Maple Magic: Elevating Autumn’s Dishes With New England’s Sweetest Tradition

Maple Magic

Elevating Autumn’s Dishes With New England’s Sweetest Tradition

As the humid air starts to turn crisp over Connecticut, the sugar maple leaves slowly change color. Not only do their vibrant new displays of gold and crimson signal an end to the heat of summer, they also usher into our kitchens the return of fall flavors, including their most beloved product: maple syrup. With its caramel-like color and rich sweetness, maple adds subtle warmth and depth to everything from every day breakfast favorites to new seasonal creations. This versatile pantry staple also has quite a history as an iconic symbol of the culinary heritage of New England.

Native Americans utilized sugar maple sap as a food source, teaching European settlers how to tap the trees to harvest the sap and then boil it into maple syrup. By the late 1700s, sugar maples stood as a farmland staple across the region. Maple syrup production, known as “sugaring,” became a time-honored tradition that communities gathered around. It takes almost 40 gallons of sugar maple sap to produce just one gallon of maple syrup. This means that maple syrup was then, and still is today, a cherished local product that is feted at festivals and fairs, and found in dishes both sweet and savory. Many local maple syrup producers still use techniques that have been passed down through several generations, improving their craft through modern day technologies. 

Although sugaring season technically takes place in early spring, maple syrup has become inseparable from fall cooking. Many think of maple only for pancakes, waffles or perhaps dessert. But in the recipes below, we explore how some of our state’s best chefs incorporate this amber elixir in more unique ways, all the while celebrating the history and tradition behind each precious drop. 

We’ll start with a cocktail from mixologist Owen Barnett, whose great-great-grandmother Stefania, a widow with three little girls, took up bootlegging in Norwich during Prohibition. Following his ancestor’s outlaw attitude, Barnett has created Blue Law Bourbon, distilled in Kentucky but bottled in Connecticut, and currently available at bars and liquor stores around the state. His cocktail, the Maple Pumpkin Pie Martini, uses his new Blue Law Northeast Maple Bourbon as its base, and it’s perfect for fall. Next up is a Maple-Miso Roasted Carrots appetizer from the kitchen of private chef Ben Dubow. The carrots are glazed in maple, miso and brown butter, and served over cold lemony yogurt with a sprinkle of dukkah for a mix of sweet, savory, tangy and crunchy in each bite. Chef Zach Shuman, executive chef of Emily’s Catering Group, is committed to crafting exceptional menus, supporting local farms and producers whenever possible, and helping make every celebration unforgettable. His addition to our maple menu is Pan-Roasted Sea Scallops with Maple Cream Reduction and Autumn Vegetable Hash. 

May these unexpected ways to cook with maple syrup bring you a magical meal this fall season.

RECIPES:

Maple Pumpkin Pie Martini

Recipe courtesy of Owen Barnett, Blue Law Bourbon

• Ingredients:
  • 2 ounces Blue Law Northeast Maple Bourbon
  • 1 ounce Fruitful Pumpkin Liqueur
  • ½ ounce heavy cream
  • 1 dash vanilla extract
  • Graham cracker crumbs, for rim
  • Ground cinnamon, for garnish
• Directions:
  • Shake the maple bourbon, pumpkin liqueur, heavy cream and vanilla in a cocktail shaker with ice. Rim a martini glass with graham cracker crumbs, then strain martini into the glass. Dust with cinnamon.

Maple-Miso Roasted Carrots

Recipe courtesy of Ben Dubow, private chef

Serves 2-4

• Ingredients:
  • 1½ pounds carrots, scrubbed
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons white miso
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 cup thick Greek yogurt (plain)
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Dukkah (a Middle-Eastern seasoning of herbs, spices and nuts)
  • Flaky salt

• Directions:
  • Heat oven to 425°F. Halve the carrots lengthwise (leave skinny ones whole). Toss carrots with the vegetable oil and salt, then set them cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast undisturbed for 22-28 minutes, until deeply browned on the flat side and tender. Melt the butter in a light-colored pan over medium heat. It will foam, then settle. Swirl often and watch for brown flecks to appear along with a nutty smell, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in the miso, maple, rice vinegar and ginger. Brush the roasted carrots all over with the maple-miso glaze and return them to the oven for about 5 minutes, until the glaze bubbles and turns glossy, taking care not to burn them. Stir the lemon zest, a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt into the yogurt. Spread the seasoned yogurt across a platter, then pile the warm carrots on top. Sprinkle generously with dukkah, then a drizzle of olive oil, another squeeze of lemon juice and flaky salt. Serve as an appetizer, side dish or even a vegetarian entree.

Pan-Roasted Sea Scallops with Maple Cream Reduction and Autumn Vegetable Hash

Recipe courtesy of Chef Zach Shuman, Emily’s Catering Group, Bristol

Serves 4. 

• For the Autumn Vegetable Hash:
• Ingredients:
  • 1 cup butternut squash, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup parsnip, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup acorn squash, peeled and diced
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil (grapeseed, avocado or canola)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped
  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

• Directions:
  • Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the diced vegetables for 3–5 minutes, just until al dente. Drain immediately and spread on a tray to cool. Once cooled, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the oil followed by the thyme, rosemary and sage to perfume the oil. Add the cooled vegetables. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook slowly, allowing the vegetables to caramelize and develop color. Season with salt and pepper, and keep warm.

• For the Maple Cream Reduction:
• Ingredients:
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • Pinch of kosher salt

• Directions:
  • In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream and cinnamon stick. Simmer gently over medium-low heat until the cream has reduced by about half. Remove the cinnamon stick. Stir in the maple syrup and continue reducing until the sauce reaches a nappe consistency — thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with a small pinch of salt. Keep warm.

• For the Scallops:
• Ingredients:
  • 16-20 dry sea scallops
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil (grapeseed, avocado or canola)

• Directions:
  • Pat the scallops completely dry using paper towels. Dry scallops are essential for achieving a beautiful golden crust. Season both sides generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the oil. Carefully place the scallops in the pan without overcrowding. Sear for 2-3 minutes per side, depending on their size, until deeply golden and just cooked through. Avoid moving them while they sear.

• To plate:
  • Spoon the caramelized autumn vegetable hash onto the center of each plate. Arrange the pan-roasted scallops over the vegetables. Spoon the warm maple cream reduction around and lightly over the scallops. Finish with a few fresh thyme leaves or crispy sage, if desired.