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Honey Laquered Duck Breast (by Rebecca Franklin of about.com/frenchfood)
Makes 6 servings.
This tempting honey lacquered duck breast recipe is fantastically easy to prepare and creates such a beautiful showpiece entrée for guests. Serve the duck with honey glaze beside colorful steamed vegetables and a rich gratin to create a full, special occasion meal.
INGREDIENTS
2 magret duck breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Optional garnish of chopped nuts
PREPARATION:
• Cut small slits in the skin side of the duck breast, without slicing all the way into the flesh. Season the duck on both sides with the salt and pepper.
• Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the duck breasts, skin side down, for 7 minutes, reducing the heat to medium-low after 3 minutes. Flip the duck breasts over and cook them for an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer them to a plate and cover it with foil to retain warmth.
• Pour the rendered duck fat into a clean container and save it for other culinary uses. Turn the heat up to medium and deglaze the skillet with the honey and balsamic vinegar, scraping up the browned bits as the sauce cooks. Simmer the honey vinegar glaze for 2 to 3 minutes, until it turns slightly thick. Season it with just a dash of salt.
• Return the duck breasts to the pan, turning them a few times to coat them evenly with the honey glaze. Carve them and serve them immediately, garnished with a drizzle of extra glaze and the chopped nuts, if desired.
Apricot Honey Jam (by Rebecca Franklin of about.com/frenchfood)
Makes 6 half-pint jars.
Little pots of this apricot honey jam make an elegant homemade gift that will bring the fresh taste of summer to kitchens year-round. Honey adds a charming flavor to this delightful, rustic confiture. Adding a cinnamon stick to the mixture while it is simmering is purely optional, although the extra warmth it instills complements the fresh apricots in a wonderful way. Serve this apricot honey jam recipe in the most simple manner - on a toasted baguette - so you can enjoy the complex flavors.
INGREDIENTS:
4 lbs fresh apricots
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups raw honey
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
6 half-pint jars and lids
PREPARATION:
• Scrub the apricots and blanch them for 90 seconds in boiling water. Immediately plunge them into an ice water bath to stop the cooking process. Gently peel off the skins and discard them. Score the apricots around the middle and twist them; remove the stones and discard them.
• Mash the apricots with the lemon juice and add them to a large bowl with the granulated sugar. Refrigerate the apricot mixture for 10 to 12 hours, or overnight, to draw out the juices.
• Sterilize the jars and lids; set them aside.
• Add the apricot mixture, its juices, 1 1/3 cups honey, and the cinnamon stick, if using, to a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking the jam at a gentle boil, stirring frequently, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the jam coats the back of a spoon.
• Remove the cinnamon stick from the apricot jam and discard. Pour the jam into the jars and seal.
Honeyed Fruit Salad (Inspired by Rebecca Franklin of about.com/frenchfood)
Serves 4 as dessert.
Accompany this luscious honeyed fruit salad recipe with a baguette, assorted cheese, and a bottle of spicy-sweet sparkling dessert wine for a lovely get-together with friends.
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup pure raw honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice (approximately 1 medium lemon)
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 pint strawberries, hulled
2 firm pears, cored
2 peaches, pitted
1 Granny Smith apple, cored
1 cup sweet Bing cherries, pitted
1 kiwifruit
PREPARATION:
• Process the first 4 ingredients in a blender until the dressing is smooth. Chill for 20 minutes before serving.
• Halve or quarter the strawberries. Dice pears, apple and peaches into ½-inch pieces. Halve the cherries. Cut the kiwifruit in half lengthwise, and then cut each half crosswise into ¼-inch slices.
• Toss the prepared fruit with the desired amount of dressing and serve.
Slow-baked honey wine pears (Courtesy of Laura Calder at StyleAtHome.com )
Serves 4 as dessert.
These delicious pears are gorgeous served with sweetened, Cognac-scented whipped cream.
INGREDIENTS:
4 Bosc pears or 8 small Anjou pears
1 bottle dry red wine
1/2 cup (125 mL) raw honey
PREPARATION:
• Heat the oven to 250°F (120°C).
• Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact, and lay them in a lidded ovenproof dish just large enough to hold them.
• Bring the wine and honey to the boil in a pot on the stove. Pour over the pears, cover, and transfer to the oven. Bake 4 to 5 hours, turning now and again, until very tender.
• With a slotted spoon, gently remove the pears to a serving bowl. Boil the liquid rapidly until reduced to a syrup, about 20 minutes.
• Pour the reduction over the pears and let sit at room temperature for several hours. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour before serving.
Fennel in Honey & Wine (Courtesy of Jenny at straightfromthefarm.net)
Serves 4 as a side dish.
INGREDIENTS:
2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored and quartered1/2 cup vegetable stock1/2 cup dry Riesling white wine1 1/4 tsp. honey1 tsp. mustard seed2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil1 tsp. fresh minced herbs (thyme worked well for me)salt and pepper to taste1 Tbsp. orange juice (optional)
PREPARATION:
• When trimming fennel, reserve a few fronds for garnish on the final dish.
• In a large skillet, heat extra virgin olive oil and add mustard seed. When seeds start to “pop” regularly (about a minute or so), remove skillet from heat. Being careful not to touch the hot oil with your fingers, place each fennel quarter cut side down in the skillet and rub it around to pick up the oil and some mustard seeds. When all quarters are covered with oil and seeds, place them all cut side up in a single layer in the same skillet as you heated the oil.
• Pour stock and white wine gently over the fennel. Sprinkle the salt, pepper and minced herbs and then drizzle the honey evenly over the fennel.
• Tightly cover the skillet with a lid or a piece of foil. Place over low heat and let fennel simmer for 50-60 minutes, turning over once after half an hour. Remove fennel from skillet when they are tender enough to easily pierce with a fork.
• To the liquid remaining in the skillet, add the tablespoon of orange juice (if using) and bring it up to a boil before lowering the heat to medium. Stir regularly until reduced by about half. Remove from heat and pour over fennel quarters. Garnish with fennel fronds and serve immediately.
Honey Sweet 'n Sour Wings (Inspiration for this recipe is courtesy of the National Honey Board) Makes 6 appetizer servings.
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 lbs of chicken wings (about 18 - 24 wings)
1 Tbsp olive oil
Sauce:
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup diced red sweet peppers
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Tobasco Sauce
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon course ground black pepper
PREPARATION:
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
• Combine the honey, peppers, vinegar, pineapple juice and seasonings in a small pot and simmer over a low flame on the stove until the mixture begins to thicken; stir to prevent sticking/burning. Set to the side.
• Wash and dry the chicken wings before tossing in the olive oil to coat. Grill the oiled wings over medium-high heat on a gas/charcoal grill to sear and add grill marks - approximately 4 minutes on each side. Remove the partially cooked wings from the grill.
• Pour the sauce over the grilled chicken wings in a greased baking dish and bake at 350ºF for 20 - 25 minutes, or until crispy and tender. Turn once and make sure that all the wings are coated with the sauce.
• Serving tip: Add an envelope of dry Lipton Onion Soup mix to a 1 lb. package of real sour cream (not "low fat") for a tasty wing topping
Honey Mustard Chicken (courtesy of the RachelRayShow.com)
Rachel Ray prepared this exciting recipe on her "World's Biggest Cooking Demo" episode.
It includes carrots, parsnips and shallots. Her rendition calls for Dijon mustard, but you can experiment with other mustards if you have a preference. It has a nice gravy and goes great with fresh, hot corn bread! Feel free to live life on the WILD SIDE by adding a little white wine or brandy when you reduce the stock.
Banana Cream Pie with HONEY, Macadamia nuts, & Cardamom Brittle (courtesy of Food52.com)
Are we ready for a twist on the tried and true banana pudding? Well, if there was ever a good reason to leave the beaten path, this recipe might be it. With real butter and heavy cream, this baby's not for the faint of heart (or for those who may faint on account of their heart!). FYI: Feel free to substitute walnuts for macadamias in a pinch.
Griddled Polenta Cakes with Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese, and Honey (courtesy of Food52.com)
As we tasted this polenta (Italian for corn grits), we thought aloud that it would make a great first course. No, a small lunch! Or, how about breakfast?! We’d happily eat it all day long, and we think you would, too. You can make this polenta and onions ahead of time, then just crisp it up and assemble the dish when you’re ready. - Amanda & Merrill of Food52.
Honey Joes (Courtesy of the National Honey Board) Tangy, a hint of sweet, but not too spicey... Just the perfect meal to warm you up on a chilly, wet day. Try ground turkey for a healthier version. Toasted sesame seed buns or onion rolls add extra flavor!
Honey Brined Smoked Turkey (By Atlanta local and Food Network chef, Alton Brown) Ready to "get your grillin' on?!?" Tender, juicy and smokey, this winter treat is sure to satisfy even the most discerning BBQ officianando's palette. Serve it for dinner with traditional turkey accoutrements, or opt foryour favorite sauce and rolls for incredible sandwiches. To begin the adventure, just click on the pic!
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