Swiss Chard and Fresh Peas with Ham and Maple-Balsamic Sauce
Ingredients
1 T. Yeany’s maple syrup
1-1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1-1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
¾ cup fresh peas (from about 1 lb. peas in the pod)
1 bunch (12 to 14 oz.) Swiss Chard (Rainbow Swiss chard is best)
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
1 ham slice, cut into ¾ inch pieces
1 T. unsalted butter
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
Directions
~In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice. Set aside.
~Cook the peas in boiling water until just tender. Drain.
~Pull or cut away the stems from the chard leaves. Rinse and dry the stems, slice them thinly (1/4 inch thick) crosswise, and reserve. Cut or rip the leaves into large (2-3 inch) pieces and wash and dry them well.
~Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chard stems and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the stems are slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ham and ½ T. of the butter and cook, stirring, until both the chard stems and the ham pieces are beginning to brown lightly, about another 4 minutes. Add the fresh ginger, stir and cook just until fragrant, a few seconds. Add all of the chard leaves and ¼ tsp. salt. Using tongs, gently toss and fold the chard leaves until just wilted and well mixed with the other ingredients, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the peas and stir well. Scrape the maple mixture into the pan, stir and remove from the heat.
~Add the remaining ½ T. butter and toss and stir until it is melted. Taste for salt. Transfer to a serving platter or plates and eat while hot or warm.
Most of the ingredients in this recipe can all be found at the Farmers Market in Clarion in the coming weeks.
Yeany’s Maple Syrup and other maple products can also be found at Yeany’s location in Marienville; Tionesta Market Village on weekends; Leeper Market; Haller’s Store in Tionesta; Sara Jane’s Deli in Fryburg; and Hirsch’s Meats in Kossuth.
Cooking With Maple Products by Dave Yeany
Cooking with Maple Syrup
Pure maple syrup is slightly sweeter than cane sugar. It contains 62 calories per tablespoon as opposed to 54 calories per tablespoon for sugar. But – you use less maple syrup.
To use maple syrup in cooking: substitute 3/4 cup of syrup for each cup of sugar and reduce the liquid in the recipe by 3 tablespoons.
When using Maple Syrup to replace granulated white sugar, first make sure that using the liquid maple syrup will not hurt the recipe.
There is roughly the same amount of sugar in a cup of maple syrup as there is in a cup of granulated white sugar. Using the cup of maple syrup in place of the white sugar adds extra 3.7 ounces (1/3 to 1/2 cup) of liquid to the recipe. To balance the liquid in the recipe, you need to reduce other liquids in the recipe, typically water or milk, by the same amount, 1/3 to ½ cup, for each cup of sugar replaced.
To replace brown sugar, do the following:
1 cup loose brown sugar = ¾ cup maple syrup, reduce other liquids by ¼ cup
1 cup packed brown sugar = 1 cup plus 1 Tbsp maple syrup. Reduce other liquids in the recipe by just less than ½ cup.
Maple Sugar
Maple Sugar can be substituted for granulated sugar, cup for cup.
1 cup granulated sugar = 1 cup of maple sugar
Maple Sugar can also be used in place of brown sugar.
1 cup loose brown sugar = 1 cup maple sugar
If the recipe calls for “packed” brown sugar, I use the following amounts of maple sugar:
¼ cup packed brown sugar = ½ cup maple sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar = ¾ cup maple sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar = 1 cup maple sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar = 1 ¼ cups maple sugar
I increase the maple sugar by ¼ cup more than what the recipe calls for in packed brown sugar.
About Yeany’s Maple:
Yeany’s Maple is a 3,000 tap operation in Forest County, producing approximately 1,000 gallons of maple syrup each year.
Maple Grades
– Golden Maple Syrup – with a delicate taste
– Amber Maple Syrup – with a rich taste
– Dark Maple Syrup – with a robust taste
– Very Dark Maple Syrup – with a strong taste
For more information on Yeany’s Maple Syrup, visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/Yeanys-Maple-Syrup/161532047254784.
