Honey Recipes – Easy Ways To Sweeten Up Your Dishes

The honey bee has given us many gifts, including a variety of honey flavoured with various floral essences. Its peculiar, natural flavour makes it a widely sought-after ingredient, whether slathered on hot buttered toast or used to sweeten a savoury meal.

The prevailing flora in the vicinity of the hive, say heather or lavender, determines the honey’s subtleties, just as it does with wine and olive oil. I’ve recommended specific flames to use in these recipes where it makes sense. However, as a general rule, the light varieties (like acacia, clover, or orange blossom) pair nicely with similarly delicate and aromatic flavours (like vanilla, mild dairy, and citrus notes).

Honey with intense flavours, such as heather, chestnut, or buckwheat honey, pair well with other spirited flavours, such as those found in chilli and spice, garlic, roast meats, and strong cheeses, to provide body and depth to a dressing or glaze.

FENNEL, CAERPHILLY AND CHESTNUT SALAD WITH A HONEY DRESSING

This salad is lovely because the potent chestnut honey contrasts between the salad’s crisp, salty, sweet, and hot flavours. You may replace the Caerphilly with any similar cheese — Berkswell, Parmesan, or hard goat’s cheese, for example — but if you’re catering to vegetarians, it should be rennet-free.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 2 tbsp chestnut honey
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt and black pepper
• 6 tbsp olive oil

For the salad:

• 2 tbsp walnut halves
• 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and halved, any fronds chopped and reserved
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 180g cooked chestnuts (vacuum-packed is fine), roughly chopped
• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp chestnut honey
• Large handful of rocket leaves
• 120g Caerphilly cheese, shaved or finely sliced

Method

1. Honey, mustard, and lemon juice are whisked together with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper to form the dressing. If you want a thicker sauce, add the oil gradually while whisking; if you wish for something runnier, add one tablespoon of water and finish whisking.
2. Put the oven at 200 degrees and the gas at 6. The walnuts should be toasted for 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees until golden. After letting it cool, roughly cut it.
3. Slice the fennel as thinly as possible, like you would a cucumber, using a mandolin, the slicing blade of a food processor, or a very sharp knife. Please put them in a dish of icy water to crisp up. In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over high heat. Toss in the chestnuts and chilli flakes and heat for a couple of minutes, frequently turning until toasting. Glaze the food with honey and heat for a few seconds. Take it out of the oven or microwave.
4. The fennel should be fully drained before being combined with the rocket, the chopped fennel fronds, and a small amount of the dressing in a mixing bowl. Caerphilly and hot chestnuts should be tumbled through carefully.
5. Split the salad amongst plates. Sprinkle on the toasted walnuts, and drizzle the remaining dressing on top.

GRIDDLED VIETNAMESE-STYLE PORK PATTIES WITH LEMONGRASS, HONEY AND STICKY RICE

These fragrant patties, served with sticky rice and an aromatic herb salad, are easy to cook and transport you to the bustling streets of Vietnam. Nuoc cham is a popular dipping and dressing sauce in traditional Vietnamese cuisine.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 250g Thai sticky rice
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 2 lemongrass stalks, ends trimmed, outer layers removed and soft inner finely chopped
• Thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 ½ tbsp mild honey
• 4 tbsp fish sauce
• 600g pork mince Juice of 1 lime
• 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• Large handful mint 
• Large handful coriander1 tbsp groundnut oil
• ½ cucumber, sliced
• 150g bean sprouts
• 60g roasted cashews, crushed

Method

1. Put the rice in a large bowl and cover it with cool water. Let it sit there for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Mix the garlic, chilli, lemongrass, and ginger in a separate bowl with three tablespoons of honey and the fish sauce. Combine this mixture with the pork mince by adding two teaspoons to a large bowl. To make the nuoc cham dressing, combine the remaining ingredients with the lime juice, vinegar, and two tablespoons of water. Refrigerate until required; cover.
2. Set aside two-thirds of the mint and coriander and finely chop it. Chop the herbs and add them to the pig mince until everything is well combined (this is easiest to do with clean hands). Form into roughly 20 walnut-sized balls, and flatten each one with the palm of your hand to make burger patties. Spread them out on a baking sheet, cover them with plastic wrap, and place them in the refrigerator to harden for at least 20 minutes and up to 24 hours.
3. Put the patties on the counter for 30 minutes before cooking, and then lightly coat them in oil. Rinse the rice under cold running water, then mix in a pinch of salt and transfer to a steamer tray. Make a few holes in the lid with the wooden spoon handle and steam for 20 minutes. Keep steaming for a further 5 minutes while stirring.
4. Preheat a big skillet to very high heat. Add the pig patties to the pan in a single layer after they have been greased, working in two batches if required. Brown on all sides and have the centre piping hot, about 2 minutes per side. Caramelize for a further minute after drizzling with the remaining half tablespoon of honey (divide between the two batches if necessary).
5. On four plates, equally distribute the rice, cucumber, bean sprouts, and the rest of the mint and coriander. Serve with a dollop of the nuoc cham sauce drizzled over the top and additional sauce in individual dipping bowls. The last touch should be crushed cashews.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH THYME, GARLIC, LEMON AND HONEY

Serving this meal over a bed of silky polenta with steamed winter greens is a beautiful way to end a long day in the kitchen. The dish is richly savoury thanks to the honey and lemon in the sauce and the sticky veggies.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 large lemons; 1 zested and juiced and 1 sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 4 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped and chopped, plus extra to serve
• 3 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp olive oil2kg chicken
• Handful of small shallots, peeled
• 300g baby carrots, scrubbed, tops left on
• 300g baby parsnips, scrubbed and trimmed
• Salt and black pepper
• 200ml chicken stock

Method

1. Put the oven at 200 degrees and the gas at 6. Mix the lemon juice and zest with the garlic, thyme, honey, and olive oil.
2. Slip a few lemon slices inside the chicken’s cavity and use kitchen string to bind the chicken’s legs loosely. Arrange the chicken, lemon slices, shallots, carrots, and parsnips in the centre of a large, robust roasting tin. Season with salt and black pepper, and then pour over the honey mixture.
3. Cover the chicken with foil if it’s browning too quickly and roast for another 20 minutes after adding the stock to the tin and basting it once or twice during the first 50 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes, loosely covering the foil.
4. Before chopping the chicken into pieces, sprinkle some fresh thyme leaves over the meat. Combine the chicken, veggies, and jarred roasting gravy and serve (spoon off most of the fat first).

DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE WITH HONEYCOMB AND CRUSHED HAZELNUT PRALINE

This dairy-free chocolate mousse is stacked in glasses with a salty-sweet nut praline for extra depth of flavour using only a few essential ingredients. The end product is a decadent and elegant pudding, making it suitable for a special occasion.

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the praline:

• Sunflower oil, for greasing
• 100g blanched hazelnuts
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• A large pinch of fine salt

For the mousse:

• 300g of 70% dark chocolate
• Large pinch of fine salt
• 2 tbsp runny honey
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 100g honeycomb, broken into pieces

Method

1. Put the praline in the oven and turn it up to 180 degrees Celsius/gas mark 4. Oil a baking sheet roughly the size of a standard baking sheet. Add the brown sugar, honey, and salt to a bowl with the hazelnuts, and toss to coat. After spreading out on the baking sheet, bake for 5 minutes before stirring and for another 3–4 minutes to achieve a caramelized finish. Upon reaching room temperature, a rough crushing should follow.
2. To make the mousse, combine the chocolate, salt, and honey in a saucepan with 260 ml of water. Melt the chocolate by placing the pan over low heat and stirring it occasionally. Take it off the stove and mix in some vanilla essence or paste.
3. Pour the contents into a bowl and use a balloon whisk to beat them until the chocolate becomes thick and glossy. This can take some time, but if you keep a close eye on it, you can stop it before it becomes a mousse texture. If you overdo it and the mixture stiffens, re-melt it over low heat with one teaspoon of water and whisk it again.
4. Prepare six individual servings by filling them halfway with mousse and topping them with a small amount of praline. The praline and mousse layers are repeated, with some praline set aside for the top. Sprinkle the remaining praline and honeycomb pieces atop the mousse and serve.

HONEY, ORANGE AND RHUBARB SHRUB COCKTAIL

A shrub is a fragrant cocktail base made from sugar and fruit syrup. The fruit is shockingly pink rhubarb with a tinge of orange, and the sugar component is honey. Fill the rest of the way up with soda water, ice, and a shot of bourbon, if you so desire.

Makes 10-12 servings

Ingredients

• 400g rhubarb, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 150g blossom honey
• ½ vanilla bean
• 300ml freshly-squeezed orange juice
• Ice cubes and sparkling water, to top up
• Bourbon, optional
• Rhubarb shavings and pared orange peel, to decorate

Method

1. Rhubarb, honey, and half of a vanilla pod should be cooked with 50 ccs of water to form the rhubarb purée. For about 10 minutes, while tossing occasionally, simmer the rhubarb over low heat until it has softened and broken down. Putting it aside to cool is the right thing to do.
2. When ready to serve, remove the vanilla bean pod and stir orange juice into the rhubarb. Put the contents of the bowl through a sieve and thoroughly scrape it to get as much of the mixture as possible.
3. To serve, divide the mixture evenly among glasses, filling them approximately a third of the way. Fill glasses with ice and sparkling water; if desired, add a shot of bourbon to each. Schnibble some rhubarb and use orange peel as garnish.