The
word "clove" derives from the Latin word clavus, meaning
nail, and refers to the tack-like shape of the dried bud.
Cloves first arrived in Europe around the 4th century, but the
spice remained a rare luxury until about 1500 when increased
sea trade with the orient brought cloves in quantity into European
kitchens.
In Moluccan folklore, villagers treated blossoming clove trees
like a pregnant woman. No man could approach them wearing a
hat, no noise could be made near them and no light or fire could
be carried past them at night for fear they would not bear fruit.
Some Moluccans still plant a clove tree at the birth of a child,
with the belief that if the tree flourishes, so will the child.
Chinese medicine has used cloves to treat indigestion, diarrhea,
hernia, ringworm and athlete's foot and other fungal infections.
In traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine, the spice is used
to treat respiratory and digestive problems. The brilliant medieval
German abbess, composer and herbalist, Hildegard of Bingen recommended
cloves in the treatment of gout.
Toothache is still effectively treated with cloves as the eugenol
in the spice has both analgesic and antiseptic qualities. A
bruised clove or some clove oil on cotton wool is held in the
mouth near the tooth. Some dentists still use cloves to disinfect
ailing root canals and mix clove oil with zinc oxide for temporary
fillings.
In the kitchen cloves make a powerful contribution to both sweet
and savory dishes. Generally whole cloves are removed from the
dish before serving. To avoid discoloration of the dish, clear
clove oil may be substituted for powdered cloves. As a testimony
to the power of the scent of cloves, the clove-studded pomander
is a perennial favorite as a room or closet freshener and moth
repellent.
Cloves have an affinity for green beans, pea soup, root vegetables,
fruit compotes and salads, spiced teas, mulled beverages and
pickles of all types. People on a bland diet should avoid cloves
as the spice can be irritating to the intestinal tract. However,
ground cloves, made without the clove head, are milder than
the whole spice.
Here's a wonderful cold summer soup using cloves and cardamom:
Summer Root Vegetable Soup
· 2 Tbsp. virgin olive oil
· 2-3 large shallots, peeled and diced
· 5-6 small carrots, peeled and diced
· 5-6 small turnips, peeled and diced
· 1 small jalapeno or other hot pepper, diced
· ¾ tsp. ground cardamom
· ¼ tsp. ground cloves
· 3 cups chicken stock
· 1 Tbsp. basmati rice
· 2 cups of milk (or milk substitute such as soy or nut
milk).
Heat
the oil in a large, heavy pot. Sauté the shallots and
the hot pepper for several minutes, then add the carrots and
turnips. Continue cooking for about five minutes before stirring
in the spices, chicken stock and rice. Bring to a boil, then
lower heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Allow the soup
to cool before blending it in batches until smooth. Add the
milk and chill thoroughly. Garnish with a little fresh parsley.
Here's a great lemon and ginger pickle to serve with a curry
or other spicy dish (it's also great on cheese sandwiches!):
Spiced Honey Lemon & Ginger Pickles
· 10 medium lemons, washed, dried and cut into quarter
inch slices without peeling (discard as many seeds as possible
as these will make the syrup bitter)
· 1 cup plus 1 Tbsp. honey
· 1 cup apple cider vinegar
· 1 cinnamon stick, broken into several pieces
· ½ tsp. whole allspice
· 3 Tbsp. fresh ginger, chopped fine
· 5 whole cloves
· ½ tsp. of salt.
Combine the honey, vinegar and salt in a non-reactive (e.g.
glass, porcelain or stainless steel) saucepan. Tie the spices
in a cheesecloth bag and add to the pan. Boil for five minutes.
Add the lemons and ginger and bring back to the boil for another
minute, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Discard the
spices, pack the lemons into hot, sterilized half-pint jars,
cover with the syrup and seal at once.
Another excellent preserve recipe using cloves is the following
one for spiced gooseberries courtesy of Gingerich Farms in
Canby, Oregon. The recipe can be used as a jam or syrup or
as an accompaniment to a meat dish.
Spiced Gooseberries
· 2 quarts of gooseberries
· 4 and a half cups of brown sugar
· 1 cup of cider vinegar
· 2 inch cinnamon stick
· 8 cloves
· ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
· 2 whole allspice.
Wash the berries, remove the stems and blossom ends. Place
sugar, vinegar and spices together in a large pot, add half
a cup of water and boil for five minutes. Add the gooseberries
and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. When the berries are tender
and the syrup is thick, strain out the spices and turn into
hot sterile jars and seal.
|
