clear honey

The perfect showpiece to your Christmas Day meal - and it's suitable for veggies

Moroccan spiced pie

cumin seeds

tsp paprika,plus extra for dusting

cinnamon

olive oil

squash,peeled and cut into small chunks (about 2cm)

shallots,quartered

4cm/1½ in piece root ginger,finely chopped

whole blanched almonds

pistachios

cranberries

tbsp clear honey

pack fresh spinach

garlic

tsp cumin

lemon juice

coriander

butter

filo pastry

carton Greek yogurt

tbsp milk

mint,leaves

harissa paste

Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6. Dry fry the seeds briefly in a small pan over a medium heat until toasty – don’t let them burn. Grind coarsely using a pestle and mortar (or a bowl and the end of a rolling pin), then mix in the paprika, cinnamon, 1⁄2 tsp salt and 4 tbsp oil. Tip the squash into a roasting tin, pour over the spiced oil and toss. Roast for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan, add the shallots and cook, stirring, until they start to brown. Stir in the ginger and 100g/4oz each almonds and pistachios.When brown, toss in the cranberries, 2 tbsp honey, and the spinach so it wilts. Take off the heat and stir into the squash, when it comes out of the oven. Set aside.

In a food processor, whizz the chickpeas with the garlic, cumin, remaining oil, lemon juice, 2 tbsp water and salt and pepper to make houmous. Stir in the coriander.

Melt the butter in a small pan. Put a loose-bottomed 28cm quiche tin on a baking sheet and brush with some butter. Keeping the filo covered with a damp cloth so it doesn’t dry out, lay one sheet over half of the tin so that it hangs over the edge by about 10cm. Lay another sheet on the other side, so it overlaps the first in the centre and hangs over the opposite edge. Brush with butter. Lay two more filo sheets in the opposite direction in the same way and brush with more butter.

Build up two more layers in this way, so you use a total of eight sheets of filo. Pile half the squash mixture in the centre of the pastry. Spread over the houmous and then the rest of the squash mixture.One at a time, bring the edge of each filo sheet up to the centre to cover the filling, creating voluptuous folds as you go. Brush carefully with more butter. (If making a day ahead, cover now with cling film and chill. To reheat, remove the pie from the fridge, heat the oven, then bake for 35-40 minutes.)

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until crisp and golden. Just before the pie is ready, reheat any remaining butter in the pan, tip in the rest of the nuts and fry until golden. Spoon in the 4 remaining tbsps of honey and, when it melts, take off the heat and pour over the pie. Serve with Harissa yogurt sauce (mix the yogurt and milk together to make a thin sauce, stir in the herbs and season. Swirl in harissa to taste) and lemon wedges.

Show off with minimal effort, this delicious salad is simple to prepare but looks so pretty on the plate

Goat's cheese & beetroot salad

cooked beetroot (fresh

log firm goat's cheese,

small-leaf salad, containing rocket and herbs

garlic clove, crushed

Dijon mustard

tsp clear honey

walnut oil

Thinly slice the beetroot, either with a very sharp knife or on a mandolin. Arrange overlapping slices over four dinner plates.

Put all the dressing ingredients into a jar, replace the lid, then shake well to mix. Drizzle a little over the beetroot. Slice the goat’s cheese into 12 and put 3 slices on top of each serving of beetroot. Toss the salad leaves in a little dressing, then put a small pile of leaves on top of each serving of cheese. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.

A delicious way to cook duck which is well worth the wait

Slow roast honey & sesame duck

duck

tsp coarse sea salt(see 'Try' below)

tsp sesame seed

milliliters red wine

chicken stock (or water with a small sprinkling of chicken stock cube)

Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Score the duck breast skin with a sharp knife. This helps release excess fat from the skin as the bird roasts. Season the duck with the sea salt and pepper, then sit it on a rack set in a roasting tray and roast for 1&frac12; hrs. Remove the bird from the oven and pour off the excess fat collected in the tray.

Return the duck to the roasting tray, then spoon 3 tbsp of the honey over to cover the breasts and legs. Roast the duck for a further hr, basting with the honey every 10-15 mins. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top during the final 10 mins of roasting.

Once cooked, remove duck from the roasting tray, and allow it to rest for 10-15 mins. Spoon the remaining tbsp of honey over the duck as it rests.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Pour off any excess fat from the roasting tin, leaving behind a couple of tbsp of the honey and duck juices. Heat the roasting tray on top of the stove. Once the contents sizzle and become well caramelised, pour in the red wine, then boil for a few mins to reduce by about a third. Pour in the chicken stock (or water and stock cube), then simmer for several mins, also allowing it to slightly reduce to strengthen the flavour. Finish off the sauce (which is quite loose) with the knob of butter (for thicker gravy see &#39;Try&#39; below). Season with salt and pepper and strain through a fine sieve, if you like.

Now finsih it in style: Gary say&#39;s: I prefer to serve just the half duck on the plate. To do this, remove the duck breasts and legs from the breast bone by cutting either side of the breast bone, following its natural line. Drizzle any excess honey juices over and offer all accompaniments separately.

For lamb that will melt in your mouth and surprise your palate, follow Sarah Cook's easy recipe

Slow-roast lamb with cinnamon, fennel & citrus

leg of lamb

orange

fennel seeds, ground cumin

garlic cloves, crushed

Put the lamb into a large food bag with all the juice and marinate overnight.

The next day, take the lamb out of the fridge 1 hr before you want to cook it. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Take the lamb out of the marinade (reserve remaining marinade) and pat dry. Rub with half the oil and roast for 15-20 mins until browned. Remove lamb and reduce oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.

Mix the zests, remaining oil, honey, spices and garlic with plenty of seasoning. Lay a large sheet of baking parchment on a large sheet of foil. Sit the lamb leg on top, rub all over with the paste and pull up the sides of the foil. Drizzle marinade into base, and scrunch foil to seal.

Roast for 4 hrs, until very tender. Rest, still wrapped, for 30 mins. Unwrap and serve with juices.

Kids can help with this super-simple bread recipe. Use whichever flour you like, granary, wholemeal or white

Bread in four easy steps

granary, strong wholewheat flour

sachet fast-action dried yeast

salt

Tip the flour, yeast and salt into a large bowl and mix together with your hands. Stir 300ml hand-hot water with the oil and honey, then stir into the dry ingredients to make a soft dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 mins, until the dough no longer feels sticky, sprinkling with a little more flour if you need it.

Oil a 900g loaf tin and put the dough in the tin, pressing it in evenly. Put in a large plastic food bag and leave to rise for 1 hr, until the dough has risen to fill the tin and it no longer springs back when you press it with your finger.

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Make several slashes across the top of the loaf with a sharp knife, then bake for 30-35 mins until the loaf is risen and golden. Tip it out onto a cooling rack and tap the base of the bread to check it is cooked. It should sound hollow. Leave to cool.

High in fibre, a good source of iron, vitamin C and it counts as 3 of your 5-a-day - what's not to love about this superhealthy salad?

Puy lentil, spiced roast carrot & feta salad

carrots

pouch cooked Puy lentils (or canned, drained and rinsed)

red onion

½ lemon

mint leaves, roughly chopped

lamb's lettuce

feta cheese

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a shallow roasting tin, toss together half the oil, the cumin, carrots and some seasoning. Roast for 25 mins, turning halfway through cooking. Drizzle over the honey, stir and roast for 5 mins more.

Meanwhile, gently heat the lentils with the onion, lemon juice, remaining oil and some salt and pepper. Allow to cool slightly while the carrots finish cooking.

Toss the dressed lentils with mint and lamb’s lettuce. Lay warm spiced carrots on top and scatter with feta.

A superquick family favourite - fab for barbeques

Chinese pork ribs

pork ribs

hoisin sauce

soy sauce

tbsp vinegar (you can use cider, malt or wine)

tsp Chinese five-spice powder

Put the ribs in a large pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 mins. Meanwhile, pour the hoisin sauce in a jug and stir in the soy sauce, honey, vinegar and five-spice.

Drain the ribs very well, then brush with the glaze – if barbecuing, chill, cover and keep in the fridge for later.

Heat the grill to high, if using. Grill or barbecue for 15-20 mins, turning from time to time until shiny and slightly charred in places. Serve hot.

This cheap and simple chicken one-pot makes for a fuss-free dinner

Honey, mustard & crème fraîche baked chicken

tbsp crème fraîche

tbsp grainy mustard

chicken stock

chicken drumsticks and thighs

baby potatoes

green beans

tarragon

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix together the crème fraîche, mustard, garlic and stock with some seasoning. Arrange the chicken, skin-side up, in a roasting tray just large enough for the chicken and vegetables.

Tuck the potatoes and beans in between the chicken pieces. Pour over the stock mixture then season the chicken and drizzle with honey. Cook for 40-45 mins until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes tender. Scatter over the tarragon before serving

The fresh colours and flavours of this salad are so summery and look especially good served on a big white plate

Prawn & avocado platter with lime & chilli dressing

large headless cooked prawn

avocados

basil leaves

bag baby green salad leaf

lime juice

lime wedges,

Peel the prawns, leaving the tails intact, then rinse and pat dry. Put all the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and whisk to mix.

Up to 1 hr before serving, peel and stone the avocados, then cut into thick slices and put in a large bowl with half the dressing. Mix lightly to coat all the slices (this prevents them turning brown). Chop the basil and add to the bowl along with the prawns. Toss everything together lightly. Scatter the leaves over a platter, then spoon the prawns, avocado and basil mix over. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

A German biscuit similar to gingerbread, lebkuchen is easy to make and a great Christmas treat

Lebkuchen

plain flour

ground almond

ginger

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

lemon, finely grated zest

pinch each ground cloves, grated nutmeg and black pepper

tsp baking powder

icing sugar

egg white, beaten

Tip the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Heat the honey and butter in a pan over a low heat until the butter melts, then pour into the flour mixture along with the lemon zest. Mix well until the dough is combined and fairly solid. Cover and leave to cool.

Heat oven to 180C/fan160C/gas 4. Using your hands, roll dough into about 30 balls, each 3cm wide, then flatten each one slightly into a disk. Divide the biscuits between two baking trays lined with baking parchment, leaving room for them to expand. Bake for 15 mins, then cool on a wire rack.

To ice the biscuits, mix together the icing sugar, egg white and 1-2 tbsp water to form a smooth, runny icing. Dip the top of each biscuit in the icing and spread with the back of a knife. Leave to dry out in a warm room.

This dish makes the perfect ending to a relaxed dinner party, special yet stress-free

Spiced baked figs with ginger mascarpone

figs

tbsp butter

brown sugar

tbsp orange juice

star anise

stem ginger

tbsp ginger syrup

tub mascarpone

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lay the figs in an ovenproof roasting dish, dot over the butter and drizzle with honey. Sprinkle over the sugar and cinnamon, then pour over the orange juice and mix lightly. Nestle the star anise amongst the figs and roast for 15-20 minutes.

When ready to serve, mix the ginger and syrup through the mascarpone. Place 4 fig halves, drizzled with syrup, on a plate with a dollop of mascarpone and some shortbread fingers.

Our easy Devonshire honey cake recipe is perfect for a cream tea or enjoying with your afternoon cuppa.

Honey cake

unsalted butter

dark muscovado sugar

eggs

self-raising flour

Preheat the oven to fan 140C/ conventional 160C/gas 3. Butter and line a 20cm round loosebottomed cake tin. Cut the butter into pieces and drop into a medium pan with the honey and sugar. Melt slowly over a low heat. When the mixture looks quite liquid, increase the heat under the pan and boil for about one minute. Leave to cool for 15-20 minutes, to prevent the eggs cooking when they are mixed in.

Beat the eggs into the melted honey mixture using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour into a large bowl and pour in the egg and honey mixture, beating until you have a smooth, quite runny batter.

Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 50 minutes-1 hour until the cake is well-risen, golden brown and springs back when pressed. A skewer pushed into the centre of the cake should come out clean.

Turn the cake out on a wire rack. Warm 2 tbsp honey in a small pan and brush over the top of the cake to give a sticky glaze, then leave to cool. Keeps for 4-5 days wrapped, in an airtight tin.

Top 12 clear honey recipes from across the web

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Top Tags

Moroccan spiced pie

Goat's cheese & beetroot salad

Slow roast honey & sesame duck

Slow-roast lamb with cinnamon, fenn...

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Puy lentil, spiced roast carrot & f...

Chinese pork ribs

Honey, mustard & crème fraîche bake...

Prawn & avocado platter with lime &...

Lebkuchen

Spiced baked figs with ginger masca...

Honey cake

Top 12 clear honey recipes from across the web

The most viewed clear honey recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Moroccan spiced pie

Goat's cheese & beetroot salad

Slow roast honey & sesame duck

Slow-roast lamb with cinnamon, fenn...

Bread in four easy steps

Puy lentil, spiced roast carrot & f...

Chinese pork ribs

Honey, mustard & crème fraîche bake...

Prawn & avocado platter with lime &...

Lebkuchen

Spiced baked figs with ginger masca...

Honey cake

The most viewed clear honey recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine