Agave Glaze Recipes

TEPARY BEANS WITH CHILE-AGAVE GLAZE

Steps:

• Place the white and brown tepary beans in a large bowl. Add enough water to cover by 4 inches and let soak overnight at room temperature.
• Drain the soaked beans, discarding the liquid, and transfer the beans to a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add enough cool water to cover the beans by about 4 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat, cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Reserve 1 cup of the bean cooking liquid, then drain the beans.
• In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the cooked beans and the reserved bean cooking liquid, the agave and the chile powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced to a glaze, about 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Divide among bowls, sprinkle with additional chile powder and top with oregano.

AGAVE-GLAZED SHRIMP

Steps:

• Whisk together the chicken broth, agave, clementine juice, chipotle powder, cumin, lime zest and juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Marinate for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature.
• Preheat an indoor grill plate over high heat.
• Set a strainer over a bowl and drain the shrimp completely, reserving the marinade for later. Place the shrimp in a single layer on a paper towel-lined plate and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt. Grease the grill plate with oil.
• Grill the shrimp on both sides until super charred and no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove to a bowl.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add the reserved marinade and simmer until reduced by about half, about 2 minutes. Add the cooked shrimp and stir to coat in the sauce. Season with salt. If serving with brown rice, season with a couple drops of rice wine vinegar, plate and serve.

AGAVE-GLAZED TURKEY BREAST WITH SHERRY GRAVY

Steps:

• For turkey breast:
• Pat turkey breast dry and rub all over with 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. If you have the time, chill the breast in a baking dish, covered, overnight (see Cooks' Notes).
• Let turkey stand at room temperature 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 425°F with rack in lower third. Position turkey on rack in pan and roast 30 minutes.
• Reduce oven to 400°F and scatter onion slices in bottom of roasting pan. Add 1 cup water and continue to roast until thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast, close to but not touching bone, registers 160°F, 30 to 40 minutes.
• For glaze:
• While turkey is roasting, stir together agave nectar and vinegar in a small nonreactive saucepan and boil, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to 3 tablespoons. Remove from heat, but keep warm.
• Brush glaze on turkey and roast until thermometer registers 165°F, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer turkey breast to a platter and let stand 15 minutes.
• For gravy:
• While turkey is standing, remove the rack, scraping off any yummy bits into the pan.
• Straddle pan over 2 burners and add sherry, then deglaze pan by boiling sherry, stirring and scraping up browned bits, for 1 minute.
• Strain liquid through a sieve into a heavy medium saucepan. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and keep at a simmer.
• Meanwhile, whisk 1/2 cup water slowly into flour in a small bowl until flour slurry is smooth, then whisk in 1 tablespoon vinegar. Add flour slurry to simmering stock, whisking, and bring gravy to a boil, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking, 3 minutes.
• Season gravy with salt and pepper and additional vinegar, if desired.
• Slice turkey breast and serve with gravy.

AGAVE-GLAZED PORK BELLY WITH GRILLED PINEAPPLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F. Season pork belly all over with 4 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper.
• Place chiles in a large roasting pan. Place pork belly, skin side down, on top of chiles; drizzle with 1/2 cup agave. Pour remaining 1/2 cup agave and 2 cups water into pan. Cover pan tightly with lid or two layers of foil.
• Transfer to oven and cook pork for 3 hours, basting with pan juices every hour. Turn pork over. Cook until very tender, about 4 more hours.
• Transfer pork to another roasting pan (if bone-in, remove and discard bones). Strain liquid from first roasting pan into a saucepan (there should be about 5 1/2 cups); reserve chiles. Gently boil juices until reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, 45-50 minutes; add reserved chiles. Remove pan from heat. Let glaze cool; chill.
• Meanwhile, cover pork with parchment or waxed paper. Top with a large plate. Place weights, such as large canned goods, on top. Chill overnight.
• Reheat glaze. Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill pineapple until nicely charred, 2-3 minutes per side; place on plates.
• Let grill cool to medium heat. Slice pork belly into 1"-thick pieces. Grill until warmed and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Brush pork with some of the glaze from chile sauce.
• To serve, place 2 or 3 pineapple slices on each plate; spoon glaze over, then top with pork belly. Drizzle with vinegar.

PECAN SANDIES® ENCRUSTED SCALLOPS WITH BALSAMIC HONEY AGAVE GLAZE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a pot to 350 degrees F.
• In a small saucepan, reduce the balsamic vinegar until 1/3 is left. Add the agave syrup and cook for 2 minutes on medium heat. Stir in the honey and finish with the butter. Sprinkle with chives and set aside.
• In a food processor, combine the breadcrumbs and Pecan Sandies and pulse to make a breading. Dredge the scallops in the flour, then the eggs and roll in the breading mixture. Drop into the oil and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drizzle the scallops with the glaze and serve.

AGAVE-SWEETENED CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Steps:

• Combine the coconut milk, agave nectar, rice- or soy-milk powder, cocoa powder, and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor and blend on medium speed for 1 minute. While the processor is running, gradually add 1/2 cup of the coconut oil and 1/2 tablespoon of the lemon juice and blend until thoroughly incorporated. Add the remaining 1/4 cup coconut oil and 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice and process for 1 minute more. The glaze can be stored, covered tightly, at room temperature for up to 4 days.

AGAVE GLAZE FOR HAM OR PORK

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients mix well. Score ham or pork the last ten minutes of cooking time. Spread agave mixture evenly over roast. Bake at 450°F 5 minutes, basting with pan drippings and bake 5 minutes longer.TIP: Drippings may be thickened with flour or cornstarch if desired.