Myristica fragrans is a plant whose fruit provides two different spices - nutmeg and mace.
When the fruit of Myristica fragrans ripens, it opens naturally. It is then ready to pick. Inside the fruit, its seed is surrounded by a red cover, called an aril. Mace is produced by removing, flattening, and drying this aril. Then, by cracking the seed shell open, you obtain the seed kernels, also known as nutmeg.
Mace is a more expensive and harder-to-find spice. Nutmeg, on the other hand, is commonly found in any supermarket, both in its whole and ground form.
Although ground nutmeg can be convenient, its flavour dissipates quickly. On the other hand, the kernels keep well for a long time and are very easy to grate, so it is advantageous to grind just before use. Furthermore, adding ground nutmeg at the end of cooking helps keep more of its flavour.
Nutmeg’s strong taste can easily become overpowering, but when used sparingly and/or in combination with other spices, it can give a pleasant woody and peppery aroma. Some spices that go well with nutmeg are cinnamon, cloves, and allspice (aka Jamaica pepper).
Meanwhile, if you want to read my previous post about cinnamon, click the link below:
Fun fact about nutmeg
In 1677, the Dutch gave control of New Amsterdam to the English (who later named it New York). This was in exchange for the Banda Islands, which were precious to them for it was the only place where nutmeg grew. Later, Bandanese nutmeg’s value would decline, as nutmeg started to be cultivated in other locations.
Spinach lasagne
Spinach, milk (or cream), and nutmeg make for a classic combination. The nutmeg helps bring some spark to the creaminess of the other components.
Here is a recipe for a creamy spinach lasagne where you can try this combination. The nutmeg is included in a classic béchamel recipe, which is then blended with spinach to make a creamy spinach béchamel sauce to incorporate between lasagne sheets.
Serves 4-5
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced
800 g spinach (if frozen, thawed and drained)
18 dry lasagne sheets (the recipe assumes the lasagne sheets don’t need pre-cooking, which can depend on the brand)
300 g asiago or fontal cheese (other semi-hard cheeses might work too, but I haven’t tested)
20 g parmesan or Grana Padano, grated
Béchamel
30 g butter (or 2 tbsp olive oil)
70 g flour
1 L milk
1 tsp grated nutmeg
Method
Preheat the oven to 220 ºC (or follow the pasta box instructions).
Place a large pan on medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Gently fry the sliced garlic for about 2 minutes (avoiding browning). Add the spinach and a pinch of salt. If you use fresh spinach, you’ll probably need to add it in batches while stirring. When all the spinach is wilted, remove from heat.
To make the béchamel, heat the butter or olive oil in a pot on medium-low heat. When melted/warm, add the flour and whisk until combined and slightly toasted (light brown). Pour the milk into the pot in small portions, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Add the nutmeg. Keep cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens - if you dip a spoon into the béchamel and then draw a line with your finger through the sauce in the back of the spoon (don’t burn yourself!), it should leave a clear space. Add salt to taste and take off the heat.
Reserve about a quarter of the béchamel in the pot and add the rest to a blender. Add the spinach and blitz until smooth. Taste and add salt if needed.
Cut the cheese into 3 cm cubes.
Add a few spoonfuls of spinach sauce to the bottom of a baking dish and spread. Cover with lasagne sheets. Top with more spinach sauce (about 1/5) and distribute a few pieces of cheese. Cover with more lasagne sheets and repeat the process until the lasagne sheets are over. Don’t cover the last layer of lasagne sheets with spinach sauce.
Cover the last layer of lasagne sheets with the reserved béchamel. Sprinkle with the grated parmesan.
Place in the oven for 20 minutes (or follow the pasta box instructions).
Remove the lasagne and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Enjoy!
Here’s a video where you can watch the process of harvesting and producing nutmeg and mace:
And, of course, some music for your day:
Thank you for this beautiful and fascinating piece - I didn't know about the relationship between nutmeg and mace! Cooking means so much more when we understand the food.
My family loves cooking, gardening, farming and food crafting, besides indulging in local delights here in the Green Mountains of Vermont, where there are many small family farms, bakeries, farmers markets, coops and shops. Strangely, I had a dream last night that I was eating potato chips and someone was criticizing me for eating processed food! I admit that I sometimes do...
I'm so glad you came to London Writers' Salon Writers' Hour for the first time this morning, and I look forward to reading more of your work and getting to know you.