Honey’s natural sweetness makes it ideal to use in cooking and baking. Although it is metabolised by the body as a sugar, it has many added health benefits that refined sugar doesn’t.
If possible it is better to use untreated raw honey as many honey products have been heat treated which can diminish their health benefits.
Honey is not appropriate for children younger than 12 months because it can contain the bacteria that cause infant botulism.
BALSAMIC HONEY-GLAZED SALMON
Serves 4
60ml balsamic vinegar
30ml white wine
30ml Dijon mustard
45ml honey
5ml chopped garlic
15ml olive oil
4 salmon fillets
salt and pepper
45ml sesame seeds
CORIANDER MASH
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
30g butter
125ml milk
125ml chopped fresh coriander
salt and pepper
Combine the vinegar, wine, mustard, honey, garlic and oil in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and cook for 4-5 minutes, until thickened.
Place the salmon, skin-side down, on a greased baking tray. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon glaze over the salmon and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake, uncovered, in a preheated oven at 200°C for 8-10 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve on coriander mash.
MASH: Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft. Drain, add the butter and milk and mash until smooth.
Stir in the coriander and season.
CHINESE-STYLE HONEY CHICKEN
Serves 4
500g chicken breast fillets (about 4), cut into chunks
oil, for frying
BATTER
60ml cornflour
60ml flour
5ml baking powder
3ml salt
30ml water
1 whole egg
1 egg white
HONEY SAUCE
15ml oil
5ml minced garlic
10ml minced ginger
30ml honey
15ml rice wine vinegar
5-10ml lemon juice
125ml water
10ml cornflour mixed with 15ml cold water to make a paste
375ml cooked basmati rice, to serve
sesame seeds, for garnish
3 spring onion, finely chopped, for garnish
Cut the chicken into cubes and set aside.
BATTER: In a large bowl, mix all batter ingredients together until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Add chicken to the batter, tossing to coat.
Heat oil in a deep fryer to 180°C. Fry the chicken cubes in batches until the batter becomes firm and golden. Drain on paper towel.
SAUCE: Heat the oil in a wok, add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Add the honey, vinegar, lemon juice and water. Mix well. Stir in the cornflour paste and simmer for 2 minutes until thickened.
Add the fried chicken cubes and stir to coat.
Serve on basmati rice sprinkled with sesame seeds and spring onion.
HONEY AND HERB ROASTED LAMB
Serves 6
1kg deboned leg of lamb
60ml chopped fresh rosemary
60ml chopped fresh thyme
60ml chopped fresh mint
5ml finely chopped garlic
125ml honey
60ml olive oil
30ml lemon juice
5ml salt
HONEY GLAZED VEGGIES
200g baby turnips
500g baby carrots
45g butter
45ml honey
salt and pepper
60ml chopped fresh mint
HONEY MUSTARD POTATO WEDGES
1 kg medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
45ml olive oil
60ml honey
15ml wholegrain mustard
salt and pepper
Put the lamb in a large plastic bag. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a jug and whisk well.
Pour over the lamb, tie up the bag and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Remove from the bag, place in a roasting tray and roast in a preheated oven at 180°C for 45-50 minutes. Remove, rest and slice.
Serve with honey-glazed vegetables and honey mustard potato wedges.
VEGGIES: Boil the turnips in a saucepan of salted water for 10 minutes, then add the carrots and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Remove, drain and return to the saucepan with the butter and honey. Cook until a glaze coats the vegetables, about 5 minutes. Season and add the fresh mint.
WEDGES: Boil the peeled potato wedges in salted water until par-cooked, about 10 minutes. Drain and put into a roasting pan.
Whisk together the olive oil, honey, mustard, salt and pepper and pour over the potatoes.
Roast in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20-30 minutes.
HONEY SPICE BISCUITS
Makes 18-20
60g butter
125ml honey
60ml brown sugar
375ml flour
3ml bicarbonate of soda
5ml ground ginger
3ml mixed spice
a pinch of ground cloves
15ml milk
ICING
1 egg white
about 375ml sifted icing sugar
15ml lemon juice
colouring
Combine the butter, honey and sugar in a small pot and heat gently until the butter has melted. Bring to the boil for a few seconds, then remove from the heat. Cool for 10 minutes.
Sift the flour, bicarb and spices into a bowl and pour in the cooled butter mixture and milk. Mix well. Cover and set aside for about an hour.
Knead the dough lightly on a floured surface and then roll out to about 5mm thickness. Cut out shapes as desired.
Place on a greased baking tray and bake at 180°C for 10-15 minutes until golden. Remove and cool.
Spread with icing. When the icing has set, store the biscuits in an airtight container.
ICING: Beat the egg white until frothy. Add the icing sugar and lemon juice and mix to form a stiff but spreadable icing. Add more icing sugar or a few drops of water if necessary to get the right consistency. Spread onto biscuits and allow to harden.
Note: The icing can be omitted and the biscuits left plain.
CHOCOLATE HONEY SQUARES
Makes18
160g butter
125ml honey
200g dark chocolate
3 eggs
5ml vanilla essence
250ml flour
FUDGE ICING
50g butter
30ml water
30ml honey
250ml icing sugar
30ml cocoa powder
Combine the butter, honey and chocolate in a pot and heat gently until the butter and chocolate have melted. Stir until smooth.
Remove from the heat and add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
Mix in the vanilla.
Carefully add in the flour and mix until combined.
Pour the mixture into a greased and lined 18 x 25cm tin and bake at 180°C for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Remove and cool in the tin.
Spread with the fudge icing and leave to set. Remove from the tin and cut into squares to serve.
ICING: Combine the butter, water and honey in a small saucepan and melt over a gentle heat.
Remove and stir in the icing sugar and cocoa and mix well until smooth and thick. Spread onto cooled cake.
Angela Day, The Star