Bees Knees

Canapés served during reception, cash bar:

• Endive with Walnut, Brie and Lavender Honey
• Grilled Peaches, Double Crème Brie & Buckwheat Honey Crostini

Charcuterie board on each table:

• An array of cured meats, cheeses and dips with a focus on pairing with local honey

Served meal:

Appetizer

• Citrus & Grilled Fennel Salad with Honey and Coconut Roasted Chicken Kabob
  

Main Course

• North River Fish Farm Poached Striped Bass with Fresh Shaved Spring Onions, Bok Choy, Ginger and Honey Soya Broth
  

Accompaniments

• Fresh Honey Buttermilk Rolls with Whipped Honey Butter
• Dalhousie’s 200th Just Us Rise n’ Shine Dark Roast Fair Trade Coffee & Orange Pekoe Tea

Dessert

• Honey Pecan Cheesecake with Fresh Mint and Chantilly Cream
• Wine on tables, winemaker TBD

Coconut Honey Skewers

Serves - 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pound skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite size cubes
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup canned coconut milk lite or regular both work great
• juice of 2 limes
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 4 cloves garlic minced or grated
• 3 leaves bay
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

INSTRUCTIONS

1.     Add the chicken to a large bowl or gallon size Ziploc bag. In a blender, combine the soy sauce, coconut milk, juice of 2 limes, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger and black peppercorns. Blend until smooth. Pour the marinade over the chicken and the bay leaves. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and place in the fridge for at least one hour or overnight.

2.     Preheat the grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers (or wood skewers that have been soaked in water). Place the chicken on the grill until the chicken is golden and no longer pink in the center, about 5-10 minutes each side. You may also cook the chicken in a skillet if needed. While the chicken is cooking, I like to add the reserved marinade to a small sauce pan, bring it to a bowl and cook about 5 minutes or until reduced to a sauce.

Grilled Fennel Salad

Ingredients

·        1 naval orange

·        1 lime, juiced

·        1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

·        1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

·        Salt

·        Freshly ground black pepper

·        2 fennel bulbs, halved vertically

·        2 celery stalks, shaved on mandolin

·        1/2 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves, removed from stems

Directions

 Grate 1/2 teaspoon of orange zest, then cut the rind and pith away from the orange. Segment the orange, over a bowl, making sure to cut on each side of the membrane. Squeeze the remaining membrane and reserve the juice. 

Vinaigrette: 

Whisk together the lime juice, mustard, 4 teaspoons reserved orange juice, 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon orange zest. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 

Heat a grill to medium. 

Salad: 

Brush the cut flat sides of the fennel bulbs with olive oil and season with salt. Put on the grill and cook until you see grill marks. Remove them from the grill to a cutting board and let cool. Remove and discard the core. Thinly slice the fennel bulb vertically. Add the fennel slices to a glass bowl along with the shaved celery and the whole parsley leaves. Add the vinaigrette, toss to combine and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Divide the salad among 4 individual serving plates. Using a vegetable peeler, shave 4 strips of Parmigiano-Reggiano and put 1 strip on top of each salad. Arrange the orange segments on top of composed salad and serve.

Honey Pecan Cheesecake

Yield: 12 servings

Cheesecake Filling

·         2 8 oz. blocks Cream cheese softened

·         1 c Tate + Lyle honey Granules

·         3 Eggs

·         2 Tbsp. Flour

·         1 1/2 tsp Vanilla

Pie Crust

·         2 c Pecans crushed

·         1 Tbsp. Butter

Instructions

1.     Preheat oven to 350°F

2.     Melt butter and add crushed pecans.

3.     Form the pecan mixture into 1 inch balls and place them in your mini cheesecake pan.

4.     Use tamper to firmly press the pecan ball in to the bottom of the pan.

5.     In bowl beat cream cheese, honey granules, eggs, and vanilla until thoroughly mixed.

6.     Add flour slowly, mixing it in completely.

7.     Pour cheesecake mixture over pecan crusts, filling each tin almost to the top.

8.     Bake for 15 minutes.

9.     Let cool completely.

Steamed Bass with Onion, Ginger and Bok Choy

Ingredients

·      2 tablespoons peanut oil

·      1 small onion, thinly sliced

·      Salt

·      One 1 1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and julienned (3 tablespoons)

·      One 2 1/2-pound whole black sea bass, cleaned and scaled

·      Soy sauce, for drizzling

·      1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

·      2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

·      1 scallion, cut into 2-inch julienne strips

• How to Make It
• Step 1    
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil in a small skillet. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook over high heat, stirring once or twice, until browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the ginger.
• Step 2    
• In a large wok, set a round rack that will sit at least 3 inches above the bottom. Add 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Set the fish on a heatproof plate that will fit in the wok and sprinkle the onion and ginger on the fish. Set the plate on the rack, cover the wok and steam the fish over moderate heat until just cooked through, about 20 minutes.
• Step 3    
• Drizzle the fish with soy sauce. In a small skillet, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon of peanut oil with the sesame oil over moderately high heat, then pour it over the fish. Sprinkle with the cilantro and scallion and serve.