March 2019 - Maple Sugaring Season

March 2019 - Maple Sugaring Season

Pan-Fried Apple & Maple Sausage

Yield: 4 servings (8-10 patties)

Ingredients:

¾ lb. ground pork

1 small apple, peeled & finely diced

2 Tbl. minced onion

1 clove garlic, finely minced

½ tsp. dried thyme

½ tsp. dried sage

½ tsp. dried savory

Generous pinch nutmeg

2 Tbl. maple syrup

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. cracked black pepper

2 Tbl. olive oil

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients except the olive oil.  Mix well with your hands though be careful not to over work the meat or it will become tough.  Shape the sausage into small 2” round patties and place them on a plate or sheet pan.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight to develop flavors (note: patties can also be stored in the freezer.  Thaw in the refrigerator before cooking).   Preheat a griddle or large shallow skillet (cast iron is great here) over medium-high heat and drizzle lightly with olive oil.  Working in batches, cook the patties for approx. 3 minutes per side or until well browned and the meat is fully cooked.  Transfer to a covered platter to keep warm while cooking remaining sausage.

Upside-Down Maple-Pear Pancake

Yield: 4-6 servings

Batter Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk

1 large egg

2 Tbl. melted butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 Tbl. sugar

½ tsp. kosher salt

Pear Mixture:

1 Tbl. unsalted butter

2 ripe pears, peeled and sliced

½ cup farm maple syrup

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375º.  In a small bowl whisk together the milk, egg, and melted butter.   Separately blend together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.  Stir in the milk mixture, blending just until wet and dry ingredients are incorporated.   Melt the butter in a 10” ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add the sliced pears and 2 Tbl. of the maple syrup and sauté this mixture until the pears are sticky and caramelized, about 4-5 minutes (add an additional Tbl. of maple syrup during this process if too dry).  Remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon juice and the remaining maple syrup, swirling around to incorporate.  Spread the batter evenly over the pear mixture and bake for 12 minutes, or just until the center of the pancake tests clean with a toothpick.  Remove from the oven and let sit for about one minute.  Place a large plate over the pan and carefully flip the pancake onto the platter, allowing the maple syrup and juices to drizzle over the top.

Variations:

Any type of seasonal fruit works well such as summer berries, peaches, plums, apples.  Nuts and flavored extracts can also be added to the batter if desired.

 

 

 

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