Holiday Side Veggie Dishes Sweetened With Raw Honey

by Diana Rosen
Dressings are a classic way of using honey to elevate the typical to the extraordinary. These dressings can be used at room temperature over salads or warmed to season just-roasted or grilled vegetables.

Balancing the Sweetness

Because of its sweetness, honey needs a good punch of acid either from vinegar or citrus and the varieties are nearly endless but we suggest citrus like lemon or grapefruit over sweeter oranges and limes.

Vinegars offer a wide variety from the mild rice vinegar to assertive red wine, apple cider or white vinegars so let your palate be your guide. Balsamic vinegar is also a good choice but its sweet edge requires a bit more acid or perhaps mustard to balance the density of honey.

Battling Crystallization

If your honey crystalizes, a common occurrence with raw honey (especially in colder months), then it is easily and quickly thinned by pouring it into a microwave-safe container and place in the microwave.

Heat at 10-second intervals and stir; repeat until honey reaches the consistency you like. If you prefer not to use a microwave, put the heatproof jar into a saucepan of boiling water and warm it, stirring until it reaches the desired consistency.

Honey Mustard Dressing Over Bitter Greens

Bitter greens, aka winter greens, are mega-bombs of nutrition yet need a slightly sweet dressing to counteract their innate bitterness. This is the perfect dressing for a flowery honey like Orange Blossom although heartier ones like Sourwood yield even more depth of flavor.

To add protein to make a main course or luncheon entrée, cook the proteins first. Some suggestions are roasted Marcona almonds, crispy bacon pieces, cooked cubes of chicken breast or pan-seared cubes of tofu. Roasting or pan-firing nuts takes about 5 minutes, cooking bacon about 10-12 minutes, and chicken or tofu about 20 minutes or more, so adjust your schedule accordingly.

The salad is delicious without protein thanks to a lovely ratio of acid and sweet in the dressing.

Ingredients for Salad

- 6 lightly-packed cups or more of chopped bitter greens of your choice*
- 10 large shavings of Manchego or Parmesan cheese, optional garnish

*Options include: radicchio, green or purple cabbage, arugula, dandelion greens, Belgian endive, escarole, frisée, watercress, beet greens or baby kale. Aim for at least 3-4 selections for variety in taste and color.

Directions for the Greens
Wash, dry, and chop or tear the greens. Set aside in a large salad bowl.

Ingredients for Dressing

- 1 T mild honey such as Tupelo or Adagio Black Tea Honey
- 1 tsp. of Dijon-style mustard
- 2 T vinegar
- 6-8 T of olive oil

Directions for Dressing
To prepare the dressing use a clean glass jar. Pour in the honey, mustard, and vinegar and stir until fully incorporated. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, stirring continuously, so that all the ingredients stay melded together in a smooth consistency.

Add a good pinch of salt. Taste. The dressing should be slightly saltier and more acidic than you’d expect; add more as necessary. This punch of acid and salt is necessary because these greens contain a lot of water naturally, and if the dressing is too mild tasting, it will be quite bland when the greens are dressed.

Pour on the dressing over the selection of greens and coat thoroughly. Shave cheese, if using and place decoratively around the salad. Serve immediately. Yields 6 generous servings. Dressing should yield ½ cup and can easily be doubled. If you have leftovers, put lid on the jar and refrigerate. If honey thickens, heat in microwave as described above before using.

P.S. This dressing lends itself beautifully as a dressing over roasted or grilled vegetables. Simply grill or roast them with a dash of olive oil and a pinch of salt until they are browned and fork-tender. Remove from the oven and pour the dressing all over. Adjust seasoning as desired. Serve immediately.

3 More Easy Ways to Perk Up Veggies with Honey

1. Honey is Groovy on Green Beans.

Mix 1T of honey with 1T of soy sauce then add ½ tsp. of chopped fresh ginger and 1 t of a large garlic clove, chopped finely. Brush on a half-pound of fresh green beans then roast or grill. Delicious with most veggies. Generous 2 servings.

2. Perfect on Potatoes

Roast or grill 4 yams or sweet potatoes as you normally would, then cut into cubes. Toss with 1-2T of honey and sprinkle red pepper flakes and salt, to taste. Works wonders with fingerling potatoes, too. Yields 4 or more servings.

3. Rocks Root Veggies

Mix together ¼ olive oil with 2 T of honey for each 2 cups of chopped veggies. Choose from different colored carrots, yellow or red onions, golden or red beets, turnips, parsnips or winter squash like Acorn or Butternut.

Make sure to cube the veggies the same size as possible so they can cook evenly. Spread the veggies on a roasting pan or foil-topped cookie sheet and toss with the olive oil and honey mixture. Sprinkle on leaves pulled off 1 large sprig of thyme or rosemary. Add 1 tsp thinly-sliced garlic. Roast for 15 minutes at 425°F. Flip over the veggies and continue roasting for 15 more minutes or until a fork pierces the veggies easily. Remove from oven and add salt to taste. Yields 4 servings.

Bon appétit!