This September it's time to celebrate National Honey Month! Here is some recipe inspiration so that you can host for a buzz-worthy gathering.
Porcini and Saffron Risotto Cakes with Honey Ricotta
Recipe developed by Chef Tamara Westerhold for the National Honey Board
Yield: Makes about 12 appetizer-sized cakes
Ingredients for Risotto
4 cups chicken stock
½ cup dried Porcini mushrooms, set aside 1 additional mushroom for topping
2 T olive oil
2 ea. shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp saffron
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup Italian parsley, chopped
Method
- Bring chicken stock to a boil, remove from heat. Soften dried mushrooms by adding them to hot chicken stock, let stand for 20 minutes. Strain mushrooms, set liquid aside. Chop mushrooms.
- Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic, sprinkle saffron, salt and pepper, and sauté 3-5 minutes. Stir in rice until coated with oil. Add wine and simmer. Stir until liquid is absorbed, stir in mushrooms. While stirring, ladle in chicken stock about 1/2 cup at a time until all stock is absorbed. Rice should be tender and creamy. Stir in parmesan cheese, let cool.
- Chill overnight, covered.
Ingredients for Ricotta Topping
2 T honey
8 oz ricotta cheese (whole milk)
pinch of salt
Method
- Stir honey, Ricotta cheese and salt in a mixing bowl, set aside.
- Preheat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Spoon enough risotto into your palm to form a 2” ball. Flatten to a thick disk, place disks into pan. Lightly brown on both sides, set on a serving platter when done.
- Top cakes with a dollop of Ricotta topping. Using a microplane, lightly grate dried mushroom and sprinkle chopped Italian parsley over each cake.
Honey Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta with Kale and Lemon Sauce
Rercipe courtesy National Honey Board
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 lb cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
¼ cup plus 2 T olive oil, divided
2 T honey
4 tsp salt, divided
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 lb spaghetti
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, washed and stems removed
zest and juice of 2 lemons
½ cup grated parmesan, + extra for serving
¼ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Toss the tomatoes with 2 T of the olive oil and the honey and sprinkle with 1 tsp. of the salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast for approx. 10 minutes until the tomatoes soften and begin to caramelize.
- While the tomatoes are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil with 3 tsp. of salt. Add the spaghetti and cook for approx. 10 minutes to al dente.
- Remove the tomatoes from the oven and quickly toss with the garlic.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Immediately toss the pasta with the rest of the olive oil, kale, lemon juice and zest. Next, add the tomato mixture and the parmesan. Add some of the pasta water as needed to coat the pasta and create a light sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately with the walnuts and additional parmesan.
Glazed Pear Martini
Recipe courtesy National Honey Board
Yield: Makes 1 serving
Ingredients
2 oz. pear vodka
½ oz Honey Simple Syrup
1 oz limoncello
2 oz pear juice
1 pear slice
1 lemon twist
Method
- Fill a shaker with ice and add the vodka, Honey Simple Syrup, limoncello and pear juice. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass.
- Garnish with a lemon twist and float a thin slice of pear on top of the drink.
Kale and Apple Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing
Recipe courtesy National Honey Board
Yield: Makes 8 servings
Ingredients for Salad
1 bunch kale, washed and stems removed or 14 oz baby kale
zest and juice of 1 lemon, zest reserved for dressing
1 tsp salt
1 ea. apple, cored and thinly sliced
1 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
½ cup dried cherries
¼ cup grated parmesan
Ingredients for Honey Dijon Vinaigrette
⅓ cup olive oil
3 T white balsamic vinegar
2 T honey
1 T dijon mustard
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped finely
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
Method
- Chop kale leaves into bite size pieces. In a large bowl toss together the kale, lemon juice and salt. Using your hands, massage the kale leaves a bit to soften them and let it sit for at least 15 minutes up to 1 hour.
- While the kale is softening, whisk together the vinaigrette or shake all ingredients together in a jar, set aside.
- Add the apple slices, walnuts, dried cherries, parmesan and vinaigrette to the kale and toss to combine and serve.
A Honey of a Chili
Recipe courtesy National Honey Board
Yield: Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
1 package (15 oz) firm tofu
1 T vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
¾ cup chopped green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 T chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15½ oz) red kidney beans, undrained
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
¼ cup honey
2 T red wine vinegar
Method
- Using a cheese grater, shred tofu and freeze in zippered bag or airtight container. Thaw tofu; place in a strainer and press out excess liquid.
- In large saucepan or dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot; cook and stir onion, green pepper and garlic 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender and begin to brown. Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, oregano and crushed red pepper. Stir in tofu: cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in diced tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato sauce, honey and vinegar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Honey Baked Chicken
Recipe courtesy National Honey Board
Ingredients
2 ½ to 3 lbs skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
1 ½ cups plain breadcrumbs
¼ cup avocado oil
kosher salt and black pepper
Ingredients for Honey Glaze
1 cup honey
¾ cup - orange juice
¼ cup soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp kosher salt
parsley, for garnish
Method
- Heat your oven to 400°F and have a large baking pan (9x13) nearby.
- Set up a breading station with 3 shallow bowls, filling one with the flour, one with the eggs and the last with the panko, plain breadcrumbs and avocado oil. Season each with salt and pepper, mixing together to combine. The texture of the breadcrumbs should feel and look like wet sand.
- Rinse and pat dry the chicken, season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Starting with the flour, dredge on both sides, move on to the egg to coat even and then cover with breadcrumbs. Transfer to the baking pan. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken.
- Bake the chicken for 25 minutes.
- While the chicken is baking, in a medium saucepan combine the honey, orange juice, soy sauce, minced garlic, hot sauce, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce down slightly.
- After 25 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven, using tongs turn oven and lower the temperature to 350 degrees. Pour over the glaze, leaving about 1/4 in the saucepan.
- Return the chicken to the oven and continue to bake for another 10 minutes.
- Place the saucepan with the remaining glaze back on the burner, bring to a boil and continue to reduce until it is a nice thick syrup.
- Once the chicken has finished cooking, transfer to a serving platter and pour the cooked down glaze over the top. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the top and serve.
Honey Bacon-Cheddaar Scones
Recipe courtesy National Honey Board
Yield: Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
2 T honey
4-5 bacon strips, chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 T plus 1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
Pinch of black pepper
10 T unsalted butter, cold and diced
¾ cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
Method
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Add the cold diced butter and using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Mix the heavy cream and honey.
- Create a small well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour the cream mixture into the well, and stir with a fork until the dough comes together. Toss in crisp bacon and cheese.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Roll dough into a circle, about 3/4 of an inch thick, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Cut circle into 8 wedges with a sharp knife.
- Transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment paper with a spatula, leaving 1/2-inch space between each wedge. Brush the tops of the wedges lightly with the remaining heavy cream.
- Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the baking sheet.
- Serve warm.
Honey Whiskey Clove-Glazed Ham
Recipe courtesy National Honey Board
Yield: Makes 10-12 servings
Ingredient
¾ cup honey
1½ T bourbon whiskey
½ tsp ground cloves
1 (5-lb) bone-in fully cooked ham, spiral sliced
Method
- Combine honey, bourbon and cloves in small bowl until well blended.
- Place ham, cut-side down, in roasting pan; brush with honey mixture. Cover pan with foil and bake at 275°F about 1 hour or until heated through. Remove foil from ham and increase oven temperature to 425°F. Brush with honey mixture. Bake about 10 minutes more or until ham is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and place on serving platter. Pour juices over ham.
Sweet Potato Smash with Honey Caramelized Onions, Bacon, Walnuts & Gruyere
Recipe courtesy National Honey Board
Yield: Makes 2 servings
Ingredients
2 ea. large sweet potatoes
2 T olive oil
1 ea. onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 ½ T honey
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and cut into 1/2" pieces
½ cup shredded Gruyere
3 T toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
Method
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Oil potatoes and pierce with a fork down the center, place on a sheet pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.
- While the potatoes are baking, make the onions. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the onions salt and pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes, add the balsamic vinegar and honey, reduce the heat to low and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until onions are completely translucent and caramelized
- Cut an “X” in the top of the potatoes and push in the sides to open up the potato, top each with half of the cheese, caramelized onions, bacon and walnuts. Serve immediately.
Sweet Spicy Salmon with Honeyed Mango Salsa
Recipe courtesy National Honey Board
Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
1 ea. large ripe mango, peeled and chopped
¼ cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
2 T fresh cilantro, chopped
2 T fresh lime juice, divided
1 T honey
1 ea. small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
⅓ cup honey
2 T Mexican hot sauce
4 (4 to 6-oz) salmon fillets
Method
- To prepare the salsa, combine the mango, bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, 1 T of lime juice, 1 T honey and jalapeno in a medium bowl. Stir well and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Whisk together the honey, hot sauce and remaining lime juice in a small bowl.
- Rinse salmon and pat dry; brush liberally with honey mixture. Place skin side up on a well oiled grill over medium coals; cook for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly charred. Turn and cook for 8 to 10 minutes more, basting liberally with sauce during cooking.
- Remove from grill and transfer to a serving platter. Top with mango salsa.
Honey Pumpkin Tiramisu
Recipe courtesy National Honey Board
Yield: Makes 8 servings
Ingredients for Coffee Sauce
2 ½ cups coffee (brew strong)
¼ cup honey
½ cup whole milk
Method
Stir hot coffee, honey and milk together until honey melts. Let cool, set aside.
Ingredients for Filling
2 T confectioner's sugar
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 T honey
16 oz mascarpone cheese, room temperature
15 oz unseasoned pumpkin puree
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp orange zest
4 dozen ladyfinger cookies
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Method
- Whip confectioner’s sugar and heavy whipping cream in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form, set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, gently fold honey, Mascarpone cheese, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, spices and orange zest with a flexible spatula until well mixed and smooth.
- Gently fold the whipped cream mixture into the pumpkin mixture until smooth and set aside.
- Individually dip the ladyfinger cookies into the coffee sauce and layer them evenly in the bottom of a 9” x 13” pan. Spoon about a third of the filling over the cookies. Repeat layers two more times.
- Sift cocoa powder over the top.
- Refrigerate 6 hours (or overnight) and serve chilled.
