Cardamom Ginger Spiced Nectarines Recipes

GINGER CARDAMOM TEA

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine water, honey, ginger and cardamom; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes., Pour over tea bags in a 2-cup glass measuring cup. Steep 3-5 minutes according to taste. Strain tea back into saucepan, discarding ginger and tea bags. Stir in milk; heat through.

CARDAMOM GINGER SPICED NECTARINES

Steps:

• Cut each nectarine in half, remove pit, and then cut each quarter into three slices or cut them into one-inch dices.
• Optional: to keep the fruit from darkening, place the slices in water containing lemon juice, ascorbic acid. Use 3 grams ascorbic acid to 1 gallon of cold water. Drain.
• To the bottom of each jar, add ¼ teaspoon fresh grated ginger, plus 1 teaspoon of crushed cardamom.
• Pack the nectarine slices into 6, pint size jars, leaving ½ an inch of headspace from the top of the jar.
• Boil 4 cups of water and add ¾ cup honey or 1 cup sugar to make a light syrup.
• Cover the nectarines and spices with boiling light honey syrup, keeping the ½ inch headspace.
• Cap the jars.
• You can store the finished spiced nectarines in the refrigerator for two weeks. For longer storage, use the raw pack method and process the jars in a water bath canner for 25 minutes per pint, or 30 minutes per quart.

SPICED NECTARINE SAUCE

Steps:

• If you'd rather, peel the nectarines; I like having the peel in there.
• Melt butter in small saucepan over medium high heat.
• Dissolve brown sugar in the melted butter, then add the cubed nectarines and the rest of the spices.
• When mixture starts to simmer, turn heat down to low.
• Simmer in order to achieve desired consistency and allow flavors to blend. You will want this to be chunky, with some textural variation--chunks of fruit in a thick, medium-brown sauce. This may take 5-10 minutes. Remove pods before serving (? I'm actually not sure if you can eat them).
• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, or cool and refrigerate.
• My note: this was excellent with hot multigrain cereal! I cooked the cereal first and then added the sauce, about 1:1, stirred it in and warmed it up along with the cereal for a few minutes on low/simmer. Yummy!

EAST-WEST GINGER CAKE WITH CARDAMOM CREAM

Steps:

• In a mixer, whisk together sugar, egg, oil, molasses and ginger. While mixer is running, add water. In a large bowl mix flours, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. With a large rubber spatula gently fold-in the contents of the mixer with the dry ingredients. Fill rings, ramekins or dish. Bake in pre-heated oven at 300 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until test poker comes out clean.
• Add everything to an electric mixing bowl equipped with a whip. Whisk on medium-high stiff peaks form.
• PLATING:
• Place a small dollop of cardamom cream in the middle of a plate, this is to anchor the cake. Unmold the spice cake and place it on top of the cream. Put a dollop of cream on top of the cake and place a mint leaf in the cream.

EXOTIC SPICE COOKIES WITH GINGER, CARDAMOM AND ROSE WATER

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, pepper and salt in a medium bowl until blended. Mix in the crystallized ginger. Set aside momentarily.
• In a large bowl beat the brown sugar, butter and shortening with an electric mixer until fluffy (do not over-beat, it will add too much air). Add the egg, honey and rosewater and beat until blended. Stir in the flour mixture with a wooden spoon, mixing until just until blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray 2 cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon the turbinado sugar in thick layer onto small plate. Using wet hands, form dough into 1 1/4-inch balls; roll in sugar to coat completely. Place balls on prepared sheets, spacing 2 to 3 inches apart.
• Bake cookies until cracked on top but still soft to touch, about 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on sheets 1 minute. Carefully transfer cookies to wire racks; cool completely.