Nutmeg

pala (Indonesian); nutmeg

Flavor and role: The seed of the nutmeg tree, with a sweet, warm aroma. Buy it whole and grate it fresh for a much better aroma.
Typical dishes and uses: Béchamel sauce, moussaka, lasagne, mashed potatoes, eggnog, pumpkin pie. In this book: moussaka and kale stamppot.
Substitutes: ¼ tsp nutmeg = ¼ tsp mace, or a pinch each of ground allspice and cinnamon.
Storage: Whole nutmeg: 3-4 years airtight at room temperature. Ground: use within 6 months.
Main countries: Indonesia · GD
Used in this book: Moussaka Boerenkool Stamppot (Kale Stamppot)Älplermagronen Classic American Apple Pie Bitterballen Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Classic Carrot Cake Swiss Cheese Fondue (Moitié-Moitié)Chin Chin Croque Monsieur Ham Croquetas (Croquetas de jamón)Gratin Dauphinois Jerk Chicken Kartoffelpuffer (German Potato Pancakes)Käsespätzle Kelewele Kjøttkaker (Norwegian Meat Cakes in Brown Gravy)Lasagne alla Bolognese Lebkuchen (German Christmas Spice Cookies)Pastitsio Puff-Puff Pumpkin Pie Quiche Lorraine Speculoos Stegt Flæsk (Crispy Pork Belly with Parsley Sauce)Stoemp Thiakry Vol-au-vent Baked Älplermagronen with Bacon and Caramelised Onions Älplermagronen Muffins with Apple-Onion Jam Albóndigas in Saffron-Almond Sauce with Picada Brown Butter Walnut Banana Bread Flaky Layered Biscuits with Homemade Sage Sausage Gravy Homemade-Stock Bitterballen with Mustard Mayo Panko-Crusted Bitterballen Ragout Toastie Lamb Bobotie with Geelrys Bobotie Lasagne Ragù alla Bolognese with Handmade Egg Tagliatelle Bratkartoffeln Tortilla Flammkuchen Roasted Butternut Velouté with Sage Brown Butter and Toasted Seeds Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Crispy Sage Crumbs Croque-Monsieur Cachitos (Venezuelan × French)Brown Butter Carrot Layer Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Porcini Fondue (Fondue aux Bolets) with Rosemary Roast Potatoes Baked Fondue Bread Bowl with Garlic-Butter Dippers Brown-Butter Coconut Chin Chin with Orange Zest Salted Chocolate Chin Chin Peanut Clusters Brown Butter Savoy Colcannon with Crispy Bacon and Kale Potato-dough chicken thigh coxinha with a cream cheese heart Comté Mornay Croque Monsieur Croque Monsieur Roll-Ups Ibérico Ham Croquetas with Infused Milk Croqueta Skillet Dip Fresh Peach Cobbler with Brown Butter and Buttermilk Biscuits Handmade Egg Fettuccine Alfredo Baked-Potato Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter Slow-Baked Gratin Dauphinois with Thyme-Infused Cream Crispy Dauphinois Pavé Bites with Chive Sour Cream Pimento-Smoked Charcoal Jerk Chicken Lamb Kabsa with Toasted Spices and Daqqus Clarified-Butter Kartoffelpuffer with Smoked Salmon and Horseradish Cream Allgäu Three-Cheese Käsespätzle Toasted-Spice Kelewele with Roasted Groundnuts and Lime Chilli Salt Kelewele Caramel Sundae with Honey Peanut Crunch Beer-Battered Cod Kibbeling with Homemade Remoulade Sunday Kjøttkaker with Brown Cheese Gravy and Mushy Peas Wafu Kjøttkaker Rice Bowl with Grated Daikon and Ponzu (Norwegian × Japanese)Kjøttkake Sliders with Brown Cheese and Lingonberry Mayo Golden Brown-Butter Kopytka with Wild Mushroom Sauce Lasagne Verdi with Homemade Spinach Pasta Nuremberg Elisenlebkuchen with Dark Chocolate Lebkuchen Cheesecake Bars Gruyère and Aged Cheddar Mac with Crispy Panko Lamb Moussaka with Pecorino Béchamel Moussaka Doria (Japanese Rice Gratin)Nalli Nihari with Homemade Spice Blend Pastitsio with Slow-Simmered Beef and Pork Ragù and Bay-Infused Béchamel Pastitsio Melt Toast with Cinnamon Beef and Béchamel Crust Brown Butter Bacon Pierogi Milk-and-Butter Puff-Puff with Nutmeg-Cinnamon Sugar Nutmeg-Glazed Puff-Puff Pull-Apart Bread Roasted Butternut Brown-Butter Pumpkin Pie Pumpkin Pie Crème Brûlée Cups Deep-Dish Quiche Lorraine with Homemade Pastry Quiche Lorraine Croissants Raggmunk with Oven-Crisp Pork Belly and Brown Butter Rakott Krumpli with Crisp Sausage, Bacon and Sour-Cream Custard Padang-style dry rendang Crisp Raw-Grated Rösti with Bacon, Shallot and Gruyère Tower-Roast Chicken Shawarma with Toum Red Wine Lamb Shepherd's Pie with a Duchess Potato Crown Charcoal Shish Tawook with Sumac Onions Spiral Spanakopita with Three Cheeses Overnight Speculoos with Fresh-Ground Spices Brown Butter Stamppot with Onion Gravy Cheesy Stamppot Croquette Cakes Oven-Crisp Stegt Flæsk with Emerald Parsley Sauce Brown-Butter Brussels Sprout Stoemp with Beer-Braised Sausages Stoemp Smash Cakes with Bacon, Fried Egg and Mustard Mayo Tartiflette with Milk-Poached Potatoes, Caramelised Onions and Walnut Salad Brown-Butter Vanilla Bean Thiakry with Toasted Coconut Thiakry Frozen Yogurt Bark with Mango Stracciatella Tteokguk Vol-au-vent with Homemade Puff Shells and Egg-Yolk Velouté Vol-au-vent Croque Toast

Updated 2026-10-10