Sidonie Maroon

I always keep ginger on hand, and use it in both savory and sweet dishes. It’s a popular ingredient in world cuisines from India and Indonesia to Germany. 

In ancient Rome and China, it was the favored spice for cooking. By the ninth century it had arrived in Europe, and was so popular in England that it was used on the table like salt and pepper. 

Ginger, more than any other spice we use, warms us from the inside out. It has excellent culinary and medicinal qualities, and is rich in phytonutrients called gingerols, which are anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antiviral, and anti-disease! Doesn’t it sound like the perfect winter ingredient?

Queen Bee Ginger Panforte

Inspired by the famous Christmas sweet Panforte di Siena, a chewy Italian dessert with fruit and nuts. 

I kept the fruit and nuts, and added gingerbread spices with rich molasses. 

It makes an impressive offering, sliced with the pistachios shining out of the dark bread. You could shape it as a dessert sausage, or in the traditional panforte flat round or rectangular loaf. 

Serve chilled in thin slices.  

Ingredients 

1 cup cashews 

½ cup pecans 

½ cup pistachios 

½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes 

½ cup pitted dates

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, ground into a paste 

1 tablespoon ground chia or flax seeds 

½ cup unsalted cold butter, cut into small pieces 

¼ cup unsulfured black strap molasses  

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract 

Spices

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon fennel seed 

¼ teaspoon black peppercorns 

½ teaspoon decorticated cardamom

¼ teaspoon allspice berries

½ teaspoon coriander seed

¼ teaspoon sea salt 

Directions 

Read through the recipe and assemble ingredients and equipment.

Using a spice grinder, grind spices and salt together into a powder. Grind the chia or flax seeds.  

Mince fresh ginger into a paste. A small food processor works well for this job. 

In a preheated 350 F oven, on a parchment lined baking sheet, toast the nuts, dates, and coconut together for 5 minutes. Watch that the coconut doesn’t burn. Stir and toast for another 2 to 3 minutes. 

Pulse the ginger paste, ground spices, ground chia or flax, nuts, dates, and coconut together in a food processor. Add the butter pieces, vinegar, vanilla, and molasses. Pulse together into a chunky sticky mass. 

On parchment paper, shape a round or rectangular loaf that’s ¾ inch thick. Alternatively, shape into two sausage shapes. Chill in the freezer until solid. Slice the loaf or sausages into ¼-inch slices. Wrap and store in the freezer until served. Beware, the butter will soften at room temperature. 

(Sidonie Maroon is culinary educator at The Food Co-op; abluedotkitchen.com. Follow Sidonie on The Food Co-op’s Facebook group, Cooking with the Co-op.)