The Co-op Pantry

BY MARY DELPH

BY MARY DELPH

Summer is here at last! Pools are open, grills are going, the grass is having to be cut. Bees are buzzing!

No one likes to encounter flying, stinging insects, but please be gentle with the bees. Honey bees play a vital role in our lives. Seed plants make fruit after pollinators such as bees and butterflies pollinate them by inadvertently transporting pollen from male to female bloom parts. It is estimated that three-quarters of flowering plants need pollinators in order to make fruit.

Many agricultural crops, several billion dollars worth, depend upon domesticated bee hives to help with pollination, and some, such as almonds, are 100% dependent upon the honey bee for pollination. In the role more familiar to most, honey bees also collect and concentrate nectar in production of honey. So please enjoy the honey-themed recipes for this issue.

Emily’s Honey Lime Coleslaw

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime zest 1/4 cup lime juice 2 Tablespoons honey 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 3 Tablespoons canola oil 1 small head red cabbage (about 3/4 pound), shredded 1 cup shredded carrots (about 2 medium carrots) 2 green onions, thinly sliced 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Whisk together the first 7 ingredients until smooth. Gradually whisk in oil until blended. Combine cabbage, carrots and green onions; toss with lime mixture to lightly coat. Refrigerate covered, 2 hours. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Sticky Asian Chicken Wings

20 large chicken drumettes, skinned (about 1 1/2 lb.) 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided 5 Tablespoons wildflower honey 1/4 cup unsalted chicken stock 2 1/2 Tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar 1 1/2 Tablespoons sambal oelek (ground fresh chili paste) 1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 Tablespoon minced fresh garlic 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 2 Tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

Preheat broiler with rack 6 inches from heat. Coat a large foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine chicken and 1 Tablespoon oil on prepared pan; toss to coat. Broil 13 minutes; turn chicken over, and broil 3 minutes. Meanwhile, combine honey, stock, soy sauce, vinegar, sambal, ginger, garlic, and remaining 1 Tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; cook 13 minutes or until syrupy and reduced to about 2/3 cup, stirring frequently. Brush chicken with 3 Tablespoons honey mixture, and return to broiler; broil 2 minutes or until lightly charred. Place chicken in a large bowl; drizzle with remaining honey mixture, and toss to coat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with cilantro and peanuts.

Honey-Brined Grilled Shrimp

1 1/2 pounds unpeeled large shrimp 1 cup boiling water 2 Tablespoons kosher salt 5 Tablespoons wildflower honey, divided 2 cups ice cubes 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil ¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 3 Tablespoons finely chopped white onion 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 small red Fresno chili, thinly sliced

Devein shrimp, and remove legs from shells, if desired. (Do not remove shells from shrimp.) Combine 1 cup boiling water, salt and 2 1/2 Tablespoons honey in a large bowl; stir until the salt dissolves.

Add ice cubes; stir until mixture cools. Add shrimp, and refrigerate 20 minutes. Remove shrimp from bowl, discarding liquid. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels; toss shrimp with 1 1/2 teaspoons honey. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place red wine vinegar and remaining 2 Tablespoons honey in a large bowl; stir with a whisk to combine. Gradually add olive oil, stirring constantly with a whisk until well blended. Stir in parsley, onion, oregano, and garlic.

Arrange unpeeled shrimp on grill grates coated with cooking spray; grill shrimp, uncovered, 2 1/2 minutes on each side or until lightly charred and cooked through. Add shrimp to bowl with vinegar mixture; toss well to coat. Arrange shrimp mixture on a platter; top with sliced Fresno chili.

Note: green jalapeños taste almost the same as the young Fresnos.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter (softened) 1/3 cup honey 1 pinch salt (optional, add if using unsalted butter)

Take the butter out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before starting the recipe so it has a chance to soften up (room temperature is ideal).

Add the butter to a mixing bowl, and using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter until it’s fluffy. Pour in the honey and some salt, and continue mixing until you’ve got a smooth mixture. Transfer the honey butter to a bowl or jar.

Baklava Cookie Bars

Crust 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon orange zest 1 1/2 cups flour 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Nut Topping 1/3 cup pecans, chopped 1/3 cup almonds, chopped 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon cloves 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted Syrup 1/3 cup honey 3 Tablespoons water 1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 F and line an 8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper. Whisk together melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and orange zest until combined. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; add to butter mixture and fold in until incorporated. Press dough evenly into bottom of prepared pan and bake crust for 15 to 16 minutes, until lightly golden and set.

While the crust bakes, make the nut topping. Combine pecans, almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in a small bowl; add melted butter and stir until incorporated. Spoon topping evenly over warm crust and return pan to oven. Continue baking another 10 to 12 minutes, until golden. While the bars finish baking, make the syrup. Combine honey, water, and orange juice in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let mixture simmer until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Place baked bars on a wire rack and drizzle syrup over still-warm topping, tilting pan slightly to coat evenly. Cool bars completely in pan. Carefully lift parchment and place bars on a cutting board; cut into triangles with a sharp knife. If desired, serve with a drizzle of honey. Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days, or freeze up to 3 months.