Kasey Wilson: Thinking outside the maple syrup bottle
Credit to Author: Stephen Snelgrove| Date: Wed, 08 Jan 2020 19:31:37 +0000
You know you’re Canadian when the only thing better than getting one bottle of maple syrup for Christmas is getting two. That was my good fortune this holiday season. One was a small-batch, single-origin syrup from an old-growth forest and the other came in a hockey-player-shaped bottle that delighted my grandsons.
My bottle of artisanal Sweetbark syrup came from Ontario, but it’s Quebec that produces the vast majority of Canada’s maple syrup. Amounts fluctuate with weather conditions and other factors, but 2019 was a banner year, yielding nearly 13 million gallons. Much of that is exported, with the United States, Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom our biggest customers.
As Canadian chefs know better than anyone, maple syrup is not just for pancakes. Chef Ned Bell of the Vancouver Club proves that point with a Caesar with Prawn Cocktail and a Smoked Sea Salt and Maple Rim.
“The best part of any Caesar is the garnishes,” Bell said. “I always serve mine pimped out with all kinds of additions, plus a dozen shucked oysters on the side. Here I’ve kept things simple with fresh prawns, but feel free to skewer your favourite garnishes such as pickled green beans, olives, bacon and crisp peeled celery.”
I’m also sharing a delicious recipe for scallops seared in maple syrup from chef David Robertson of the Dirty Apron Cooking School. In his original version they are plated with a chorizo and olive ragout and pea coulis, but they make a great appetizer or first course on their own.
You can add another dimension to the flavour with seaweed-infused vodka. Simply place a 4-inch piece of kombu (dried kelp) or fresh or pickled seaweed in 1 cup of vodka and infuse overnight. Strain before using.
Salt and Maple Rim:
¼ cup (50 mL) light brown sugar
¼ cup (50 mL) smoked sea salt
1 tbsp (15 mL) smoked paprika
1/3 cup (80 mL) pure maple syrup
Cocktail:
7 cups (1750 mL) Walter Caesar Mix or Clamato (or 5 cups (1250 mL) tomato juice plus 2 cups (500 mL) clam juice)
1 tbsp (15 mL) plus 1 tsp prepared horseradish, or to taste
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
4 dashes Tabasco sauce
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Coarsely ground black pepper
8oz (250 mL) vodka
12 prawns, heads removed, cooked, shelled and deveined
4 lemon slices for garnish
For the rim, mix brown sugar with sea salt and paprika in a shallow bowl. Pour the maple syrup into a separate shallow bowl. Dip the rims of 4 tall glasses in maple syrup and then in the sugar mixture to coat. Set glasses in the refrigerator or freezer.
For the cocktail, mix together Caesar mix, horseradish, lemon zest and juice, Tabasco, Worcestershire and pepper to taste in a pitcher. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.
Using tongs, fill each glass with ice, taking care to keep the rims intact. Divide the cocktail mix among the glasses and top each with 2 ounces of vodka. Hook 3 prawns onto the side of each glass. Garnish with a slice of lemon.
Serves 4
For Maple-Seared Scallops, let your pan get good and hot before adding them to ensure that the syrup caramelizes nicely. Photo: John Sherlock.
Remove the abductor muscle from the side of each scallop (some scallops are sold with the muscle already removed) as it toughens when cooked. Don’t be afraid to get the pan nice and hot for good caramelization on the scallops. (Adapted from The Dirty Apron Cookbook by David Robertson)
16 large sea scallops
Salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ cup (50 mL) maple syrup
Vegetable oil
1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter
Rinse scallops and pat dry with paper towels. Place them in a small bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour on maple syrup and turn to coat.
Heat a 10- or 12-inch non-stick skillet over high heat until very hot. Pour in enough vegetable oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the scallops in a single layer, making sure not to crowd them. Sear on both sides until nicely browned, about 1 minute per side. The maple syrup will be caramelized.
Reduce heat to low. Add butter to pan and allow it to cook into the scallops for about 1 minute or until they are firm to the touch. Take the pan off heat and transfer scallops to a plate.
Serves 4
Clarified butter, which has the milk solids and water removed, won’t burn at high temperatures as easily as regular butter. Here’s a simple way to make it. Melt butter and pour it into a clear container. Refrigerate it overnight to separate and solidify. The next day, skim the milk solids from the top with a spoon and discard them. Using a chopstick or skewer, poke a hole into the butter along the side of the container and pour out the liquid. You’ll be left with clarified butter.