22 March 2014 Tangy Maple Dip

Tangy Maple Dip

March 22, 2014 By

Maple DipEvery year, I feature some maple recipes at the start of maple season in Quebec. I have fond memories of going to the sugar shack growing up and each year, I engage my family and friends in sharing maple recipes with me for the blog. This one is from my aunt, Francoise.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup tomato catsup
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. green relish
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp. flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions :

  1. Put all the ingredients in a blender and process for 1 minute, or until smooth.
  2. Refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight – the dip will thicken as it sits in the fridge.

Makes about 2 ½ cups.

Filed Under: Canadian, Maple Syrup, Sides, Starters Tagged With: , ,
9 September 2012 Quick and Easy Greek Yogurt Blueberry Pie

Quick and Easy Greek Yogurt Blueberry Pie

September 9, 2012 By

I typically try not to cut corners when I bake, but in a bind, like when I am on vacation and do not want to cut into my pool time, a store-bought Graham cracker crust is a suitable alternative to the real thing.

This easy pie can feature any berries that are in season. Using fresh fruit is pretty critical, but frozen whole berries that are properly thawed could be used when no fresh fruit is available.

Ingredients:

  • 1 17.6-ounce container of plain Greek yogurt
  • 8-ounce container of whipped cream cheese
  • Zest of ½ lime
  • ¼ cup plus 1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
  • 2 cups of blueberries
  • 9-inch Graham cracker crust

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, the cream cheese, the lime zest and the ¼ cup maple syrup.  Set aside (can be made up to 4 hours prior to assembling the tart if kept refrigerated).
  2. Poor the yogurt mixture over the cracker crust forming an even layer.  Gently add the blueberries over the yogurt layer and spread evenly to completely cover the yogurt. Drizzle the remaining maple syrup over the berries and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 8.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Desserts, Fruits, Greek, Maple Syrup Tagged With: , , ,
7 May 2012 Easy Bolognese Sauce with Marsala and Maple Syrup

Easy Bolognese Sauce with Marsala and Maple Syrup

May 7, 2012 By

This easy-to-make sauce will develop flavors as it cooks then sits, so prepare it in the morning, let it simmer for 30 minutes or longer and then let it develop flavors as it cools.  Simply reheat it in time for dinner.  Nope, the maple syrup and the Marsala are not typical to Bolognese, but they add a special touch and make this sauce taste like no others.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 medium carrots, finely diced
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 3/4 pound ground pork
  • 3/4 pound ground veal
  • 3/4 pound ground beef (20% fat)
  • 2-28 ounce can Italian-style tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Marsala wine (red wine would be great also)
  • 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup (could substitute with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar)
  • 1/2 tsp. each, dry oregano, basil, black pepper and red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 pound tubular pasta, rigatoni works well
  • ½ cup pasta cooking water (optional)
  • ½ cup whole milk (or light cream)
  • 1 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottom saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add carrots, onion and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium, and cook until vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Increase heat to high, add meats and sauté until no longer pink, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add tomatoes, wine, broth, maple syrup and the spices and stir well.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours.
  4. Boil pasta to al dente.  Before draining, add a ladleful of pasta cooking water (about ½ cup) to the sauce.  Add the milk to the sauce and stir to combine – reheat if needed.
  5. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and stir gently to coat it.  Serve with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese.

6 Servings.

Notes:   This sauce freezes very well, so feel free to double up the recipe!

 

Filed Under: American, Beef, Canadian, Cheese, Entrees, Italian, Maple Syrup, Pasta, Pork, Veal Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
23 March 2012 Maple White Sangria

Maple White Sangria

March 23, 2012 By

In my spring quest for maple recipes, I was thrilled to get a cocktail recipe from my sister featuring the sweet sap as an ingredient.  What a great way to kick off the chilled cocktail season!

Ingredients:

  • 1 bottle of dry white wine
  • ½ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 lemon, sliced
  • ½ honeydew melon either cubed or balled with a melon baller
  • 24 green seedless grapes
  • 2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup Vodka
  • 2 cups soda water

Directions:

  1. In a large pitcher, combine all the ingredients.  Allow fruit to permeate the liquids for at least an hour.  Served in ice-filled glasses.

Yields 6 cocktails.

 

Filed Under: Cocktails, Fruits, Maple Syrup, White Wine Tagged With: , , ,
22 March 2012 Maple Sucre a la Crème

Maple Sucre a la Crème

March 22, 2012 By

This recipe is from my mom, Diane.  It adds a unique twist of maple syrup to a Québec favorite:  sucre à la crème, what I’ll translate to brown sugar squares.  This is a decadent treat that your loved ones are certain to enjoy.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups maple syrup
  • 3 tsp. butter
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts, optional

Directions:

  1. Bring the syrup and butter to a simmer over medium heat in a heavy-bottom saucepan.  Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
  2. Carefully add the cream to the hot mixture (wearing an oven mitt to avoid possible splattering burns when adding the cream to the hot liquid is recommended).  Cook until the mixture reaches 245 degrees on a candy thermometer.
  3. Remove from the heat and add the nuts (if using).  Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
  4. Using a stand or hand mixer, beat mixture for 10 minutes.
  5. Pour the beaten mixture in a buttered 8×8 pan and allow to cool completely before covering with foil and refrigerating.  Cut into 2” squares.

Makes 16 squares.

 

Filed Under: Canadian, Desserts, Maple Syrup Tagged With: , , , , , ,
10 January 2012 Salmon with Brown Sugar Glaze

Salmon with Brown Sugar Glaze

January 10, 2012 By

I came home from a business trip Saturday night to find my guy having planned meals for every night this week.  How great is that!!?

For dinner last night, he prepared salmon on the grill with this really great glaze on it that was inspired by a recipe by Bobby Flay.  He reserved some of the glaze and drizzled it over steamed green beans for a tasty and simple side dish.

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. finely chopped ginger
  • Vegetable oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 salmon fillets, 6 ounces each

Directions:

  1. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the brown sugar, maple syrup and butter. Remove from the heat and whisk in the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil and ginger.  Let cool.
  2. Preheat grill to medium heat.  Brush salmon skin with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Place the salmon skin side down on the grill. Brush some of the glaze over the salmon fillets.  Grill for 10 to 12 minutes to medium doneness, with the lid of the grill closed.

Serves 2.

Notes:  You’ll have some glaze leftover.  Brush additional glaze over the grilled salmon and drizzle over steamed vegetables or boiled potatoes.

 

 

Filed Under: American, Asian, Entrees, Fish, Maple Syrup Tagged With: , ,
30 December 2011 Baked Beans – It’s What’s for Breakfast

Baked Beans – It’s What’s for Breakfast

December 30, 2011 By

Traditional Bean Pot

When I was growing up in Quebec, the family would gather at Grandma’s house for baked beans breakfast several times a year.  She’d bake fresh loaves of bread and the aromas would be divine.

Grandma would soak her dry beans overnight then cook them slow and low overnight, with Grandpa adding a little water throughout the night.  The beans were prepared simply: salt pork, a whole onion (that uncle Dan would always get to have) and some molasses.  Grandma would serve the beans on mismatched plates, no two alike, and I’d pour Quebec maple syrup on them and scarf then down – bliss.  I’ve eaten my way around a bunch of cities and this meal is still my favorite breakfast.

 

This year, with Grandma’s passing, my mom, Diane, decided to fix this dish for us as a sort of an ode to Grandma.  She’d even bought a handsome bean pot for them to simmer in!  I’m providing the recipe below, but it’s not really about making this dish, it’s about the story behind it.  Way to go mom for keeping this tradition alive and the family well-fed!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups dried white beans
  • 1/2 pound salt pork, cut into 1″ cubes
  • 1 medium onion, peeled
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 tsp. dry mustard
  • 1 tsp. each salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Place the beans in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water then cover with foil.  Place the saucepan in the refrigerator at least 12 hours.

  2. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Take the beans out of the refrigerator and put on the stovetop on high heat.  Boil the beans for 30 minutes, then, using a colander, drain the water.
  3. Place half of the cubed salt pork in the bottom of a heavy, oven-proof pot or Dutch oven (if you have a traditional bean pot, even better).  Add the beans and top with the remaining salt pork.  Tuck the onion in.  Combine the rest of the ingredients and pour over the beans and pork.
  4. Cover the beans with hot water, place in the oven, covered, and cook for 7-8 hours.  Halfway through the cooking process, add more hot water to once again cover the beans.

Makes 6-8 servings.

 

 

Filed Under: Breakfast, Canadian, Maple Syrup, Pork, Sides Tagged With: , , ,
17 May 2011 Maple Glazed Parslied Baby Carrots

Maple Glazed Parslied Baby Carrots

May 17, 2011 By

This side dish pairs well with just about anything: roast chicken, grilled salmon, BBQ ribs, steaks and more.  It’s simple and delicious.  Tri-color baby carrots make this dish even prettier.

Ingredients:

  • One 16-ounce bag baby carrots
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp. pure maple syrup
  • ¼ cup chopped flat leaf (Italian) parsley
  • Salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. In a pot of boiling water, cook the carrots until fork tender, about 5 minutes.  Strain the carrots in a colander and shake to get as much water off the carrots as possible.
  2. In the same pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat and let brown slightly.  Add the mustard and the maple syrup and stir to combine. Allow the glaze to simmer for a minute, then add the carrots, stirring gently to coat them with the glaze.  Turn the heat to low, cover the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pot from time to time.
  3. Uncover, add the parsley, then salt and pepper to taste.  Stir and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

 

Filed Under: American, Canadian, French, Maple Syrup, Sides, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , ,
2 April 2011 Feeling Sappy? My Top 5 Maple Syrup Desserts

Feeling Sappy? My Top 5 Maple Syrup Desserts

April 2, 2011 By

Maple Water Bucket

Maple season’s here and every year that I don’t make it home to Quebec for the sweetest season of all, I get a bit homesick. I grew up in a small town in southeast Quebec where my family and four other families of friends owned a sugar shack. I have very fond memories of harnessing horses to a sled hauling a maple sap collection barrel and then bring this sap to the shack for the boiling process that would result in amber elixir our moms then cooked and baked with.

This year, since I won’t be making the pilgrimage north, I decided to bake and cook with maple syrup for a two-week stretch to get my fix in. I even requested the help of my family to expand my maple recipe collection. Here are my top 5 maple dessert recipes from my archives and from newly-shared family recipes:

  1. Eggs in Maple Syrup
  2. Maple Delights
  3. Maple Syrup Dumplings
  4. Maple Syrup Pie
  5. Maple Taffee on the Snow

BONUS 6: Maple Whipped Cream

If you decide to try any of them, please leave a comment on this post so I can let my mom, aunt and grandma who contributed know that our traditional family recipes are being enjoyed.

Cheers!

Veronique

Filed Under: Canadian, Desserts, Maple Syrup, Other Neat Things Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
30 March 2011 Eggs in Maple Syrup (Oeufs Dans le Sirop D’Erable)

Eggs in Maple Syrup (Oeufs Dans le Sirop D’Erable)

March 30, 2011 By

My mom, Diane, isn’t the sweet tooth in the family, her love of food is more savory, so I’m excited to be able to share a dessert she craves often and can’t live without – scrambled eggs cooked in maple syrup.  Yea, I know, it sounds odd, but it’s a very traditional dish in Quebec, especially during sugar shack season in the spring.  Think egg drop soup, but with maple syrup instead of broth.  Give it a try a let me (and my mom) know what you think!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup maple syrup (see ‘notes’ below)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Vanilla ice cream (optional, sort of)

Directions:

  1. Bring the syrup to a boil in a small, heavy saucepan, over medium-high heat.  Once the syrup has begun to boil, turn heat to medium-low.
  2. In a medium bowl, break the eggs, then scramble them well using either a fork or a whisk.  Add salt to the eggs and stir to incorporate.
  3. Pour the egg mixture into the simmering syrup and stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate the egg into the hot syrup.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, then remove the saucepan from the heat and let sit to cool for about 15 minutes.
  4. Scoop ice cream in two bowls, divide eggs between the two bowls then spoon some cooking liquid onto the eggs and ice cream.

Makes 2 servings.

Notes: Don’t waste top notch maple syrup to bake or cook with, less fancy grade will do just fine and often offers stronger maple flavors.  This recipe can easily be doubled.  Letting the mixture cool off a bit before serving allows the syrup to thicken slightly, so don’t omit this step, no matter how difficult it will be!

Filed Under: Canadian, Desserts, Eggs, Maple Syrup Tagged With: , , , , ,
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