Maple Rum Pork Kabobs

Robert and I went to Cuba on vacation after the winter markets were over. We try to take a vacation every year after the last of the winter markets — because…vacation.

Christmas markets are amazing and magical and wonderful. The actual markets themselves are amazing. We love our customers and we love introducing them to pure Quebec maple syrup. Everything leading up to it is absolute lunacy. I have to bake like my life depends on it and there are a million and one things to pack and prep and move. Not to mention, we work outside for a few Christmas markets and they are colder than a witches tit. The behind the scenes of Christmas markets can truly be a bit of a hell.
So, we take off somewhere hot and paradise like pretty much immediately after New Years.

That is why my blogs have been few and far between since then. But! It’s getting to be market season again.  Speaking of, check back here soon, I’ll have a list of our 2016 market times.

Anyway, the point of all of that is that we bought some great rum while we were in Cuba and I have been working on creating some rum and maple syrup recipes. And Voila! Maple rum pork kabobs.

Ingredients
Marinade
¼ cup soya sauce (I use low salt variety)
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup rum
4-5 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. black pepper
1 whole head of garlic minced

Kabobs
Wooden skewers
2 medium onions chopped in large sections
1 or 2 pork tenderloins cut into 1” pieces

Method
Submerge skewers completely into water and let them soak at least 3o minutes. This should prevent them from immediately incinerating on the bbq.
Blend the mardinade ingredients well and pour into a large ziplock freezer bag. Make sure it has no leaks in it.
Add cubed pork to the marinade bag and marinade well in the fridge. You want to marinade for several hours but overnight is where this will really shine.
Thread meat and onion onto barbeque skewers
Preheat the BBQ and squirt the grill with some grilling pam or lightly oil it
BBQ for 15 minutes or until meat is cook. Occasionally turning so that it gets a good grill on all sides.

Serve kabobs right away with rice, salad, potatoes. Or just on their own. Watch people eat them faster than a monkey eats a banana. enjoy!

 

Maple Mango Salad

Have I mentioned that in my off time between the Christmas markets and the start of the new market season I travel a lot? Robert is in Rimouski tapping maple trees, so I have all the time in the world and the west coast of Canada has been calling. I spent a month travelling around B.C. visiting family and friends. My sisters and I concoted quite a few maple recipes while I was out there. So get ready for recipe-palooza. This Maple Mango Salad was probably one of my favourites of the bunch.

Enjoy!

Dressing 
¼ cup light soy sauce
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp Asian style hot chili sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp. chipped fresh ginger

Salad
1/2 cup unsalted, roasted cashews
10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
½ medium green bell pepper, diced
1/3 cup diced red onion
¼ cup fresh mint of cilantro, chopped
3 cups peeled and cubed ripe mangoes

Method 
Combine the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and whisk or put in a blender to thoroughly mix all the ingredients together.

Combine you salad ingredients together and add desired amount of dressing.
Add chicken or shrimp for a ridiculously delicious meal.
Serve on it’s own or with rice or in a lettuce wrap.

YAMMI!