Johannesburg - I never cease to marvel at the wonder of how honey is made, the complexity of a beehive and the incredible construction of a honeycomb.
Honey is made from the nectar of flowers. Bees suck the nectar from flower blooms and store it in their stomachs.
While there, the nectar mixes with protein and enzymes, which breaks the nectar down from sucrose into glucose and fructose.
Once at the hive, the bees deposit the converted nectar into the cells of the hive and fan it with their wings until enough moisture evaporates that it has become the thick syrup we know as honey.
The bees cap the cells with wax for storage. The colour and flavour of honey will differ depending on the nectar source of the bees.
Man has been using honey for medicinal purposes for centuries, and its 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 its health benefits.
It is best to store honey at room temperature. If your honey has crystallised, you can heat it in the microwave for a few seconds. Alternatively, you can stand it in a jug of boiling water for a while.
Did you know?
Honey is not appropriate for children younger than 12 months because it can contain the bacteria that causes infant botulism.
HONEY-CITRUS CHICKEN SKEWERS
Makes 12
375ml fresh orange juice
125ml honey
2cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
30ml sambal oelek
30ml soy sauce
500g chicken breast fillets, cut in strips
orange segments from 1 orange
wooden skewers
Place the orange juice, honey, ginger, garlic, chilli, sambal and soy sauce in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Then simmer for 15-20 minutes until reduced. Allow to cool.
Place the chicken strips in a bowl, pour over half the sauce and marinate for 30 minutes.
Add the orange segments to the remaining sauce in the saucepan. Heat over a very low heat until required.
Thread the chicken onto the skewers.
Heat a griddle pan and griddle skewers for a minute a side.
Place on a baking tray and finish off the cooking in the oven at 180°C for 10 minutes, basting with the marinade.
Plate on a serving dish and pour over the warmed sauce.
HONEY-APPLE CAKE
Makes 1 cake
250ml chopped pecan nuts
250ml castor sugar
250ml oil
60ml honey
3 extra-large eggs
750ml flour
5ml bicarbonate of soda
5ml baking powder
2ml salt
5ml ground cinnamon
2ml ground nutmeg
5ml vanilla extract
3 apples, grated
HONEY SAUCE
250ml brown sugar
125g butter
60ml honey
60ml milk
Grease and flour a round Bundt pan and sprinkle the bottom with 60ml pecan nuts. Set aside.
Beat the sugar, oil, honey and eggs with an electric mixer until light and creamy.
Sift together the dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture, beating at a low speed until blended.
Stir in the vanilla, grated apple and remaining pecan nuts.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake at 180°C for 50-60 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Remove and pour the honey sauce over the cake. Allow to cool in the tin before inverting.
SAUCE: Place all the ingredients in a pot over medium heat.
Bring to the boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
HONEY-GLAZED CARROTS
Serves 4-6
2 bunches of young carrots
30ml olive oil
60g butter
salt and pepper
sprigs of fresh thyme
30ml brandy
45ml honey
Wash the carrots and leave about 5cm of the green tops attached.
Combine the olive oil and 30g of the butter in a small roasting pan and place in the oven at 180°C for 5-10 minutes until the butter is melted.
Remove and add the carrots. Toss to coat with the oil mixture.
Season with salt and pepper. Scatter over sprigs of thyme. Return to the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes until the carrots are tender.
Put the remaining butter, brandy and honey in a small pot and heat until melted.
Bring to the boil for 5 minutes. Pour this mixture over the carrots and return them to the oven for another 5-10 minutes, until nicely glazed.
Serve sprinkled with extra sprigs of thyme.
HONEY-CIDER PORK CHOPS
Serves 4
250ml water
60ml honey
60ml salt
250ml apple cider
4 thick bone-in pork chops
4 cloves of garlic, minced
45ml sage leaves, chopped
black pepper
30g butter
45ml Dijon mustard
60ml hot water
30ml extra honey
Combine the water, honey and salt in a pot over medium heat and cook, stirring until honey and salt dissolve.
Remove from the heat and add the cider, stirring to mix. When cooled, add the pork chops to the brine, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Remove pork chops from the brine and pat dry. Discard the brine.
Combine the garlic and sage leaves and rub each side of the pork chops with the mixture. Season with black pepper.
Heat the butter in a frying pan and brown the chops in batches.Remove and add the mustard, water and honey.
Return the chops to the pan, cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, until the chops are cooked through.
SALMON WITH HONEY-SESAME GLAZE
Serves 4
15ml coriander seeds
60ml honey
60ml soy sauce
zest and juice of 2 limes
4 salmon fillet portions
45ml sesame seeds
Toast the coriander seeds in a dry non-stick pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden, about 3 minutes.
Remove, cool and grind in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar.
In a small pot, stir together the coriander with the honey, soy, lime zest and juice over a medium heat.
Simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
Place the salmon fillet on a baking tray lined with foil and brush over the glaze.
Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and bake at 180°C for 10-15 minutes.
Serve with any remaining glaze.
The Angela Day cooking column is published in The Star, Pretoria News, Cape Argus and Daily News