Hot honey has me in its sticky grip.

You can pay too much for this spicy-sweet condiment or make your own in minutes. It’s a zippy dip for pretzels and chips, kicks up mozzarella on crostini, enlivens ricotta cheese on berries. Think Nashville hot chicken, hot honey butter for biscuits and cornbread. Do try it over vanilla ice cream.

Now is the time to put up your own hot honey because local peppers at the farmers markets are hitting their peak. Start with fresh chiles; they are fruitier, brighter and more complex than the dried. Simmer them first with a little vinegar to mellow the chiles’ harshness and give the honey a bit of tang. Use small chiles — the bird’s-eye, habanero, or Scotch bonnets. Make sure to wash your hands after working with chiles and do NOT touch your eyes when you do.

Vary the honey for flavor and color. The darker the honey (i.e. buckwheat) the more robust the taste; the lighter (i.e. clover) the honey, the milder and smoother it will be. The number of chiles is up to you: a few for punch, a lot for a bang. Toss in an orange, lemon or lime peel, or a cinnamon stick or several cloves, just for fun.

Hot honey will keep at least two weeks in the refrigerator. It stands up to salty, fatty cured meats — pepperoni, salami, pancetta, prosciutto and bacon — ripe cheeses, as well as salmon and shrimp. Come winter’s chill, swirl hot honey into steamy toddies, teas and foamy lattes. You just need a small drizzle of this dazzling elixir to jazz everything up.

Roast Vegetables with Hot Honey Vinaigrette

Serves 4.

You’ll end up with more hot honey than you’ll need for the following recipe, so store it in a covered container in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. It’s fabulous served as a condiment on a cheese and charcuterie board, drizzled over grilled chicken and salmon, and whipped into butter for biscuits and cornbread. It’s the secret to a bold, dazzling vinaigrette, too. From Beth Dooley.

For the hot honey:

5 or more whole small hot chiles, such as habanero, bird’s eye, Scotch bonnets

3 tbsp. white wine or champagne vinegar

½ c. mild honey (clover, wildflower, etc.)

1 thin strip orange peel (optional)

For the vinaigrette:

¼ c. olive oil

3 tbsp. fresh orange juice

1 small clove garlic, smashed

½ tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tbsp. hot honey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Roast Vegetable Salad:

1 ½ to 2 lb. mix of peppers, zucchini, green beans, and salad turnips, scrubbed and cut into ½-in. pieces

2 tbsp. olive oil

Coarse salt

4 to 5 handfuls of dark greens, such as spinach, baby kale, arugula, alone or mixed together

3 to 4 tbsp. Hot Honey Vinaigrette

4 orange slices, optional

Red pepper flakes, for garnish

Directions

To make the hot honey: Cut slits into the chiles with a sharp knife. Put the chiles and vinegar into a small pot and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the amount of vinegar is reduced by half, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the honey until dissolved. Pour the honey into a clean jar with a lid, add the orange peel, and allow it to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate.

To make the vinaigrette: Put all of the ingredients into a small jar with a lid and shake to combine. Store extra in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

To make the salad: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cover a sheet pan with parchment. Toss the vegetables onto the sheet pan and drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread the vegetables out in an even layer and roast until they begin to turn brown and toasty, about 20 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Remove and set aside.

Put the greens into a large shallow serving bowl then arrange the roasted vegetables over the greens. Drizzle the vinaigrette over all. Garnish with a few orange slices and a sprinkle of the red pepper flakes.

____

Beth Dooley is the author of “The Perennial Kitchen.” Find her at bethdooleyskitchen.com.

©2024 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit at startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.