Everyone knows that Columbus discovered America by accident. Sailed to India, but missed a bit. But not everyone knows why he swam there. The whole thing turned out to be spices. They were transported by long sea route from India, and they were worth its weight in gold. So the opportunity to find a short way and save on transportation would be very helpful. Europe’s favorite spices were black pepper and nutmeg. Especially a nut. They added it to many dishes because of its taste and smell. By the way, the name of this nut is translated from Latin as "fragrant". Very talking name. Besides such attractive properties from the point of view of cooking, he possesses a whole series of others.
From a medical point of view, nutmeg is a panacea. In small doses, it tones the entire body, helps to recover from gastritis and ulcers. It has a good effect on memory and can serve as cancer prevention. Nutmeg is often used in cosmetology as part of masks and creams. But with such treatment, the main thing is not to overdo it. Due to the amphetamine it contains, hallucinations and other narcotic “joys” can occur.
This spice is produced in hot countries, for example, in India, Brazil, and Sri Lanka. The usual nutmeg is used in cooking (in fact, this is a seed), they also use nutmeg color instead of walnut. On sale you can find both whole nuts and powder from them.
In Europe, the tradition of adding nutmeg to food dates back nearly one and a half thousand years. According to legend, in the Middle Ages they often made minced meat patties, where so many spices were added that they became almost inedible. The main thing was to show that the house is rich, if it can use so many spices. Fortunately, today this tradition has not been preserved, and spices are added in moderation. This is especially important when handling nutmeg. Per serving should be no more than one tenth of a gram.
Now the most important point: in which dishes are nutmegs used? Almost everywhere! Due to the peculiar smell, it found its application in meat dishes, fish, vegetables, mushrooms. Smoked meats , sausages, canned food, sauces are often cooked using this spice. They are flavored with pastries, drinks, cocktails, dairy dishes, sauces ... It is more difficult to say where it is not used. So almost any dish that you cook in the kitchen can be decorated with its smell.
Here are some simple and interesting recipes.
Nutmeg with Kefir
For it we need 40 grams of fat yogurt and olive mayonnaise, spices - pepper, nutmeg, paprika, salt - to taste, a few sprigs of parsley, onion and basil.
Beat mayonnaise with kefir, add chopped herbs and ground spices. The nutmeg sauce with kefir is ready. You can use it with dishes of poultry, fish or with pasta. If mayonnaise and kefir are low-fat, then even sitting on a diet, you can treat yourself to such a sauce. There is relatively little protein in the dish, nutmeg and kefir, which means that active muscle growth does not threaten you. But it contains trace elements, vitamins, animal proteins and fats, and kefir stick will help normal bowel function. There is nothing to say about olive oil - a storehouse of useful substances. It can even be added to the diet for young children, however, after five years. In addition, you should not offer nutmeg with kefir to people who have problems with the liver, stomach, pancreas, atherosclerosis or diabetes. All the rest - to your health!
Nutmeg with milk or Mogul
Ingredients: raw egg, 150 grams of milk, 40 grams of wine, 25 grams of sugar, a pinch of salt, nutmeg.
Beat the egg, wine, sugar and salt with a mixer. Add milk. Sprinkle nutmeg on top before serving.
The use of spices in the kitchen can give the familiar recipes a new charm. The main rule: do not overdo it with them. Add them little by little, like with salt, here it is better to add less than spoil the whole dish.