Tag Archives: Balsamic vinegar

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The Romancing The Bee Diet – Day 8 – Honey Raspberry Glazed Salmon

Salmon

When I’m watching what I eat, I don’t want to be cooking all the time.  It’s easier for me to avoid temptation than to resist it!

So I like to make a lot of something and serve it in different ways over a day or two.  After dinner tonight, this salmon will reappear as a salad tomorrow.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 whole side of salmon, or 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets

1 tablespoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

3 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 tablespoon raspberry balsamic vinegar

Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing salmon

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

If using a side of salmon, cut about halfway through the flesh about every 2 to 3 inches so there are some spaces for the glaze to sink in. If using salmon fillets, slice about 8 to 10 sliced angles into flesh, to help flesh more completely soak in the glaze.

In a small bowl or cup, mix the salt, pepper, and dry mustard.

In a medium glass bowl, heat the honey in the microwave for 30 seconds to liquefy further. Remove from the microwave and mix in raspberry balsamic vinegar.

Brush the both sides of the salmon with olive oil. Season the flesh side with the spice mixture. Brush the flesh generously with the honey-balsamic mixture.

Bake or broil the salmon for 10-15 minutes or until done to taste. Served with roasted brussels sprouts with pine nuts.

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Cranberry Week – Roast Duck With Honey Cranberry Glaze

Did you know that cranberries help prevent stomach ulcers?  Most peptic ulcers are caused by a bacterial infection, Helicobacter pylori. Cranberries havebeen shown to inhibit the adhesion of these bacteria to the stomach lining. With 25 million Americans suffering from peptic ulcers in their lifetime, this is a significant health problem.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cranberries
  • 1 cup honey
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 4-pound duck
  • 1 3-inch strip of orange peel
  • 1 medium onion
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Preparation

Rinse the cranberries carefully under running water and pick them over to remove any that have spoiled.

Mix one cup of cranberries,1/2 cup of the honey and one-half cup of water in a small saucepan and cook, simmering, until the cranberries are very soft. Strain through a sieve into a small bowl. The honey liquid is the glaze for the duck.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the gizzard, heart and liver from the duck and set aside. Put the orange peel, half the onion and about half a teaspoon of salt and pepper in the cavity.

Paint the duck with a little of the cranberry glaze.Place the duck on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 45 minutes. Every 15 minutes, paint the surface with a little of the cranberry glaze.

Remove the duck from the oven and prick the skin all over with a fork to release the fat. Return to the oven and continue roasting, painting every 15 minutes with the glaze, for a total of two hours.

While the duck is roasting, make a broth with the innards: Roughly chop the remaining half onion and the duck innards. Place in a small saucepan with the wine, another half teaspoon of salt and pepper and a cup of water. Simmer gently for an hour or more, until the broth is reduced to approximately one-half cup of flavorful liquid. Strain the broth and discard the solids.

Mix the remaining half cup of cranberries with the remaining half cup of water, the remaining honey and the balsamic vinegar. Cook together for 10 minutes until the mixture is syrupy. Set aside.

When the duck has finished roasting, remove it from the oven and set aside. It should be a beautiful dark-red color.

Strain the pan juices into a glass measuring cup and carefully remove the duck fat that floats to the top. (Do not discard: duck fat is wonderful for roasting or frying potatoes.) Add the innard broth to the roasting juices and use this to deglaze the roasting pan, scraping up the roasting bits that have stuck to the pan. Strain the whole through a fine sieve and place in a small saucepan.

Add the cranberry-vinegar syrup to the pan juices and broth. If there is any glaze remaining, add that to the mixture and bring the whole to a simmer just to warm it and mix everything together.

Carve the duck if you wish, or send it whole to the table, together with the warm cranberry sauce.

YIELD

4 – 6 servings

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Honey Garlic Grilled Eggplant

What makes this recipe so good is the honey-garlic marinade. You won’t really taste the honey, but it helps the eggplant caramelize on the grill. The results are musky and succulent.

Honey Garlic Grilled Eggplant

Note: Aleppo chili that this recipe calls for is available in Middle Eastern markets. It’s not spicy at all, but sweet and musky. If you don’t have it, substitute it with a pinch of Spanish smoked paprika, or skip it all together.

Serves 2

1 eggplant (2 if using small Italian eggplants)
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 mashed garlic cloves
1 tsp aleppo chili (optional)
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

  1. Peel stripes of skin off the eggplant to create a zebra like pattern of skin and no-skin. This is not only decorative, but makes the skin easier to bite. Slice eggplant into ½ inch thick circles.
  2. Lay out a large sheet of paper towels. Sprinkle eggplant generously with salt on both sides and lay out on paper towels. The eggplant will release a lot of liquid. This will help get rid of bitterness (if any) and make the eggplant more succulent and less watery after it’s cooked. Let sit for 15 minutes, then dry both sides well with paper towels.
  3. In a large bowl, mix honey, olive oil, garlic, chili, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Dunk both sides of each eggplant slice into this marinade.
  4. Preheat the grill or grill pan to high. Grab a wad of paper towel with tongs, dip it in oil, and brush it on the grill.
  5. Place the eggplant slices on the grill, cover, and turn down the heat to medium. Grill until marked, about 3 minutes. Turn 90 degrees to make cross-hatch grill marks. Grill until marked, about 3 more minutes.
  6. Brush the slices with remaining marinade, flip and repeat the grilling procedure on the other side. Regulate heat so that the eggplant is browning, but not burning. Remove to a plate, and drizzle with olive oil.
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Pan Seared Veal Chops With Honey-Balsamic Reduction

Veal isn’t cheap, but it’s soooo good. This wonderful recipe is perfect for a fall Sunday supper.

The recipe states it serves two, but at my house it easily serves four.

Serves 2

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients:

2 Veal Chops

2 tablespoons olive oil for pan-searing

1 teaspoon each of fresh rosemary, thyme, and oregano

1 chopped clove of garlic

½ cup each of red, orange and yellow peppers

¼ cup white wine

1 tablespoon butter

Salt and pepper for seasoning

For the Sauce:

½ cup good quality balsamic vinegar

¼ cup honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

Salt and pepper both sides of the veal chops. Next, rub the chops with the fresh herbs and chopped garlic.

Place a stainless steel sauté pan on high heat and add the olive oil. When the pan is hot, place the veal chops presentation side down. Sear the chops for one minute on each side, then place in the oven. Bake for 6-8 minutes for medium-rare.

Remove chops from pan, and let rest for 5 minutes.

For the Sauce:

Place the balsamic vinegar and honey in a small sauce pan over medium heat and season with salt and pepper. Stir continuously until the mixture becomes thick; 3-4 minutes. Remove from the stove and set aside.

Return the pan that the chops were in to the stove over medium-high heat. Place the peppers in the pan and sauté for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the butter and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Divide the sautéed peppers between two plates. Place the veal chops on top of the peppers, then drizzle the balsamic sauce over the veal.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Chuck Kerber at Pittsburgh Hot Plate.

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Haricots Verts Salad With Honey Balsamic Reduction

For the dressing:

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

2 tablespoons honey
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/4 pounds haricots verts, stem end trimmed
3 ounces prosciutto, julienned
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
6 ounces aged goat cheese or feta, crumbled

Preparation

Combine oil, shallot, garlic and herbs in a small nonreactive pan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and cool. Strain and discard the solids. Set aside.

In a food processor, combine the vinegar and mustard. With the motor running, very slowly pour in the oil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Place the balsamic vinegar and honey in a small stainless-steel pan. Simmer slowly until very syrupy and reduced to 1/3 cup. Set aside.
Parboil the haricots verts in a large pot of salted water until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, refresh in ice water and dry.

Toss beans with the prosciutto and pine nuts and then add enough dressing to coat the ingredients. Transfer to a platter, top with the cheese and drizzle the reduced vinegar over all.

YIELD
6 servings

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Honey Garlic Vinaigrette

This is a simple yet delicious salad dressing. Also great as a marinade.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

  1. In a container, combine oil, vinegar, honey, and garlic. Cover, and shake until blended. Set aside for 45 minutes, to allow flavors to combine. Shake again before serving.

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Honey Raspberry Balsamic Glazed Salmon

I think fish is nice, but then I think that rain is wet, so who am I to judge?
Douglas Adams

Bee on a Raspberry Flower

The Bees have provided a wonderful recipe for Lent!

Honey Raspberry Balsamic Glazed Salmon

Ingredients

  • 1 whole side of salmon, or 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
  • 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup raspberry balsamic vinegar
  • Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing salmon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

If using a side of salmon, cut about halfway through the flesh about every 5 to 6-inches so there are some spaces for the glaze to sink in. If using salmon fillets, slice about 8 to 10 sliced angles into flesh, to help flesh more completely soak in the glaze.

In a small bowl or cup, mix the salt, pepper, and dry mustard.

In a medium glass bowl, heat the honey in the microwave for 30 seconds to liquefy further. Remove from the microwave and mix in raspberry balsamic vinegar.

Brush the both sides of the salmon with olive oil. Season the flesh side with the spice mixture. Brush the flesh generously with the honey-balsamic mixture.

Bake or broil the salmon for 10 minutes or until done to taste.

Enjoy!