The Sweet Sign of Spring… Maine Maple Sunday 2014!

Spring is coming. How do I know? Certainly not because of the weather outside—it continues to be frightful this year! I know because Maple Sunday is coming right up on the 23^rd! The sugar in maple sap only appears when warm, sunny days and below-freezing nights follow each other for days on end, as they do during Maine’s long, slow spring.

It is quite a treat to go to farms all over Maine on the fourth Sunday in March. You can experience the process and see a real sugarhouse and real kettles boiling sap over the fire.

Just a few facts to ponder from the Maine Maple Producers Association:

• The average maple tree is not tapped until it is about 40 years old. If the tree was tapped any younger, it could hurt the tree.
• An average 40-year-old tree yields about 40 quarts of sap in a season. This is just enough to make 1 quart of pure maple syrup.
• The flavor varies from year to year; sometimes the syrup is dark and rich, sometimes pale gold and delicate. It all depends on the soil and terrain, the wind and the weather—just like wine.
• Once it flows from the tree, the sap must be processed within a few hours or it will spoil, so syrup makers work round the clock once the spring run has started.

Much of the sap is still gathered the old-fashioned way: in buckets hung from trees. It is then boiled down into syrup over wood fires. Some of the larger producers have adopted modern, labor-saving technology—they gather the sap with plastic tubing strung all the way from the trees to the sugarhouse.

From holding tanks, which may hold as much as a thousand gallons, the freshly collected sap, usually about three percent sugar, is fed continuously into the evaporator. There it is kept constantly boiling, throwing off dense clouds of steam as it becomes more and more concentrated. When the syrup reaches a temperature of seven degrees above the boiling point of water, the sugar-density is just right. The finished syrup is immediately filtered to remove particles of “sugar sand.” These, though harmless, would make the syrup cloudy. Once properly clear, the finished syrup is packed in sterilized containers and sealed, ready to be distributed and enjoyed around the world.

When you get back from your trip to the farm, why not try some of my recipes to celebrate this sweet natural syrup? YUMMM!!

Nancy’s Basic Sauce—great to use with any kind of meat or fish!

Ingredients:

2 TBS Dijon mustard
2 to 3 TBS grainy mustard
1/3 cup (or to taste) pure maple syrup
2 TBS mayonnaise
1 TBS lemon juice

Method:
Heat mustards and maple syrup in a small pot. Remove from heat and cool for about 10 minutes. Add the mayonnaise and lemon juice. Pour over meat or fish and bake until done.

Another recipe to try: remember that Sriracha Sauce recipe from last month?  Just take ½ cup of maple syrup and add 2 tsp. of Sriracha (or to taste) and pour over salmon, pork, chicken, or beef and bake until done.

Maple Bacon Jam

Great over a block of cream cheese and spread onto crackers. Also, good with toast and biscuits! The possibilities are endless… Try it with sweet scallops or on a sandwich.

Roasting Root Vegetables

Nothing reminds me more of the colder months than roasted root vegetables. My grandmother used to have a dirt-floored room in the basement that she used solely for the storage of these vegetables. My sisters and brothers and I called it the root cellar. Root vegetables are naturally suited for long storage and, once the temperature starts to drop, there’s nothing better than carting them up to the kitchen for cooking. The aroma of these tasty gems while roasting is mouth-watering. These vegetables are fresh and available in fall and winter when other vegetables are hard to find. They are an original “green” food because they are available locally. They are also inexpensive and pack tons of nutrients and flavor, as well as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Turnips, rutabagas, beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, celery root, leeks, carrots and parsnips are very versatile and are yummy when roasted. Roasted vegetables are crunchy on the outside and deliciously soft and creamy on the inside. They sport a caramelized flavor and are both smoky and naturally sweet. They can be paired with any kind of meat or fish, but they are delicious as an entrée as well. Roasted root vegetables add a colorful arrangement to your palette.

Roasting is the easiest technique you can perfect. Anyone can do it without a recipe. All you need is a hot oven, sliced or diced vegetables, extra virgin olive oil, a little salt and pepper and a sheet pan big enough to arrange the vegetables in a single layer without crowding the pan. There is a lot of peeling and slicing or dicing but it is worth it. You can add garlic and spices and herbs to change and enhance the flavor from recipe to recipe. For instance, to make it Mediterranean-style, add rosemary and balsamic vinegar; Italian, add oregano or sage; for Indian, add cardamom; for Mexican, add cumin or coriander and cilantro to garnish. I also like to just add extra virgin olive oil and Canadian steak seasonings.

Here are several of my favorite ways to prepare roasted root vegetables. Use them as a side dish. I pair the maple and sage recipe with some lovely white beans warmed up with sage and extra virgin olive oil as an entrée. I also love them in a wrap with provolone cheese.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Maple and Sage
Serves 4

1 rutabaga, peeled and sliced

1 turnip, peeled and sliced
1 sweet potato, peeled and sliced
1 parsnip, peeled and sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and several cranks of black pepper

3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss sliced vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread vegetables in a single layer on an aluminum lined baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the maple syrup and sage to the melted butter and stir until combined. Pour over the vegetables, and stir until well coated. Roast for another 15-20 minutes or until maple syrup becomes bubbly and vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.

Spiced Pork Stew with Roasted Root Vegetables and Gremolata

Pork Seasoning:

1 tablespoon of cumin seed toasted and ground
2 tablespoons of coriander seeds toasted and ground
2 tablespoons of fennel seeds toasted and ground
3 pounds of pork shoulder trimmed and cut into 2 inch chunks
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ tablespoon of oregano
½ tablespoon of thyme
6 garlic cloves smashed

Cover the pork cubes with the above ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate overnight.

Remove the meat from the refrigerator and allow coming to room temperature and season with salt and pepper. Sear and brown the meat on all sides in extra virgin olive oil. Remove and add:

1 sliced onion
1 diced carrot
¼ of fennel diced
1 bay leave
1 crumbled chile de arbol

Stir and cook about 5 minutes. Add in 1 cup of white wine and reduce by ½.
Then add in and bring to a boil:
2 cups of chicken stock
2 cups of veal or light beef stock

Place pork in the pot and add:
1 whole lemon
6 sprigs of cilantro

Cover pot and place in a 300 degree oven and braise for 4 hours or until tender. In the meantime prepare root vegetables simply with salt and pepper and extra virgin olive oil for roasting.

Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Remove the meat and place on a sheet pan. Caramelize for about 30 minutes. Place root vegetables on the other rack and roast at the same time.

Place pot back on the stove and reduce to ½ over high heat until thickened for a sauce.

Plate meat and roasted vegetables on a serving platter. Cover the pork with the sauce and garnish with gremolata: mix zest of 1 lemon, 2 cloves of minced garlic and ½ cup chopped parsley. YUM. This is Mexican at its best!

Maple Treats from Chef Nance!

As promised in my last blog, and in the spirit of Maine Maple Sunday, here are more Maple treats to enjoy!

 

Nancy’s Maple Syrup Dressing

*Please note that this recipe does use 3 raw and uncooked eggs.

2 eggs
3/8 Cups Pure Maple Syrup
3 Cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3/4 Cup Water

Process all ingredients in the food processor until creamy and yummy. Store in refrigerator and bring to room temperature before using.

 

Nancy’s Chicken with Maple Syrup and Tarragon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Ingredients:

3 pounds chicken thighs
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup or to taste pure maple syrup
¼ tsp. freshly grated lime rind
¼ tsp dried tarragon
salt and pepper
1 ½ teaspoon fresh lime juice

Place chicken in a buttered baking dish. Combine all ingredients and pour over the chicken. Bake for about 45 minutes or until bubbly and done. I like to serve this with a multi grain rice pilaf with peppers and onions and pineapple.

 

Nancy’s Good Old Fashioned Baked Beans

Preheat oven 250 degrees

Ingredients;

6 cups of navy beans soaked overnight in cold water and drained.
1 pound of thick cut chopped bacon
1 teaspoon of pepper
¾ teaspoon of dried mustard
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 large onion diced and sautéed

Cover beans with fresh cold water and bring to a slow boil and cook until tender. Drain and save the liquid. Fry the bacon until crispy. Place half of the bacon and drippings in a casserole. Place ½ of the onions on top of the bacon. Combine 1 ¼ cup of bean liquid with the rest of the ingredients and mix with beans. Place beans over onions. Top with the rest of the onions and pour in enough bean liquid to just cover the beans. Top with the rest of the bacon. Cover and bake 8 hours.

Please enjoy and feel free to share your tasty Maple treats!

Don’t miss this year’s Maine Maple Sunday: March 28, 2010

The Sweetest Time of Year: Maine Maple Season

I am from “away”. So, I cannot tells tales of my childhood growing up in Maine of such things as Maine Maple Sunday and all the treats that go along with the education of one of the oldest traditions in Maine.

But when I first participated in Maine Maple Sunday I felt like a child in a grownup body. How fun is it to watch the process! In a real old fashioned sugar house! Imagine something that can be harvested in a Maine cold winter mode. With snow still on the ground! Something real and organic!

The sugar in maple sap only appears where warm, sunny days and below-freezing nights follow each other for days on end, as they do in Maine’s long, slow spring time usually starting in late February. Maple sap, as it drips from the tree, is a clear liquid containing about 2% dissolved sugar. It looks just like water, and has a very slight sweet taste. The true maple flavor comes out as part of the heating and boiling process.

Maple Sap Buckets

Some sugar houses are producing maple syrup in a high tech way. Fortunately for us many sugar houses in Maine still tap and produce the sap in the old fashioned way in buckets hung from trees and boiled down in big kettles over wood fires until the syrup reaches a temperature of seven degrees above the boiling point of water. Native Americans actually started this process in much the same way except they tapped the trees with axes. After they boiled the sap they left it to cool. They actually made maple sugar so that it lasted much longer.

There are more than seventy sugarhouses in Maine. According to Maine Maple Producers Association ONE 40 year old tree yields 40 quarts of sap per season which produces 1 quart of pure maple syrup? WOW – what a fact. That’s a lot of sap and not so much syrup. No wonder it is so expensive. But oh so worth it!

The end product is primarily the rich-flavored maple syrup that we have in our pantry all year round. It is used for waffles and pancakes; it’s also used to make a variety of confections, such as pure maple sugar and maple fudge. Or our own CVC maple walnut cookies. I also make a wonderful maple syrup salad dressing and a maple syrup glazed chicken and of course baked beans! Yummmmmmmmm!

 

CVC Maple Walnut Cookies

Preheat Oven 350 degrees

Please note that this is a true bakers recipe where the ingredients are measured by the pound and ounce not cups, teaspoons and tablespoons

Ingredients:

2 Lb of Butter and Margarine Blend
1 1/2lb Sugar
1 3/4 Lb Brown Sugar
2 Cups of Eggs- about 10 count
1 ¼   Oz Vanilla
4 ounces of maple flavoring
3 1/2 Lb All Purpose Flour
3/4  Oz of salt
1 oz Baking Soda
3/4  oz Baking Powder
1 Pounds of Chopped Walnuts

Method:

Cream butter, margarine and sugars until well blended. Add 2 eggs at a time until all is creamy. Add vanilla and maple flavoring. Mix all dry ingredients and add a little at a time until all is incorporated. Then add walnuts until mixed in. Drop spoonfuls onto cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and bake for about 12 minutes.

Enjoy and stay tuned for more great Maple treats! Also feel free to share your own creations!

Don’t miss this year’s Maine Maple Sunday: March 28, 2010