syrupThis year, on April 5, the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival is celebrating 50 years! Since 1965, the annual event has attracted thousands of people to the biggest festival of its kind and we’re excited to once again be part of the action. We especially love that proceeds from the Festival go back to non-profit organizations in the local Elmira community. We’re all about supporting local!

But we also don’t bring out the maple syrup just once a year, we love to cook with it year-round and have been experimenting with it lots as we gear up for the Festival.

Maple syrup isn’t just made for pancakes and French toast. We use this liquid gold for our butternut squash soup and to balance out a vinaigrette. You can use maple syrup as a substitute for honey and maple sugar as a substitute for brown sugar. Some of our best recipes started with a missing ingredient and using a substitution we had on hand. Be creative and experiment!

One of my favorite things to do as a chef is sharing what we create, whether it’s through pictures, on our website or this blog, in Woolwich Observer articles, and at our store and catering business – we enjoy bringing our passion of the region to your table. Congratulations to Elmira and all the volunteer on the 50th anniversary of the Maple Syrup Festival!

Here’s a full meal – entree, salad and dessert – starring maple syrup. Enjoy!

Maple Sugar Shack Chicken Breast

Rub:

  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 4 skin on chicken breasts
  • 2 tsp. vegetable oil
  • Combine all dry ingredients, evenly rub into the chicken breast, add vegetable oil. Let stand for 25 minutes.

Glaze:

  • ½ cup maple sugar 
  • 1 clove chopped garlic
  • 1 tsp. chopped ginger
  • 1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
  • Combine ingredients, it will turn into a paste. 
  • Place chicken after marinating on a baking tray and roast in a preheated oven at 400 for 8 minutes.
  • Turn oven down to 350 and spread the glaze over the chicken. Continue cooking until the chicken breast reaches 165 F.
  • Allow to rest for 5 minutes, slice and serve with salad.

Crunchy Romaine Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 head romaine, chopped
  • 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
  • 1 Martin’s honey crisp apple, sliced
  • ¼ red onion, sliced
  • 15 toasted pecan halves
  • crumbled smoked cheddar
  • sea salt and cracked pepper
  • maple cider vinaigrette

Maple Cider Vinaigrette:

  • 2 tbsp. cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsp. cider
  • 2 tsp. grainy Dijon
  • 1 tsp. chopped ginger
  • 1 tbsp. diced onion
  • 2 sprigs of chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 tbsp. Elmira maple syrup
  • 6 tbsp. olive oil
  • combine in food processor and puree.

Instructions

  • In a bowl, place the chopped romaine, apple, carrot and red onion.
  • Toss in maple cider vinaigrette. Do not add the whole batch of dressing. Only add as much as you need.
  • Season with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place in serving dish and top with crumbled cheddar and pecan halves.

Tarte Tartin Upside-Down Apple Pie

Ingredients

  • 1 2/3 cups flour
  • 6 1/2 tbsp. cold butter
  • 1 egg yolk 
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • 3 tbsp. water
  • 7 tbsp. butter
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 7 tbsp. maple sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 8 baking apples, peeled and cored

Instructions

  • Place dry ingredients in food processor, add butter, water and egg yolk. Pulse until combined.
  • Create a ball wrap in cellophane and let rest in refrigerator for 1 hour.
  • Melt the butter in a cast iron pan, sprinkle on the maple sugar, allow the sugar to brown. Add the maple syrup.
  • Arrange halved apples in pan in a single layer, cook on stove top until the apples are caramelized and golden.
  • Arrange apple in bottom of pan with caramel.
  • Roll out dough to round shape – same size as the pan. Place on top, bake in oven until pastry is crisp, 20-25 minutes.
  • Serve with your favourite ice cream.

 

Image: rakratchada torsap / FreeDigitalPhotos.net