Gardening Never Tasted So Good

It's time for the Honey Feast Recipe Newsletter from the National Honey Board with some tasty recipes just in time for Mother's Day!

May, 2011

It’s May, and no matter where you live, it’s time to start thinking about your vegetable garden (if you’re planting one, of course). Have you thought about bee-friendly plant and flower options? Have you hardened off those cooler-weather vegetable seedlings? Are you eagerly awaiting a free weekend so you can plant those little seedlings in the ground?

Or maybe you’re not a gardener at all. Maybe your passion lies in eating the fruits of someone else’s labor – literally! Well, never fear. We’ve picked out some delicious vegetable dishes that will make you appreciate the earth in which it was grown (no matter who did the growing!).

We eat with our eyes first, and vegetables come in such a wide array of colors and flavors that it would be difficult not to have a beautiful plate. And honey adds the perfect sweet note to balance and enhance the other natural flavors of the dishes. So butter up your gardening neighbor and get in on the “goods” – this is going to be one heck of a harvest!

Spring Vegetable Salad with Truffle Whipped Honey
(makes 8 servings)

• 3 lbs. fresh beets, trimmed, rinsed and dried
• 2 cups sherry vinegar, enough to partially cover beets, plus 2 Tbsp
• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2/3 lb. white jumbo asparagus, cleaned and trimmed
• 2/3 lb. green jumbo asparagus, cleaned and trimmed
• 2/3 lb. large carrots, cleaned and trimmed
• 10 oz. honey
• 2 Tablespoons white truffle oil
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Small herbs, for garnish, chopped
• 2 pints (4 cups) whole-milk ricotta

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a roasting pan, cover beets two thirds with a mixture of 2 parts water, 1 part sherry vinegar and butter. (If using multiple colored beets, roast lighter beets in separate pans so colors don’t bleed) Salt the mixture liberally. Cover with foil and roast until beets can be easily pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and cool in the liquid, in the refrigerator. When cooled, peel and slice the beets thin. Reserve. Using a vegetable peeler or mandoline, shave the asparagus and carrots as thinly as possible (to the consistency of linguine) and transfer to ice water. Reserve in water for up to 24 hours. Using a hand-held immersion blender, process the honey in a tight container for 2 to 3 minutes. Move the hand blender in an up and down motion until the honey lightens in color; continue for 1 minute. Add the truffle oil and continue the up and down motion until fully incorporated and light in color. Reserve (can be re-whipped if necessary). PER ORDER On a chilled plate, arrange beet slices in a circle. Drain the carrot and asparagus mixture and add to a bowl with olive oil, fresh herbs, and 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Arrange a handful of shaved vegetables in the center of the plate and garnish with additional herbs if desired. Drizzle with the truffle whipped honey. Spoon 4 teaspoons of whole milk ricotta around salad and serve.

Asparagus with Honey Garlic Sauce
(makes 4 servings)

• 1 lb. fresh asparagus
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup dark ale or dark beer
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Add asparagus to boiling, salted water (about 1-inch) and cook, covered, about 2 minutes or until barely tender. Drain. Combine mustard, ale, honey, garlic, thyme and salt; mix well. Pour over cooked asparagus.

Sweet and Hot Marinated Mushrooms
(makes 6 servings)

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 chopped green onion
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 lb. fresh small button mushrooms
• Parsley sprigs or orange wedges, for garnish

Combine all ingredients except mushrooms and garnish in saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture is well-blended. Place mushrooms in heat-proof bowl; pour hot marinade over mushrooms. Cover and marinate 2 hours at room temperature, stirring occasionally. Arrange mushrooms in serving dish, garnish and serve.

Creamy Honey Sesame Dip for Vegetables
(makes 1-1/3 cups)

• 3/4 cup nonfat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
• 1 small garlic, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon oriental sesame oil
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Salt, to taste

Whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar and honey in small bowl. Add remaining ingredients; mix thoroughly. Dip may be stored tightly covered in refrigerator up to 1 week.
I hope you will try some of these recipes - or maybe even spoil mom with one this Sunday!