Maple Recipes: Savory

Baked Beans with Maple-Glazed Bacon

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups dried yellow eye or cannellini beans, rinsed and picked over, then soaked for 2 hours and drained
• Kosher salt
• 9 thick slices of bacon (10 ounces), 1 slice cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
• 1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup dark unsulfured molasses
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

 In a large pot, cover the beans with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 2 hours; add water as needed to keep the beans covered by 2 inches. Season the beans with salt and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Drain the beans, reserving 4 cups of the cooking liquid. Transfer the beans to a large, deep baking dish.

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook the bacon strips over moderate heat until the fat has rendered, 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 minutes. Stir in the apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, crushed red pepper, black pepper and 1 1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt and simmer for 1 minute, until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the bacon-onion mixture over the beans and stir in the reserved bean cooking liquid. Cover the beans with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the maple syrup with the red wine vinegar and mustard. Arrange the remaining 8 bacon slices on a rimmed baking sheet, and generously brush them with the maple syrup mixture. Bake the bacon in the same oven as the beans for about 15 minutes, basting 3 times and turning the bacon twice, until richly glazed. Transfer the bacon to a plate. Carefully pour 1/3 cup of water onto the baking sheet and return it to the oven for about 3 minutes to dissolve the caramelized syrup. Uncover the beans and carefully stir in the syrup. Bake the beans, uncovered, for about 20 minutes longer, until the liquid has reduced by about one-fourth. Increase the oven temperature to 400°. Top the beans with the glazed bacon and bake until browned, about 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

The beans can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight. Reheat, covered, in a 350° oven before proceeding.

MAPLE BOURBON CORN PUDDING

• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/8 cups evaporated milk
• 3 cups canned cream-style corn
• 3 cups corn kernels
• ¼ cup Mapleland Farms granulated maple sugar
• 3 Tbs. butter, melted
• 3 Tbs. cornstarch mixed with 3 Tbs. water
• 3 Tbs. bourbon (optional)
• 3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 3/8 tsp. salt
• 3/8 tsp. ground white pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Beat eggs and evaporated milk together in large bowl. Stir in all remaining ingredients and pour mixture into baking dish. Bake 45 minutes or until slightly browned and a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm. Serves 8-10.

APPLE MAPLE STUFFING

• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 med. onion, chopped
• 6 tbsp. butter or margarine
• 3 apples, chopped
• 1/4 c. maple syrup
• 3/4 c. water
• 4 c. herb seasoned cubed stuffing

Simmer celery and onion in 4 tablespoons butter for 2 minutes. Add apples and remaining 2 tablespoons butter and simmer another 2 minutes. Add syrup and water and bring to a boil. Measure 4 cups stuffing mix into large bowl. Add hot mixture, stirring well. Enough for a 6 to 10 pound bird.

OLD FASHIONED BAKED BEANS

• 1/2 c. molasses
• 1/2 c. light brown sugar or maple syrup
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1 med. onion,

Cut up 1 sm. piece salt porkin pieces. Soak 1 pound Soldier beans overnight in enough water to cover all. Parboil beans with 1 teaspoon baking soda until skins burst by blowing on a spoon. Rinse well and put in bean pot. Add: Add enough water to cover beans well. Bake 2 to 4 hours at 350 degrees, covered. Very good!

BARBECUE SAUCE

• 2 tbsp. margarine
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 c. maple syrup
• 1 c. catsup
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 c. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. horseradish
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Simmer 10 minutes. Makes 3 cups.

EASY CHICKEN FOR A CROWD

• 18 to 24 drumsticks (or thighs, wings or cut up whole chicken)
• 1 c. maple syrup
• 1/2 c. soy sauce
• 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce

Mix together maple syrup, soy sauce and cranberry sauce. Par boil chicken pieces for about 7 minutes. Drain and place into slow cooker alternately with sauce. Pour remaining sauce over top. Cover and cook about 6 hours (first hour on high, then lower), until tender. Drain and serve. (Easy to eat at picnics because chicken slides off the bone.)

MAPLY APPETIZERS

• (13 1/2 oz.) can pineapple chunks
• 2 (8 oz.) pkgs. Brown & Serve sausage (maple flavor)
• 4 tsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/3 c. vinegar
• 1/2 c. maple syrup
• 1 lg. pepper (cut into sq.)
• 1/2 c. drained maraschino cherries

Drain pineapple, reserving syrup. Cut sausage into thirds, crosswise and brown. Blend cornstarch, salt, pineapple syrup, maple syrup, water and vinegar. Heat to boiling. Add pineapple chunks, sausage, peppers and cherries. Serve in a fondue pot, warm.

BOURBON BAKED BEANS

• 1 lb. dried navy beans (about 2-1/2 cups)
• 3 applewood-smoked bacon slices
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 5 cups water, divided
• 1/2 cup pure NYS maple syrup, divided
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp bourbon, divided
• 1-1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp salt

Sort & wash beans; place in large Dutch oven.  Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover pot and let stand 8 hours or overnight.  Drain beans; wipe dry with paper towel.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fry bacon for 4 minutes or until crisp.  Remove from pan, reserving 1-1/2 tbsp drippings in pan; crumble bacon.  Add onions to drippings in pan; cook for 5 minutes or until brown, stirring frequently. 

Add beans, bacon, 4 cups water, 1/4 cup pure NYS maple syrup, 1/4 cup bourbon, and next 3 ingredients to pan.  Bring to boil; cover and bake for 2 hours. Stir in remaining 1 cup water, remaining 1/4 cup pure NYS maple syrup. and remaining 2 tbsp bourbon.  Cover and bake 1 hour or until beans are tender and liquid is almost absorbed.  Stir in vinegar and salt. Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

MAPLE-GARLIC CHIPOTLE WINGS

• 3 chipotle chiles (seeded if you prefer less heat)
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pure NY State maple syrup
• 2-1/2 pounds chicken wings

Preheat the oven to 425 degree F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  To make sauce, puree the chipotles in a blender.  Add the remaining sauce ingredients, and blend until smooth. Arrange the wings on the prepared pan.  Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the wings over.  Preheat the broiler.  Brush the wings with the sauce and broil for 3 minutes.  Remove and turn, baste with the sauce and broil for 2 minutes on the second side, or until crispy.  Remove, brush with remaining sauce and arrange on a serving plate.  Serves 6 - as adapted from Very Maple Syrup by Jennifer Trainer Thompson

WHIPPED TOFU CREAM

• 1 (8 oz.) container soft tofu, drained
• 1/4 c. maple syrup
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. lemon rind
• 1 tsp. lemon juice

Place all ingredients in blender and whip for 5 minutes. Stir 4 or 5 times, then whip again for 5 minutes until creamy. Serves 4 to 6.