The summer solstice and the June full moon have shaped this week’s recipes.
Judaism doesn’t have an extensive summer solstice tradition. But the thought of summer and all of its wonderful fruits and vegetables had me revise a favorite fall and winter dish: tsimmes. My Summer Tsimmes is oven-roasted rather than stewed and uses fresh apricots and plums instead of dried.
My other inspiration is Sunday’s full moon, sometimes called the Honey Moon. Some say it was so named because the hives are full of honey, others because June is so popular for weddings.
Judaism has a long tradition of enjoying honey, especially once the fierce Syrian bees were supplanted by their milder European cousins. Both recipes below use honey.
Summer Tsimmes
Makes 4 cups
oil spray
3⁄4 cup olive oil
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1⁄4 cup lemon juice
1⁄4 tsp. salt
1⁄4 tsp. ground black pepper
1⁄2 tsp. sugar
1⁄8 tsp. dried ground ginger
4 medium carrots
1 small sweet potato, scrubbed or peeled
1 small onion
1 lb. total plums and/or apricots
2 medium zucchini or other summer squash
1⁄4 cup honey
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 3 large baking pans or trays. Combine oil, garlic, juice, salt, pepper, sugar and ginger for marinade. Stir well before each use.
Cut carrots, sweet potato and onion into 1⁄2-inch pieces. Toss with 3 Tbs. of marinade. Place on greased baking tray in single layer. Put in oven.
Pit fruit. Cut into 1⁄2-inch chunks, toss with 3 Tbs. marinade, place on a second greased baking tray. Cut squash into 1⁄2-inch chunks, toss with 2 Tbs. marinade, and place on a third greased baking tray. Put both in oven after the first has been roasting 15 minutes. Roast until soft and browned, about another 30 minutes (timing for each tray may vary), stirring every 15 minutes. (Note: If all the baking trays won’t fit in the oven at once, roast in batches without giving the sweet potatoes and carrots a head start.)
Mix remaining marinade in small pot with honey. Bring to low boil over medium heat. Stir often. Cook until it is syrupy and reduced to 1⁄2 cup. Combine vegetables with juices in bowl. Toss with warm dressing.
Honey Soy Chicken
Serves 4
2 Tbs. peanut or canola oil
11⁄2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 Tbs. minced garlic
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
1⁄8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1⁄8 tsp. salt
1⁄8 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1⁄4 cup soy sauce
1⁄4 cup honey
1⁄2 cup plus 2 Tbs. chopped, fresh cilantro
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Working in
2 batches, brown chicken thighs on both sides. Remove to plate and set aside. Add garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper and sauté until garlic is golden. Add mushrooms and sauté until just beginning to release moisture and soften. Add stock, soy sauce and honey. Stir. Bring to simmer. Add chicken with accumulated juices. Keep at simmer until cooked through, turning chicken often in sauce. Remove chicken to serving dish. Keep warm.
Turn heat to high, bring to boil and reduce sauce down by about half. Reduce heat to low. Add 1⁄2 cup cilantro and vinegar. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Spoon sauce over chicken. Garnish with remaining cilantro. Serve with rice or pearl barley.
Faith Kramer is a Bay Area food writer. Her columns alternate with those of Louise Fiszer. She blogs at www.clickblogappetit.com. Contact her at [email protected].