The Main Menu: Celebrate the season with true Canadian maple syrup

By JAN MAIN

Snow melting, birds returning, cold nights and warmer days – It’s the perfect time for sugaring off that is, for the maple syrup to run. Our taste buds are ready for that first distinct sweet taste of maple syrup.

Maple syrup is not just for pancakes as these recipes will attest. In fact, the natural sweetness of maple complements everything from salmon and the Easter ham to the accompanying vegetables and of course, the grand finale, dessert.
Celebrate spring and Easter with the true Canadian flavour of maple syrup!

Maple Glaze for Fish or Ham

Gisela Braune uses this maple glaze to marinate and cook with salmon. After tasting it, I realized it would be equally good to coat ham. Quick and easy to make, you can marinate the salmon then cook it in the glaze. T

raditionally, a fish dish is served on Good Friday and meat such as roast ham on the Easter Sunday. The glaze works equally well for fish and ham.

If time is tight, omit the marinating and simply cook the fish or meat with the glaze.

1/2 cup (125 mL) maple syrup
1/4 cup (50 mL) soya sauce
1 tbsp (15 mL) each, fresh lemon juice and olive oil
1 clove of minced garlic
1/4 tsp (1 mL) each, dried rosemary and fresh black pepper

To Make Glaze: In a mixing bowl, whisk together maple syrup, soya sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, rosemary and pepper.
For Fish: Arrange fish, salmon or trout, skin side down, in oven – proof baking dish and drizzle glaze over fish. Turn fish over so that meat side is submerged in the glaze and marinate for 2 hours. To cook fish, preheat oven to 425 F (220 C) cook for 15 minutes per one inch of fish, in preheated oven.

Note: If fish is very thin, sometimes trout fillets are thin, cooking may be complete sooner. To tell if fish is cooked, the flesh flakes easily. Do not overcook or fish will be chewy and tasteless.

While fish is cooking, warm serving plates in the oven. Once fish is cooked (it flakes easily after 15 minutes) lift skin from fish and discard. Using server, lift fish onto warmed dinner plates. Serve immediately with lemon wedges. Makes 4 servings.

For Ham: Alternatively, using the cooking directions for ham; brush glaze on the outside of the ham during the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Maple Vinaigrette for Spring Salad

The sweetness of maple syrup adds a delicious flavour to the piquant taste of these fresh Ontario salad ingredients. Our own greenhouse Boston lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes are in season now.

Spring Salad

2 heads of Boston lettuce, washed and dried
2 Ontario hot house tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 cup (250 mL) English cucumbers halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup (125 mL) pepitas or sunflower seeds

In a serving bowl or platter combine lettuce leaves torn into bite sized pieces, hot house tomatoes and cucumbers and seeds. Toss with enough dressing to lightly coat leaves. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Maple Vinaigrette

3 tbsp (45 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (15 mL) each, maple syrup, Dijon mustard and white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp (1 mL) fresh black pepper and salt

In a mixing bowl, whisk together oil, maple syrup, mustard and vinegar, pepper and salt until well blended. Pour into jar and store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Shake well before using. Makes about 1/3 cup enough for 1 medium salad.

Maple Syrup Pie

If you like butter tarts, you will love this pie, basically a gigantic ooey, gooey butter tart. (Feel free to use the filling for tart shells!)

1 9- inch (23 cm) deep dish pie shell
Filling:
2 eggs, separated
2 tbsp (25 mL) butter
3/4 cup (175 mL) packed brown sugar
1 cup (250 mL) maple syrup
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice and some grated lemon rind
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
1/2 cup (125 mL) raisins, washed and dried (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C). In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl using beater, beat yolks, butter and brown sugar until thick and creamy. Beat in maple syrup, lemon juice and rind, vanilla and raisins if using, until well blended.

Fold in beaten egg whites until no white remains. Pour filling into prepared pie shell or tart shell. Bake 15 minutes or until pastry starts to brown; reduce heat to 350 F (180 C) and continue baking until filling is set and pastry is golden about 25 minutes for pie.

For tarts, fill 12 tart shells with filling and bake at 425 F (220 C). for 15 minutes or until filling is set. Cool on rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.

Makes one 9-inch pie or 12 tarts.

Whipped Cream

1 cup (250 mL) whipping cream
1/4 cup (50 mL) icing sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

In a deep bowl (yogurt container works well for this, pour in whipping cream and with electric mixer on high- speed beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Beat in sifted icing sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. May be made several hours ahead of serving.