info

[bryankimjade]

After watching the cooking channel. I decided to get fresh nutmeg from the jar and just grate it when needed. The smell and taste are wonderful just as promised. But I am not sure how much to use. I have a pumpkin roll recipe that I have been perfecting for years (even though I am not a baker) and it calls for 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg. Do I use the same amount when freshly grateing? any input would be appreciated. thanks

 

[Katie H]

I almost always use the same amount. It's so wonderfully flavorful that it adds so much to the dish/recipe.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Unless the recipe says to use "pre-ground stale nutmeg from the grocery store that may have been sitting there for 1-3 years and you've probably had sitting in the back of your cabinet for 3-10 years and now has less flavor" I would use the amount (fresh grated) called for in the recipe.

Like Katie E. said ... it's a fantastic flavor! (and, yes, I have tried using the off-the-shelf crap - that's how I know it's crap compared to fresh).

 

[sattie]

LOL MIF.... the pre ground stuff is crap! It probably has been less than a year since I switched over to grinding my own. Man, what a difference.... the aroma, the flavor. What took me so long?

 

[karenlyn]

It really does make a difference. Kinda like the difference between ground pepper (the kinds they sell here is so fine it's like pepper dust) and freshly ground. Incomparable.

Nutmeg is wonderful-- I never skimp and always use the full amount.

-Karen

 

[milkdemcows]

What do you tend to use to grind - microplane? Fine side of the grater?

 

[jkath]

I use a tiny-holed grater - rectangular with a long handle.

I LOVE fresh nutmeg - I seem to incorporate it in many dishes, since the flavor wakes nearly everything up. Especially chicken or spinach dishes.

 

[Michael in FtW]

What do you tend to use to grind - microplane? Fine side of the grater?

I have a small grater (not really sure when or where I inherited it) - similar to the fine side of a regular box grater. If I can't find it - I just use the box grater.

 

[Katie H]

Even though I have a box grater and several different grades of microplane graters, I use my little nutmeg "house" grater to grate my nutmeg. It looks like this:

 

[Bilby]

My brother used to carry around half a nutmeg in his lab coat when he was a med student, as did his mates at the time. It looks like the inside of a dead kidney, I believe. I was seven when he was doing this, so the reason could be slightly different to my memory!! ;-)

 

[archiduc]

nutmeg

After watching the cooking channel. I decided to get fresh nutmeg from the jar and just grate it when needed. The smell and taste are wonderful just as promised. But I am not sure how much to use. I have a pumpkin roll recipe that I have been perfecting for years (even though I am not a baker) and it calls for 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg. Do I use the same amount when freshly grateing? any input would be appreciated. thanks

Hi Bryan,

Nutmeg is one of the most great and mellifluous spices used by man/woman that you will ever use. It`s used with both savoury and sweet concoctions!

It combines with savoury ingredients to develop and enable flavours to enrich a dish - for example with spinach in Spinach Catalan or in a risotto, leeks with pasta need the lightest of grating of nutmeg, game birds in a casserole, venison in a pie or chicken livers in a paté need a lightly heavier hand. In most these (savoury) instances nutmeg likes to be bedfellow to ginger, Jamiaca pepper, cinnamon and the lightest touch of cumin.

At the same time, nutmeg, has throughout history played a part in the production of cremes, custards and mixes of fruit, in short it is an ingredient employed in puddings, cakes and preserves like chutney. Traditonally the fruit is dried and reconstituted with alcohol and nutmeg and other spices like ground cloves, cinnamon and ginger.

Then again, nutmeg is an essential ingredient of a good cheese sauce - not so much that one could taste it and less than one knows it`s there!

Hope this helps,
Archiduc

 

[bryankimjade]

I know my user name is deceiving. Actually I am Kim. I agree with you on your love of nutmeg. Around Christmas I started using the fresh and grating it. I don't know why I waited so long. I have used it when making spinach and any greens as you suggested. No comparisan. It is like back in the old days when we used ground pepper. Cooking is so much better now. Thank you to the food channel for teaching us the correct way.

 

[archiduc]

Hi Kim,

It`s good to see that you are learning about and experimenting with nutmeg. I think it is one of my top 3 spices. You need a grater so that you can use it fresh. I have a special nutmeg grater which is only ever used for grating whole nutmegs. Perhaps, you could "google" to find a kitchen shop, food market or stockist near you for both the grater and the nutmegs.

I buy vacuum packed, whole nutmegs from my local Asian superstore. If you can find one near you it would be worth checking out. Once you`ve opened the packet, keep the whole nutmegs in a dry, screw-topped jar. They keep for a very long time and only begin to degenerate in terms of flavour once you start to grate each individual nutmeg.

Nutmeg is a spice which goes through the whole repetoire of cooking:
* patés - integral to chicken liver paté;
* soups - add a very light touch to onion, cauliflower, leek or bean based soups;
* cheese sauce - integral and necessary
* stews and casserole - benefit from a touch;
* custards - better with a very light scraping;
* ice cream - nutmeg ice cream is divine;
* pastries - essential to a good Baklava;
* coffee - try a light grating on top of a Cappucino.

Hope this helps,
Archiduc

 

[Barbara L]

I didn't see this listed, but my Swedish half insists that I add that nutmeg is also essential to Swedish Meatballs!

Barbara