Ginger Preserves - what to do with them?

[wontonfm]

Hello all --

I was at a home show and saw a bottle of ginger preserves that I had.to.have. But of course I have no game plan!

What does one use ginger preserves for? Can I use it with fish? Do I spread it on toast?

Would love some suggestions.

Thanks!

WON
http://whatsonmyplate.wordpress.com

[coll]

I would love to add it to a squash or butternut type soup, just a few spoonfuls.

[padkimao]

I like ginger preserves as a sandwich condiment, especially with a nice sharp cheddar.

They are a sublime topping for pumpkin pancakes.

[jujuthomas]

now i'm going to have to find a recipe for pumpkin pancakes! that sounds divine! This past week I had pumpkin ginger fritters... OMG such a great combination!

[Emme]

Here's a couple of nice ones:

...you can add chopped pecans or top with pecan pralines, or optionally up to a tablespoon of cocoa powder for another twist.

http://www.wearenotmartha.com/2008/10/pumpkin-pancakes/

http://www.crumblycookie.net/2008/11/02/pumpkin-pancakes/

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pumpkin-Pancakes/Detail.aspx

http://southernfood.about.com/od/panc...

[jujuthomas]

we have a recipe to glaze a ham with it, then smoke it on the grill. next day recipe makes a meatloaf out of the leftovers. SOOOO good! I will post the recipe when i get home if you're interested. :)

[cinnamon girl]

yum - how do you make the meatloaf? Do you use quite a chunky preserve or is it more like marmalade?

[jujuthomas]

it's more of a marmalade, from what i recall... but just what was available at the grocery store. I'll post the recipe tonight. It really is tasty!

[jujuthomas]

This is from the Smoke and Spice cookbook, my DH's most battered bbq guide.
First step is to make
ginger glazed ham
Southern Succor rub
2Tblsp Ground black pepper
2Tblsp Paprika
2 Tblsp Turbinado sugar
1 Tblsp salt
1 Tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp cayenne

Ginger glaze
2/3 cup ginger preserves or jelly
2 to 3 Tblsp pineapple juice
1/4 tsp dry mustard
pinch of ground cloves
night before you plan to barbecue, combine the rub ingredients and apply to the ham. refrigerate it overnight.
Bring ham to room temp and let sit for 45 to 60 minutes before barbecuing
Prepare the smoker, bringing the temp to 200 to 220 deg F.
Cook the hame for 5.5 to 6 hours, brushing it twice with the glaze during the last hour of cooking.

I imagine you could do this in the oven as well, you just won't get the smoky flavor. :)

[jujuthomas]

Next step is to make
Monday Night Ham Loaf
1 lb Ginger Glazed ham (or other well smoked fully cooked ham)
3/4 lb ground pork
1 medium onion chopped
1 Tblsp oil, pref canola or corn
1 c cornbread or other bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 c milk
2 Tblsp prepared yellow mustard
2 Tblsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 Tblsp cider vinegar
1/4 tsp cloves
pinch of ground ginger
salt to taste
Glaze
2 Tblsp ginger preserves or jelly
1 Tblsp pineapple or apple juice
1 tsp prepared yellow mustard.
Preheate the oven to 350 F. Process the ham in food processor until minced fine. Transfer to a bowl, add remaining ingredients and combine well.
Spoon into a loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes.
Combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Brush glaze on loaf and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes for a total cook time of 60-65 minutes. Let sit for a least 10 minutes before slicing.

[cinnamon girl]

Oh my Juju! This looks soooo delicious. Gee - bake it in an oblong pan and call it a terrine! I don't have a bbq (apt. dweller), but try to make due with items like smoked salt, pepper and paprika. This would be lovely over the holidays too. Thanks so much for posting.

[jujuthomas]

you are very welcome, enjoy! :)

[weezycom]

Use them to make a stuffed french toast. Mix together with an equal amount of softened cream cheese, spread fairly thinly over medium/thin sliced challah and sandwich slices together. Do a typical egg wash and pan fry in butter. Serve with pure maple syrup, and maybe some fried apples with it.

[cinnamon girl]

In one of those early Nigella shows (8 or 10 yrs ago?) didn't she make a bread pudding with ginger preserves? Or maybe ginger marmalade? Anyway, she had bread that looked like hovis, buttered the pieces, smeared half of them with the ginger-whatever and made sandwiches out of them. Sliced them diagonally and arranged in a baking dish w the points sticking up. A sprinkling of raisins I think. And the custard poured over all and baked. It just looked so delicious.

Also, are they big pieces? Can you chop a few of them to add to ginger snaps or gingerbread?

[sagestrat]

I can attest that Nigella's Ginger Jam Bread and Butter Pudding is great. The recipe is on the Food Network's website. The raisins--golden I believe--are rum-soaked.

[jujuthomas]

o lordy that sounds good!

[cinnamon girl]

oh I forgot abt the rum-soaked raisins. What kind of bread did you use Sagestrat? Bread pudding isn't my first choice for dessert but that one has stuck in my mind all these years . . . this might be the winter to try it! I'm glad it's on the FN website. Thnx.

[sagestrat]

A nice soft whole wheat bread--or brown bread as she calls it. I imagine almost anything would work well.

[cinnamon girl]

That old-fashioned whole wheat bread was part of the appeal. (My mother used to call it brown bread too.)
:-)
Too much gilding of the lily so often with bread pudding. Hers seemed like a proper old-fashioned bread and butter pudding. Am definitely going on the prowl for ginger jam this week!

[MplsM ary]

I put a little ginger preserves in my broccoli stir-fry. I also use it along with apricot jam to make sweet and sour sauce.

Thinned and warmed it tastes great on waffles and pancakes.

A spoonful in any apple dish is wonderful. Same goes for pears.

It is one of the best ever toppings for vanilla ice cream.

[fmcoxe6188]

I also have a jar of ginger preserves that I love- but its actually a really nice combination of spicy and sweet so it isnt something that I use on toast etc. Normally Ill use it as part of a marinade with shrimp or chicken- and match it with some serrano peppers and some oj or something similar to thin it, and of course some olive oil. Or -Ill add it to a stir fry with crushed red pepper flakes and soy sauce for a sauce for my veggies at the end....I love the stuff though- always experimenting with it!

[cookie44]

I love it on scones. Any kind really but especially lemon cream scones. Actually raspberry would be good too I bet.

[SouthTxGirl]

I'm late coming to this topic but I have a great recipe using ginger preserves. And it's easy. 4-pork loin chops in a med-high pan w/1T. oil. 2 mins on each side. Remove chops. In a bowl, whisk ginger preserves, 1T minced garlic, 1T dijon mustard, 1/2t red pepper flakes, salt/pepper to taste. Add to pan with drippings and bring to simmer. Return chops & juices to pan & coat with sauce. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes until sauce reduces & pork is cooked through. Serve over rice.

[wontonfm]

sounds great! thank you!

WON

[OCEllen]

As a glaze on pork or poultry, at the end of roasting or grilling. iI's great on duck breasts!

[kchurchill5]

I make a chicken recipe with ginger preserves. I girlfriend gave me a basket for Christmas 2 years ago with 7 or 8 different preserves, some unique ones you don't always use. A champagne jelly, ginger preserves, a roasted garlic and onion, a three pepper jelly, Brandy jelly and several others. It was a lot of fun.

So I love ginger so I decided to do an asian theme. I made a stuffing of sauteed chopped shrimp, scallions and some bean sprouts, and chopped water chestnuts and soy. I spread the ginger on the flattened chicken breast, then topped with the shrimp mix. Then I dredged the chicken in a batter. Honestly I used bisquick. I thinned it down so it was very light. I then pan fried in a light amount of oil till brown on each side and then baked to finish them off. Served with a honey soy glaze that again had a little of the ginger preserves. A simple way of incorporating all the ingredients. It was amazing flavor.

I still have a little left. I love the crepe idea. I think a thin crepe spread with the preserves, a little fresh fruit and some marscpone maybe would be so easy and decadent. May have to try some night

[wontonfm]

You guys are great! Thanks for the tips... keep them coming!

[Stuffed Monkey]

My first choice would be on a buttered English Muffin, but you could sub for orange marmalade in a chicken or pork dish.

[neverlate]

Dab some on top of the fruit in a galette before baking. Put a spoonful in sauteed red and yellow peppers. On crackers with blue cheese. A little bit in salad dressing or a sandwich.

[Emme]

You could use it to fill crepes/blini with ricotta cheese.

Serve it with a broccoli, carrot and mushroom frittata or quiche done simply with some chinese parsley, and shrimp if you so desire.

Serve in or with pancakes, waffles or oatmeal.

Mix with some soy sauce and peanut or sesame oil to make a dipping sauce for spring rolls.

[paulj]

Thin with some cider vinegar, and use as a dressing on a salad that includes apples.

[Caitlin McGrath]

Ginger preserves or marmalade don't usually make it into recipes for me, but Id be inclined to use it with chicken, duck, or pork rather than fish because of the sweetness. For me, it's a condiment. Great on toast or stirred into oatmeal, yogurt, or cottage cheese, or on a cracker or baguette slice with soft goat cheese.

[goodhealthgourmet]

while there may be a slight difference in texture & sweetness, you might want to consider using it in any of the numerous ways suggested for ginger spread:

http://www.chow.com/home_cooking_digest/6811
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/380586
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/442780

[monavano]

You could use with pork, for example. First sear pork chops in a pan. Remove to plate. In same pan, saute up shallots and garlic in some evoo and butter. Add ginger preserves, chicken stock, maybe some fried fruit like raisins or cherries. Hit it with a little apple cider vinegar and brown sugar (if needed) to get a sweet and sour thing going. Return pork to pan to finish cooking.
I use this basic method with all sorts of preserves.
Top pork with the ginger sauce.
www.houndstoothgourmet.com