Crispy Maple-Dill Chicken Wrap

Dill pickle salads, tik tok crispy wraps, and maple everything is currently trending all over social media. My two favourite flavours are dill and maple, so developing a dressing combining the two was a must for 2021. 

For this recipe I use the dressing as a drizzle on a pan seared crispy chicken wrap. BUT you could also use it on salads, as a chip or veggie dip, on nachos,  the sky is the limit!! The wrap is also interchangeable to your favourite proteins, cheeses, and vegetables. Have fun with this one and remember there is no such thing as too much dressing.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 wholegrain wrap
  • Greens of choice ( boston lettuce is featured here)
  • 1 diced dill pickle
  • 2-3 cherry tomatoes sliced
  • 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar
  • 1Tbsp Butter
  • Protein choice (cooked salmon or crispy chicken is suggested)

* Air fryer panko crusted chicken strips are used in this recipe

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon or Grainy Mustard
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 2 tsp Dried Dill (3+Tbsp if yours fresh dill)
  • 2 Tbsp Dill Pickle Juice
  • Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Place all toppings in the four quadrants of the wrap. You can mix and match. Using a sharp knife make a small slice from the center of the wrap to the bottom. This will allow you to fold your wrap in four after you drizzle the dressing.
  2. Whisk mayonnaise, maple syrup, mustard, garlic powder, dried dill, dill pickle juice, and salt & pepper in a bowl. Keep remaining dressing refrigerated.
  3. Melt butter in medium heat frying pan until it bubbles. Drizzle desired amount of dressing on all of your toppings. Fold wrap starting with the bottom left section folding up, then fold to the right , then back down again.

You will be left with a deliciously layered triangle shaped wrap. Place wrap in pan and sear both sides until lightly browned and crispy.

Enjoy!

Featured Producer

Briggs Maple in Hillsborough, NB

Contributor

Michelle Stoddart, Port City Delicious

My journey to social media and restaurant and brand photography just happened organically. Ive been behind the scenes of the service industry for so many years it just made sense to turn my love for food, creativity, and the Maritimes into a career. I have a passion for local business, local craftsmanship, and all things locally sourced.

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Riverview Maplefest

We know HubCityFoodies enjoyed the Riverview Maplefest. Did you? Here’s a little taste of what was happening:

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New Brunswick’s Fifth Season

Maple Syrup Season is New Brunswick’s fifth season.

It’s the “thaw” that comes every year.  When the sun suddenly feels much warmer than it did the day before, with the familiar winter chill most nights.

This change in the temperature is what allows the sap to “run.” We harvest this maple sap and turn it into the maple syrup we all enjoy. There are certainly a few more steps to the process … But you can learn more about them when visiting one of our local New Brunswick maple syrup producers.

My family loves taking advantage of the fifth season — the extra daylight hours and the Maplelicious treats. There are a few traditions we do every single year, but this year I’ve crafted a few more things to do during maple syrup season. Afterall, why not make the most of something so sweet!?

Here is my list of family friendly maple syrup season activities:

  1. Make Learning Fun with a Game:
  1. My 5 year old is extremely curious, like many children his age. Learning about maple products, where it comes from and the methods behind turning the sweet sap into four grades of New Brunswick Maple Syrup can be a fun activity to do at home. “What-Cha Doing?”, by New Brunswick author Kim Renton makes a great reading choice for curious little minds and is a good way to learn at home. 

Another option is this maple syrup bottle connect the dot game that is part of my Canadian Travel Activity Booklet. The booklet has fun activities like coloring, search and find, connect the dots and is designed to spark conversation and learning.

  1. Visit a Sugar Camp: Maple Syrup Season is not complete without a visit to a Sugar Camp (locally referred to as a sugar shack). If they hold a brunch, you will want to get there early and be sure to arrive hungry. Menu’s often include breakfast staples, like eggs, bacon, ham, meat pie, baked beans, sausage, pancakes and more all with the sticky sweetness of maple syrup. Maple brunch is a meal and an experience you will not forget.
  1. Try something new with maple taffy on ice: There is a good chance you’ve asked your child at least once this winter not to eat the snow… I know, me too… but what if we really shake things up by pouring hot maple taffy over snow and then rolling it onto a popsicle stick to make a Maplelicious lollipop?! It’s fun for the kids and a tasty tradition I look forward to year after year.
  1. Shop the season: Whether you go to a sugar camp, a local coffee shop or the grocery store keep an eye out for New Brunswick’s maple products. Many bakeries will also be offering a maple treat this time of year; Maple syrup is always on my list, but I can’t leave Sucrerie Chiasson without a box of maple cream cones. 
  1. Make a new recipe: Maple Syrup Season is the perfect time of year to try something new. With the coldest part of the winter behind us there are many recipe options to choose from whether you’re cooking dinner, baking a new treat or trying your hand at a family favorite with a maple twist. From specialty coffees, to roasted pork to crème brulée there is sure to be a recipe that interests you and your family from the Maplelicious recipe book.

New Brunswick’s fifth season is a special time of the year. Whether you read about it, color pictures, visit a sugar camp or enjoy maple syrup on waffles all year long we’d love to see how you are enjoying the season. 

Be sure to share your pictures and tag #mapleliciousNB 
Jenna @theresashoeforthat

Contributor

Jenna Macdonald, There’s a Shoe for That

Jenna is the voice behind “There’s a Shoe for That”, a family and travel blog. She believes there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to parenting, travelling or living – but that there is a shoe for everyone, everything and every moment in life. She provides helpful tips, printables, inspiration for your next adventure (at home or on the go) and always knows where to get the best ice cream. Jenna and her family live in northern New Brunswick where they take on each new adventure and live life one step at a time together.

You can follow along with their adventures on www.theresashoeforthat.com and social media.

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Five maple sugar camps to visit this weekend

Covid-19 has changed a lot this past year, but one tradition is still the same — starting spring with a maple breakfast in the woods, and taffy on the snow.

There’s nothing more iconic of our Canadian spring than friends and family finally getting outside, and tasting some delicious maple treats at the same time. 

A lot of our maple shacks still aren’t able to operate at full capacity, but some are finding ways to make our annual maple experience still possible.

There are a few brunch restaurants open in the province, but there are all sorts of other great reasons to get outside and support your local producers.  

Keep these points in mind when planning your visit:

  • Be sure to call ahead. Before visiting your nearest maple shack, check if you need a reservation for breakfasts, or tours. Some are operating at reduced hours too. 
  • Stick to your family bubble. While it may be tempting to call up old friends, keep your visit limited to your bubble.
  • And of course, bring a mask!

Here are five surgeries that can accommodate guests this year:

( And one last thing to remember — be sure to take pictures! Tag @mapleliciousNB and use the #mapleliciousNB hashtag for a chance to be featured on our channels!)

Sucrerie Chiasson, Paquetville

Location: 244 Rue des Érables

Phone: 506 764-3277

Website: https://sucreriechiasson.com/

Facebook: Sucrerie Chiasson

Sucrerie Chiasson in Paquetville is open, but only at their location at 244 Rue des Érables, and only at limited capacity. 

Not much has changed for visitors. There’s a server instead of their usual buffet style breakfast, and someone has to roll your taffy on the snow, but otherwise, you can enjoy an authentic maple breakfast with your bubble.

Trites Maples, Stilesville

Location: 1270 Gorge Rd, Stilesville

Phone: (506) 383-5190

Website:  http://tritesmaples.ca/

Facebook: Trites Maples

Trites Maple in Stilesville, just outside of Moncton, has decided to do things a little differently this year. Instead of their usual breakfast, they turned their pancake house into their “sales center.”

A maximum of 8 guests at a time can buy an assortment of maple products, including pre-made taffy in a tub, which can be heated, and poured on the snow at home.

“People are appreciating the walk through the woods, and can keep some normalcy to their spring-time routine,” said Joyce Trites.

Dumfries Maples, Dumfries

Location:  7520 Route 102, NB

Phone: (506) 575-8277

Website: https://dumfriesmaples.ca/

Facebook: Dumfries Maples

Dumfries Maples is continuing to hold their maple breakfasts, but at a reduced capacity. Be sure to call ahead and book your time. This weekend is already fully booked. 

But you can still come and get some taffy on the snow, which they don’t require reservations for. 

“[You’re] more than welcome to come and get some fresh air and take a walk, and get some taffy,” said Jane Scott.

New Brunswick Maple Pancake Breakfast

Little Mactaquac Maple, Scotch Settlement

Location: 75 Scotch Lake Rd Scotch Settlement (follow the signs)

Phone: (506) 363-2504 or 260-1867

Facebook: Little Mactaquac Maple

Little Mactaquac Maple doesn’t offer breakfast, but they do have tours that are going on pretty much like normal. With a little social distancing, and mandatory masks inside, they are able to offer their $5 tours, without a reservation. Just park your car and walk the 200 m to the sugar camp.

City of Moncton Sugar Camp, Coverdale

Location: 6 Dewey Rd, Coverdale Parish

Phone: 506.383.6700

Website: City of Moncton Sugar Camphttps://www.moncton.ca/things-do/moncton-maple-sugar-camp-book-tour

The City of Moncton’s Maple Sugar camp is focused on educating, and they’re still able to do that. Call ahead to book a tour and let Heather Fraser explain the importance of the maple industry, while demonstrating how sap comes from the trees to your table. And get a taste of taffy on the snow while you’re at it.

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Maple Arctic Char

The Acadian Peninsula is among the greatest places in the world to enjoy sea food. So when Sonia Jalbert, owner of Le Nouvo Caveau in Paquetville, set out to make a recipe with local maple syrup, combining it with fish seemed an obvious choice. But she added a twist.

While Grand Anse to Lamèque can boast about an ongoing, vibrant fishery, and long traditions with seafood, it is also home to exciting and innovative aquaculture. In this case — arctic char. Arctic char are the northern-most fresh water fish in the world, and a close relative to salmon and lake trout. They are now also home to Bas-Caraquet, at the Pisciculture Acadienne.

“In my opinion, it’s one of the best fish you can have in production, in our region,” said Jalbert.

Using high-quality, locally produced, completely fresh fish is just part of the reality for a restaurant in Paquetville. It’s something that often surprises the chefs that Jalbert hires from Quebec, who are used to several days between taking the fish out of water, and getting it into their hands, in Montreal or Quebec City.

“In our region, you can fish it and have it on the plate the same day,” Jalbert said.

Combining this treasure from the sea with our provincial treasure from the trees just makes sense. For many years, Le Nouvo Caveau has chosen Sucrerie Chiasson’s amber maple syrup from Paquetville, NB. Its sweetness pairs very well with all kinds of local fish.

“Paquetville is the heart of maple syrup in the Acadian Penninsula,” she said.

Sonia also recommends pairing the meal with another locally produced, maple-inspired, product — the Grand Vicaire Paquet, a maple cream ale from Distillerie Fils du Roy in Petit Paquetville. And for wine drinkers, she recommends any new world chardonnay, aged in American oak barrels, to match the maple notes of the meal with the smoky and toasty flavors of the American oak.

And don’t worry if you can’t find arctic char in your corner of the world, Jalbert says substituting it with Salmon or Trout makes for a delicious meal as well.

Give the recipe a try, and let us know what you think!

For this recipe, Sonia Jalbert recommends syrup from their neighbors, Sucerie Chiasson, also located in Paquetville, NB. (Photo: Adam Hodnett)

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RECIPE

Ingredients
(For 2 people)

  • 2 fillets of Arctic Char (or pinkish flesh fish) of about 150g
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter
  • 1⁄4 cup of slivered almonds
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) maple syrup
  • a small handful of chopped fresh parsley
  • chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

  1. Cook the fish over medium-high heat for 3 minutes in the oil on the skin side.
  2. Turn the fish over for 15 seconds on the flesh and set aside on a plate.
  3. Deglaze the pan with a spoonful of butter to make the sauce.
  4. Add the almonds in the foaming butter and leave to brown for 30 seconds.
  5. Pour the lemon juice and the maple.
  6. Stir well adding the fresh parsley and let caramelize 15 seconds.
  7. Serve the fish skin-side down and spread the sauce on the skin.
  8. Can be served with trout, salmon or cod.

For the local touch, we opted for the Arctic char from the PiscicultureAcadienne de Bas-Caraquet.

Wine pairing: New World Chardonnay aged in American oak barrels.

Recipe Contributor

Sonia Jalbert, owner of Le Nouvo Caveau

Sonia Jalbert comes from a family of restaurant owners, with her parents celebrating the 35th anniversary of La Crêpe Bretonne this year. After running Le Nouvo Caveau in Paquetville for 9 years, she has decided to close this chapter and focus on her passion, and training, as a sommelier. Follow her on social media for lots more food and wine content.

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Whiskey Sweet & Sour

I remember class field trips as a child. We’d watch producers tap the trees, and then pour hot maple syrup over the snow. Our excitement was next level. I think that excitement stuck with me. 

Maple Season is here now, and I’m so excited to play with it again this season. It’s not just for pancakes and waffles. 

If you like the traditional whiskey sour — you will love this recipe. It has a maple twist instead of simple syrup, and it’s designed to please your palette.  I used Trites Maples for this recipe.

It’s so easy to make, and a perfect crowd pleaser! Shake a few up and impress your friends with rising egg whites and garnish. 

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2oz bourbon or Canadian whiskey
  • 1oz fresh lemon juice
  • 1oz local maple syrup
  • 1 egg white

Method

Fill shaker with ice, add all ingredients and shake, shake, shake!!!! Make sure to shake long enough that the egg whites become frothy. Pour over fresh ice in preferred cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon zest.

Notes

If you prefer a more boozy flavour add 1/2oz whiskey. More sour, use 1/2oz maple. More sweet, use 1/2oz lemon juice.

Enjoy!

Featured Producer

Contributor

Michelle Stoddart, Port City Delicious

My journey to social media and restaurant and brand photography just happened organically. Ive been behind the scenes of the service industry for so many years it just made sense to turn my love for food, creativity, and the Maritimes into a career. I have a passion for local business, local craftsmanship, and all things locally sourced.

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