Happy Canada Day to all our Canadian friends!
Canada’s national day celebrates the anniversary of Canadian Confederation which took place on July 1, 1867.
We were invited to a pre-birthday celebration at the Canberra residence of the High Commissioner of Canada. What fun! All that Canadian pride on display — not to mention a feeling of solidarity between our two nations.
Guests were welcomed by Her Excellency Dr Julie Sunday and entertained with music from the Canadian songbook. There was an opportunity to roast marshmallows over the fire, snack on the much-loved Canadian dish, poutine, and warm up with mulled wine.
Guests got to take home maple-leaf-shaped bottles of Pure Canadian Maple Syrup, which in my humble opinion is Canada’s finest export. As you’ll have guessed from some of my previous blog posts, I’m a little bit obsessed with maple syrup.
Let pure maple syrup be your go-to ingredient to celebrate Canada Day. Bagels are hugely popular in Canada so these maple-glazed salmon and pickled cucumber bagels hit the spot nicely.
Meanwhile, this Maple Bread and Butter Pudding is a delicious winter treat. And note: if looking for maple syrup in supermarkets, make sure you buy the real deal, not a “maple-flavoured” blend.
Maple-Glazed Salmon and Pickled Cucumber Bagels
For the pickled cucumber and glaze:
1 cucumber
200ml pure maple syrup (preferably amber syrup for its rich taste)
200ml maple vinegar
2 star anise
2 bay leaves
5 white peppercorns
For the bagels:
4 bagels
2 salmon fillets (skin off)
2 tomatoes
4 tbsp cream cheese
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
½ pickled cucumber
1 tbsp pure maple syrup (preferably golden colour for its delicate flavour)
1 spring onion, sliced, to serve
1 handful micro greens, to serve
1 lemon, cut into wedges
To make the pickled cucumber: Thinly slice the cucumber to a 2mm thickness.
Pour the maple syrup and maple vinegar into a pan then bring to the boil. Add the star anise, bay leaves and white peppercorns, then pour half the hot mixture into a jar.
Leave to cool, then add the sliced cucumber. Transfer your jar to the fridge for at least three hours, preferably overnight.
Boil the remaining mixture until you get a nice sticky glaze, then turn off the heat and set aside to use for your salmon.
To make the bagels: Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Put the salmon fillets on an oven tray with baking parchment paper and brush on half the cucumber glaze. Cook for 15 minutes then add the rest of the glaze and set the salmon aside.
In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, maple syrup and chopped dill. Season with salt and pepper.
To assemble the bagels: Cut and toast the bagels. Spread the cream cheese mixture on each side. Fill the bagels with pickled cucumbers, flakes of maple glazed salmon and tomatoes.
Top your filling with sliced spring onion and microgreens of your choice and serve with a lemon wedge.
Chef’s tip: the rest of your pickled cucumber will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.
Maple Bread and Butter Pudding
Serves 6
2 tbsp pure maple syrup (preferably amber syrup for its rich taste)
100g maple sugar
100g butter
6 apples, peeled and sliced
250ml double cream
250ml milk
3 eggs
Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
450ml brioche loaf, sliced
Preheat the oven to 120 deg C.
Melt the sugar and butter in a pan. Add the apples and stir until the apples have softened.
Whisk cream and milk together with the eggs and pure amber maple syrup. Add the vanilla pod seeds.
In a buttered ovenproof dish, layer the slices of apple and brioche. Pour the milk mixture over the brioche and apple and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Once soaked, cook for 1 hour.
Brush dark pure maple syrup over the brioche and apple. Place under the grill until golden brown.
Recipes and food images supplied by Maple From Canada.
