Honey

Featured Chef - Juan Carlos Nerio

Student Chef
The California School of Culinary Arts (CSCA)
Pasadena, CA

The California School of Culinary Arts (CSCA), the sunny Pasadena location for the Le Cordon Bleu program, hosted the most recent National Honey Board (NHB) student recipe competition.  Twenty-two students from beginning to advanced skill levels accepted the challenge to win one of three scholarship prizes.  Competition rules required the students to complete four servings of a recipe for any menu segment—with each portion containing a minimum of 1 Tablespoon of honey—in 90 minutes.  Student recipes were evaluated equally on presentation, taste (honey identity), execution and technique.

At the moment of reckoning, the three judges—two Le Cordon Bleu chef instructors and a representative from the National Honey Board—needed extra time to consider an array of remarkable flavor combinations and professional presentations.  Because of the skill, artistry and essence of honey demonstrated in two recipes, the judges awarded two top prizes of $1000 each.  The second place prize went to a recipe of striking simplicity and wonderfully subtle flavors. 

Student Juan Carlos Nerio took a first place, with a prize of $1000.

Roasted Beet Napoleon, Supreme Oranges Roasted Beet Salad with Honey, Walnut, and Goat Cheese Filling, Zucchini/Orange Roll, Balsamic Vinegar and Honey Orange Beet Syrup

Honey, Walnut, and Goat Cheese Filling, Suprêmed Oranges, Zucchini/Orange Roll, Balsamic Vinegar and Honey-Orange- Beet Syrup.

Yield:  4 Salads

Total Time: Roasting Beets, about 1hour; Other Steps, about 30mns

Ingredients

2 Red beets, medium

Filling

• 1/3 cup Honey, Orange Blossom or Clover
• 8oz. Goat cheese
• 1/2cup Walnuts, finely chopped
• 1oz. Orange juice

Syrup

• 1/2 cup Honey, Orange Blossom or Clover
• 1/2 cup Orange juice
• As needed Beet slices (see Method)
• As needed Balsamic vinegar

Garnish

• 1 Carrot, large
• 1 Zucchini, medium
• 1 Orange, medium
• Sea salt
• Honey, Orange Blossom or Clover

 

Method

Wrap beets in foil and place in a 350°F oven until a paring knife can easily pierce through, about 1 hour.  Meanwhile, in a non-reactive bowl, mix together filling ingredients, taking care to keep texture creamy, not runny.  Hold in a chiller. Thinly slice Carrot and Zucchini with a peeler lengthwise to create 5-inch ribbons, turning the zucchini in a fashion to keep ribbons uniform with green borders, create four sets.  On a half sheet pant, alternate zucchini and carrot slices 1/8 of inch apart; hold in a chiller.  Supreme the orange and hold in a chiller.  Once beets are tender, cut into 2” x 2” 1/4” slices.  Layer 12 slices on a bowl and chill. Place 4 remaining beet slices and syrup ingredients in a medium saucepot on medium heat and reduce to a syrup consistency.

Plating

Place 1 set of zucchini/carrot slices on a clean board, add 1Tbsp of filling at top of joined slices and roll into a cylinder. Then, place one beet slice on board, add 1tbsp of filling on slice and spread evenly, top with a second beet slice and repeat to create the base. Place filled zucchini/carrot roll on top left side of beet base, add a supremed orange slice to the right of roll, and another orange slice on left side of the bottom of the beet base.  Add a pinch of Sea Salt to oranges, drizzle honey on top of salad, and garnish plate with orange/honey/beet syrup and Balsamic vinegar.