| Honey has been used in cooking since ancient times. The earliest known recipe is what the Egyptians called ''honey bread'', or gingerbread as we call it. The Romans used honey a lot and in the recipe book of Apicius, a famous Roman chef of the 5th century BC, it was one of the major ingredients, as important as spices, herbs and dried fruits. In salted, sweetened recipes or in various sauces, honey had its place at the table but Western cuisine has abandoned honey little by little over the centuries. However, in Asian countries such as Thailand, China, Vietnam, India or in the Arab world, honey is still part of the great culinary traditions. In the West, honey is mostly enjoyed on slices of buttered bread, for snacks or at breakfast, in traditional gingerbread or in some dessert recipes handed down from our grand-mothers. Yet it deserves to be ''rediscoved'' in the tasty dishes of other times and from other horizons, where savoury blends with sweet, where honey blends happily with saffron, ginger, coriander or sesame. | |
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To tempt you to try out new, original flavours, every month
Bernard Michaud gives you two simple recipes, sweet or savoury, using
honey.
This month: " Crème Brûlée with Honey " and " Honeyed Welsh Lamb ". |
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Crème Brûlée with Honey |
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Serves 6. - Ingredients : 9 egg yolks, 185g honey, 70 cl fresh cream. |
| Mix the egg yolks and honey and add the cream. Beat them together. Pour the mixture into 6 ramekins. Put the ramekins into an oven dish half-filled with warm water as a bain-marie, and leave to cook for 45 minutes at 120° (gas mark 4). Check from time to time. Take from the oven and leave to cool, and cover with a teaspoon of honey for each ramekin, grill until brown. Leave to cool again and serve chilled, on its own or accompanied with cold liquid custard. |
| Honeyed Welsh Lamb |
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Serves 6 to 8. - Ingredients : 2kg shoulder of lamb (or leg of lamb), 2 tsp fresh grated ginger, 2 sprigs chopped rosemary, 1 cup honey, 11/2 cups cider vinegar, salt and pepper. |
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Pre-heat the oven (gas mark 5).
Season the lamb and cover the meat with the ginger and rosemary. gas mark 5). Season the lamb and cover the meat with the ginger and rosemary. Oil an oven-dish and place the lamb in it. Cover with the honey and vinegar blended together. Save half a cup of vinegar to add to the meat during cooking. Leave to cook for about one and a half hour (according to taste). Serve immediately with the meat juices in a sauce boat. |
| Bon appétit ! |