Apples + Aged Maple Syrup & Blackberry + Mint Sauce

When I first came to the US as a student more than 20 years ago, I did a lot of things I had never experienced first hand in India; like going apple picking up in Amesbury and Concord MA, or trying pancakes with a delicious amber gold liquid, called maple syrup from a local farm up near Montreal, going leaf peeping and so much more.

I am glad to say that fall holds all these truths even after all these years. The only thing that’s changed is my familiarity to the native New England foods and that my palate has matured as has my ability to whip up recipes.

The nip in the air last week at the Wakefield market was the inspiration for a fall compote using the freshest apples, berries and mint from Farmer Dave’s and Flats-Mentor Farms and a Madagascar vanilla infused, barrel aged maple syrup from Single Barrel Cellar topped with the Roasted Granola’s original recipe.

This quick apple compote with a blackberry and mint sauce will up the game on your morning oats or evening desert. I used a mix of gala and honey crisp apples for the compote giving it both a tart and sweet flavours. I did not have cinnamon at the market, but you’ll see it’s not missed in the final product.

Serves 4-6

For the Compote

1 tbsp. olive oil or butter
3-4 medium sized apples
2 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. raw cane sugar
pinch of salt

For the Sauce

½ cup black berries
¼ cup minced mint leaves
2-3 tbsp. maple syrup
½ tsp. balsamic vinegar
pinch of salt

1. Chop up the apples into bite size pieces or slice them thin
2. Heat the butter or oil in a heavy pan and add the apples when hot, cook the apples for 3-5 minutes and then sprinkle on the cane sugar
3. Continue cooking another 5-8 minutes and then add the salt and maple syrup
4. Cook for about 5-7 minutes when the sugars are starting to form a thicker sticky sauce, turn off the heat and serve with nuts if you’d like
5. Mince the mint leaves and give the black berries a rough chop and add to a mixing bowl
6. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk into a sauce, adjust for acid and sweetness
7. Serve with compote, as an ice-cream topper or even a dressing ~ see the blueberry dressing for a few tweaks that’ll transform this into something else