Honey, I Have A Cold

Colds and flu are in season. A friend with it has declared that honey is better than chicken soup.

Thinking this is heresy, I decided to investigate. Here’s why it can be true.

Hot tea with honey, like chicken soup, helps relieve a stuffy nose. In tea or from a spoon, it also coats a sore throat, plus it has antibiotic and anti-inflammatory benefits for sinuses under siege.

Using honey when you are sick has roots even more primal than chicken soup. The first sweetener known to man and his sweet tooth, long before cooking with fire, we enjoyed eating honey. By 5,000 BC, doctors in Egypt used it to treat respiratory ailments and sore throats, says C.  Marina Marchese in Honeybee, LessonsFrom An Accidental Bee Keeper.

If you catch cold on a trip, or the flu strikes suddenly, add another plus for honey. Unlike with chicken soup, just reach for the jar, with no chopping, simmering or pot-scrubbing required.

Every honey has its own taste. This is not just interesting for cooking, since the bold flavors of varietal honeys are bold enough to enjoy right through a stuffed-up cold. This provides blessed relief for the boredom of drinking hot tea in copious quantities for days.

Varietal honeys blossom with as many flavors and nuances as wine, as you can see at Red Bee, Marchese’s honey company. Personal favorites include tupelo and buckwheat.

When you do not want a “honey” flavor, skip clover honey, ubiquitous at supermarkets. Instead, use wildflower, which has the most neutral taste.

Farmers market usually have local honey. For a unique taste of New York City, I love New York Rooftop Honey sold at the Union Square Greenmarket. The Honey Locator lets you find your local honey.

Black Bean Blini Fit a Champagne or Beer Budget

Blini conjure up visions of a posh nosh, usually caviar or smoked salmon and chilled champagne. Making them at home takes serious time while those sold in gourmet stores or on the Internet tend to be dry and tough.

By accident, I discovered blini you can make quickly and without advance planning. Plus they are as delicious served on their own as when paired with salmon. It started with egg whites left over from a baking project, plus a bowl of refried black beans. Seeing them both on the kitchen counter triggered the idea of combining the beans with beaten egg whites and cooking the resulting mixture and cooking it in silver dollar-size dollops on a griddle or in a hot skillet. The result is soufflé-light as the mixture puffs into little pancakes with a light crust that make perfect finger food.

At today’s multicultural table, these blini are good served with fresh salsa and Mexican crema, as a luxurious nacho. Heavenly topped with smoked salmon, or salmon caviar if you want to splurge, they are also great served with a top-knot of sour cream and a wispy feather of fresh dill.

Black Bean Blini

The seasoning in these elegantly light pancakes goes equally well with smoked salmon or salsa. To serve with sour cream and dill, skip the cumin and oregano and replace the chipotle with ancho chile powder.

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

One can (15 ounces), drained black beans, or 2 cups cooked untilsoft

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 large egg whites, or the liquid equivalent

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beans, oregano, cumin, and chipotle. Add 2 tablespoons water. Using the back of a wooden spoon, mash the beans until they are creamy, with most of them broken up but some bits remaining, about 2 minutes. Season the beans to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool slightly.

2. Beat the egg whites until foamy. Add a pinch of salt, and continue beating until soft peaks form. Fold in the black bean mixture until it is evenly combined with the whites, making a soft, fluffy batter.

3. Heat 2 teaspoons of the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. For each pancake, drop about 2 tablespoons of the bean mixture into the pan, making six at a time. Cook until well-browned on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Turn and brown well on the second side, 2 minutes. Set the cooked bliny in one layer on a warm platter, or serve as soon they are cooked. After the second batch, add the remaining oil to the pan.

4. Serve topped with smoked salmon, sour cream and dill, or fresh salsa. To reheat, place the bliniy in a heated dry skillet, turning them once.

Makes 12 bliny

© Adapted from 12 Best Foods Cookbook, by Dana Jacobi

Upside-Down Pineapple Sweet Potatoes

These mashed sweet potatoes have starred at Thanksgiving and other family gatherings since my godmother’s mother first served them in 1958. They taste as delicious as candied yams although the sugar with the pineapple is the only sweetening added. Once unmolded, this dish keeps and reheats well, making it a good contribution for casserole and pot-luck suppers. Too good to serve only on Thanksgiving, this dish freezes well, so double the recipe and tuck one in the freezer to defrost and reheat anytime, wrapped in foil and defrosted, at 350° F. for 45 minutes.

2 1/2 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, oiled, baked, and mashed

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar

7 slices canned pineapple, drained and dried

2 large eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Coat a 9” round cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the sugar. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, tilting to coat the bottom evenly. Arrange six pineapple slices in a ring around the edge of the pan and place one in the center.

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk the sweet potatoes, eggs, cinnamon, and baking powder together until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the potato mixture into the baking pan, spreading it evenly over the pineapple and smoothing the top. Tap the pan sharply on the countertop to knock out air bubbles.

4. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes, or until the top looks feels dry and springy to the touch. A knife inserted into the center should come out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the pan. Invert a serving plate over the pan and holding it firmly in place, flip the two so the potatoes drop onto the plate. Serve warm.

Makes 8 servings

©Cook & Freeze: 150 Delicious Dishes To Serve Now and Later, by Dana Jacobi