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Modern Recipes using Honey by Michael Young
Honeyed Roast Pork, Frogs’ Legs, Beehive Skep Potato Filled With Creamed Parsnip, Accompanied With A Minted, Pea And Basil Puree And A Port And Rosemary Juslie
Serves 6
For the Honeyed Pork
2.25kg (5lb) Pork Loin
4 Tablespoons of oil
½ jar of honey
1 carrot, 1 onion
Salt
For basting 200gm butter melted and 200gm honey
Garnish chives, parsley
Pre-heat oven to 200°C; 400°F: Gas 6
For the pork, prepare a roasting tray by adding cooking oil as well as some
roughly chopped carrots and onions. To help prevent the honey from burning
on the base of the tray just add a little water.
Prepare the pork loin by score the skin in a criss cross design with the
tip of a sharp knife.
Rub some salt well in the incisions followed by some honey all over the skin.
Place the pork on top of the vegetables and then into the oven on the middle
shelf. Turn down the heat to around 300°F to slowly bake. Cook for 10
minutes per pound, or 15 minutes per pound for a more well-done joint.
During the cooking, baste the meat with melted butter and honey. Make sure
that the honey has not got too brown; if this happens, lower the temperature
a little more or cover with aluminum foil.
When cooked, remove the joint from the roasting tray and allow to rest in
a warm place.
Port and rosemary juslie
1 sprig of rosemary de stemmed
300ml
(½ pint) beef stock
150ml (¼ pint) Port
½ onion
2
tsp crushed black peppercorns
2
tsp corn flour dissolved in 2 tbsp water
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the sauce
Skim off any fat from the roasting pan
Add finely chopped onions and the peppercorns to the tray and fry. Add the
stock, rosemary and port, to the remaining juices in the pan. Bring to the
boil then reduce the heat and maintain at a simmer over a moderate heat for
5 minutes, stirring constantly, scraping the bottom of the roasting tray
to de glace. Check for seasoning. Remove from the heat and add the cornflour
(mixed with water), return to the heat and reboil stirring well, strain and
set aside.
For the frogs’ legs
2 tablespoons clarified butter
12 frogs’ legs, thighs only
200 gms plain flour sifted
Salt and pepper to taste
For the frogs’ legs, Push the meat on down the tip of the legs
toward the thigh joint to expose the bone. Dip into flour and remove any
excess. In a large sauté pan, heat some clarified butter over medium
heat season and fry the legs until golden brown. Place on a paper towel to
drain and reserve, keeping warm.
Mint, pea and basil puree
1 Sprig of mint leaves stemmed
1 shallot, peeled and minced
154 gm (1lb) frozen peas
300ml (½ pint) chicken stock
5 basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
For the mint and pea puree, add frozen peas, basil, diced onion and mint in a medium saucepan, over medium heat, and cook until tender. Once the onion is cooked place the ingredients into a hand held mixer and blitz until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve, transfer to a medium saucepan over low heat, and season. Keeping warm.
Potato beehive skep filled with creamed parsnip
1kg potatoes peeled
3 eggs yolks
50 gm butter
3 parsnips peeled
50ml of cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Creamed parsnip
Boil the parsnips until soft, drain and let them dry out. Mash and put them
through a sieve or blitz. Season then add the cream. Put to the side.
Potato beehive skep
This dish is best prepared earlier. Make a potato mash as normal. Then just
add three egg yolks and the butter mash well. Place the mash into a large
piping bag with a large star nozzle. Pipe the potato mixture into 2 ½ inch
(65cm) circles onto a greased oven tray. Let’s imagine you
are piping a Walnut whip. (see the photo) When piping, half way up stop,
then press a crater size hole inside the half finished potato skep. Fill
the crater with the creamed parsnip. Then continue piping the potato mash
on top until it resembles a beehive skep. Make six large beehive skeps.
Bake in a hot oven until nice and brown.
*****
Foie gras placed on honeyed caramelized beetroot, topped with puree of honeyed figs, drizzled with balsamic reduction and curry oil.
For the Foie Gras
800 gm Foie gras
100gm butter
100gm oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparing the foie gras
This exercise is done at the last minute when the beetroot is ready on the
plate. Foie gras is much better cooked from semi frozen, about 1 minute
each side. Season lightly and place into a hot pan with a little
butter and oil for a few minutes on each side. Once the foie gras is cooked
place it straight on to the beetroot.
Curry oil
This is much better prepared weeks in advance as it settles and becomes much
clearer.
Place 350 grams of curry powder into a thick bottomed saucepan, add 2 liters
of cooking oil and place on the stove. Slowly cook for 30 minutes on a low
heat stirring every so often. Do not let it overheat. When the oil is cooked,
strain it through muslin or a fine cloth and leave to settle for a day or
two. Once settled gently decant leaving the sediment at the bottom. Bottle
the oil for later use. Whilst in the bottle, over time it will become crystal
clear and then decant again. This oil is great with all types of food salads,
fish and meats.
Balsamic and honey reduction
1 jar of honey
2 jars of balsamic vinegar
This is a simple recipe. Add the honey and vinegar together in a large saucepan. The mixture will double in size when boiling therefore its important that a large saucepan is used. Boil the mixture until it becomes as thick as warm honey. Strain through a cloth or muslin. Bottle and let cool. This dressing is excellent for all types of food especially on fresh strawberries.
For the honeyed fig purée
9 Ripe figs
100gm honey
3 beetroot
Firstly prepare the fig puree by selecting ripe figs. Cut the figs into
half and with a small spoon remove the pulp. Place this into a small bowl
and add the honey. Mix into a rough puree and place to the side.
For the beetroot, cut three slices per guest and brush liberally with honey.
Pan fry or grill until caramelized. Place on a paper towel for later use.
******
Earl Grey and Honey Sorbet
For the sorbet
600 ml water
6 heaped loose teaspoons of Earl Grey
100ml (5 Tablespoons) of honey
Juice from half a lemon
1 sprig of mint for garnish
To prepare the sorbet.
Place the honey and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add
all the other ingredients. Stir and mix in whilst bringing the liquid
to the boil, simmer for 1 minute.
Filter the mixture through a strainer to remove all ingredients.
Taste the mix and add further lemon juice if required for sharpness to taste.
The process of freezing the sorbet is best using a blender and freeze process.
If, like myself, you don’t have one, however, I must state its
much better if a blender is used.
Pour the mixture into a suitable lidded container with a large base and place
in the fast freeze section of the freezer. Once the mixture starts to freeze
(1-3 hours depending on your unit) remove from the freezer and immediately
place in the liquidizer for 30 seconds or whisk briskly.
Place again in the fast freezer. The sorbet should have a blend similar to
crystallized honey.
To serve place a ball of sorbet in a frosted cocktail glass and decorate
with a mint leaf.
Michael Young is a Chef, Lecturer, Beekeeper and Honey Judge from Northern Ireland.
