Latest news with #nutmeg
News.com.au
3 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
What is nutmeg? (And why should you add it to your recipes?)
Second to our desire to actually taste food, I'm sure we can all agree there's nothing quite like the sense of smell to trigger an emotional response when eating. Now when it comes to special occasions like Christmas, we all have our unique food rituals that often come with familiar aromas. Perhaps nutmeg is a very well-loved spice in your pantry at this time of year? Nutmeg definitely has that festive aroma for me… and I think it's overlooked as an ingredient. Not just at Christmas time (hello, eggnog) but all year round – this spice can make a world of difference when it comes to flavour. My Nonna makes good use of it in all her cooking. What is nutmeg? Native to Indonesia, nutmeg can be identified as a large seed that grows inside a pear-shaped fruit on a tropical evergreen tree. Being a spice, it has a warm and slightly nutty flavour – pungent and therefore best consumed in small amounts. At 50c a seed ($3 a bag of them at Coles) or $2.50 for ground nutmeg, it's safe to say this ingredient is widely underrated and deserves to be celebrated (not just at Christmas time). What does nutmeg do? If you enjoy spiced food or have an extremely well-stocked pantry, you may have nutmeg in your rotation of spices already. If not, you heard it from us that it's extremely versatile and plays a vital role in bringing depth of flavour to both sweet and savoury dishes. Nutmeg is well-suited to rich, creamy savoury sauces such as cheesy bechamel sauce which is used in lasagne and moussaka. In fact, our Food Director Michelle Southan says that nutmeg is the 'secret ingredient for the best-ever white sauce.' 'Nutmeg adds a warmth and just a hint of spice which provides an extra depth of flavour to a creamy bechamel taking it to the next level', she explains. How to use nutmeg Now I know why my Nonna's food tastes so good: she peppers some nutmeg over her baked potatoes, in her bolognese, gravy – and needless to say – it works wonders. Michelle also loves using it with veggies such as pumpkin and spinach. The nutty flavour of nutmeg pairs beautifully with spinach and 'nutmeg and pumpkin work wonders together – adding extra warmth, nuttiness and a touch of sweetness', explains Michelle. The whole seed can be thrown into your cooking to diffuse flavour, before removing it when serving. Alternatively, you can grate the nutmeg to taste (this is our preferred method, as it means you can use the pod again). More dishes that thrive off nutmeg: rice, seafood, lamb, casseroles, souffle and carbonara. Desserts to use nutmeg in But it's not only savoury dishes that I love using this earthy spice in. It's great in sweet, warm milky drinks, rice pudding and anything with a custard base. When Michelle makes baked custard, she says: 'Nutmeg is essential.' 'The warm smells and comforting aromas of nutmeg bring back my childhood memories of going to my nana's house for Sunday lunch and waiting with excitement for her baked rice custard pudding to appear.' If you want your house to be filled with the aromas of nutmeg, then try our baked nutmeg custard recipe. This recipe really shows how nutmeg is a superstar dessert ingredient. Nutmeg benefits Taste aside, nutmeg's health benefits are in abundance. Our nutritionist Chrissy Freer once rated nutmeg in her Top 100 foods, saying: ' Nutmeg has antibacterial properties, thought to assist in destroying food-borne bacteria. It also contains eugenol, which acts as an antioxidant and may play a role in preventing heart disease by inhibiting blood clots. Nutmeg contains the minerals copper and manganese.' The appropriate question is: what doesn't nutmeg do? Nutmeg substitutes You're probably no stranger to cinnamon – which has a similar warmth and earthiness to nutmeg, but is slightly more suited to sweet dishes. There are other (less sweet) spices, including cardamom, ginger, and cloves (not the garlic kind) that could be used in similar ways. But in my opinion (and my Nonna's), nutmeg really is one of a kind. Nutmeg recipes Warm up with some of our best-ever nutmeg dishes:
The Sun
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Comedian forced to release statement and video proving he DID nutmeg ex-Man Utd star in charity match
COMEDIAN Vittorio Angelone has released a hilarious statement after nutmegging a Manchester United legend in a charity match. The Italian-Irish comic swapped stand-up for the pitch as a team of Premier League icons faced celebrity side Tea With Me FC in Belfast on Saturday. Ryan Giggs, Dimitar Berbatov, Karel Poborsky, Jermaine Pennant and Stiliyan Petrov were just some of the legends in action. But Angelone stole the show by incredibly popping the ball through Berbatov 's legs. The comedian got the ball deep in midfield and baited the two-time Premier League champion towards him before producing a clever nutmeg. Angelone then quickly passed to a team-mate and did his best Alan Shearer impression, running off in celebration with his arm aloft. Berbatov was seen laughing as ex- Liverpool man Jason McAteer gave the comedian a high-five. Angelone released a hilariously statement on social media after the match, saying: "Just want to get ahead of the rumours here. Earlier today I played in a charity football match against a Premier League legends team. "A lot of people are claiming that I did not nutmeg Dimitar Berbatov, these people are nasty characters and should not be trusted. "My team and I are working tirelessly to get the footage from multiple angles. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS "Please respect mine and my family's privacy at this time." In a later upload before posting the video, Angelone wrote: "We have the footage. They tried to silence me but the truth will come out." Ruben Amorim vows 'good days are coming' after 'disaster season' as Man Utd flops give him daggers during public apology Fans found it hilarious, with one saying: "Celebrated like you won the World Cup brother. Fair play." Another added: "Should've just walked off the pitch after that." A third commented: "I cannot express to you how jealous I am right now." Ahead of his Edinburgh Fringe appearance, more said: "Before you ask, yes, it's too late to change the Fringe show name to I Nutmegged Berbatov." 3
South China Morning Post
23-05-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
What is mace? All about nutmeg's less known twin, how cooks use it and a recipe idea
I am not sure why mace is not as well known as its twin, nutmeg. The two spices come from the fruit of the Myristica fragrans tree – mace is the seed coating and nutmeg the seed. But while nutmeg is quite common – which cook, after all, does not have a nutmeg in the spice cupboard for grating onto eggnog or adding to a béchamel sauce? – mace is not. The two spices are prised together out of the fruit, and the mace, which tightly surrounds the nutmeg, is removed. When processed, nutmeg is a hard kernel that is easy to grate. The thin, delicate piece of mace remains flexible and leathery, which makes it hard to grate – I have tried without success to use a rasp grater, a hand-cranked spice grinder and an electric grinder. Store pre-ground Mace in an airtight container in the freezer, so the spice keeps its flavour for longer. Photo: Shutterstock If you are not using the mace whole, in stews or braised dishes, it is better to buy ground mace and store it in an airtight jar in the freezer. As with all pre-ground spices, the flavour and fragrance will fade over time. Mace is used in alternative medicine, to treat digestive disorders, insomnia and anxiety. Like nutmeg, mace goes well in milk-based dishes.
South China Morning Post
16-05-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
All about nutmeg, how to use it in cooking and a recipe that makes the most of the spice
Nutmeg is a spice that is used sparingly. Many recipes call for just a few 'scrapes' or 'grinds' of it because its flavour and aroma are so pervasive. Advertisement Once it is ground, those dissipate quickly, so it is better to buy whole nutmeg, which keeps for a long time, and grate it just before use; there are special nutmeg graters, but a Microplane also works well. The nutmeg is not actually a nut; rather, it is the hard seed of a fruit. It is covered by a delicate, reddish-orange, weblike mace, which is also used as a spice. The nutmeg tree is indigenous to the Banda Islands of Indonesia, although it is now also grown in other places. Nutmeg can be steamed and distilled to produce essential oil, which is used to help digestive problems, stimulate the appetite and act as an anti-inflammatory. Nutmeg is a hard seed that can be steamed and distilled into an oil said to help treat digestive problems and act as an anti-inflammatory. Photo: Jonathan Wong Nutmeg has narcotic properties that become apparent only when too much is consumed. Holistic healers sometimes recommend tiny amounts of nutmeg or nutmeg oil to relieve nausea and stress and to aid circulation.
