Cook's Catalyst - Chapter 18 - Apples are still a temptation

Chapter Eighteen Apples Are Still a Temptation One of my favorite fruits is the apple. No matter what color or the time of year, the apple can always find a place somewhere on my menu. Although the Fall brings down the prices, apples are available year round. Watch for the sales and use them to your culinary advantage. Applesauce is the finishing touch to many main dishes. The smell of baked ham or pork chops can only be enhanced when there is a drift of apple scent in the air. And home made applesauce is another one of those impressive accomplishments you can make happen with only a little foresight. Homemade applesauce begins with six to eight apples, peeled, cored and chopped coarsely. Green apples work best but using a combination of different varieties makes a unique and equally delicious applesauce. If you are like most busy mothers, the contents of your cupboard don't always reflect what you might want or need come meal preparation time. Combine the prepared apples in a saucepan with the juice and zest of one lemon, ½ cup water, 1/4 to ½ cup sugar, tablespoon of brandy (if you have it), one generous teaspoon of cinnamon, dash of powdered cloves and a bit of nutmeg. Simmer gently on low flame until apples soften. Stir ever so often to prevent scorching. Also makes a good snack by itself A few years ago, I ventured into home canning. There had been a bumper crop of apples that year and the prices in the store had dropped to very, very affordable. I spent an enjoyable albeit hectic morning, canning chunky apple sauce. The twelve jars were finally sealed and cooling on the counter. As I was working on the dishes, my daughters said my apple sauce was great. I whirled around to see them eating from a newly opened jar! I never had to worry about whether I had achieved a good seal on the jars. They never got to the point of having a shelf life! Baked apples are something that can be prepared ahead of time and baked a half hour before you want to serve them. Peel and core one apple per person. Arrange the apples in a shallow, greased baking pan. Stuff the inside of the apples with pitted dates, raisins, walnuts or all of it. Top each with a bit off butter or margarine. Baste with a combination of one cup apple juice, tablespoon brandy, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Baste with the juice mixture at least twice during the baking time. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Just a dribble of sweetened cream can make this a special ending to dinner. There are times when you want something of the apple persuasion but don't want to cope with a pie crust that day. Crumble Topped Apples Six to eight green, tart apples Juice and zest of one lemon 3/4 cup granulated sugar, combined with one tablespoon all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons cinnamon Peel, core and slice six to eight apples depending on size of your family. Mix apple slices in a bowl with the zest and juice of one lemon. Add 3/4 to one cup granulated sugar, the tablespoon of flour and the cinnamon. Taste and see if it is sweet enough for you. Arrange in greased baking pan that will comfortably accommodate the apples. You will want to leave room for the topping. Topping: One stick butter or margarine One cup all-purpose flour ½ cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract One heaping teaspoon cinnamon One cup chopped nuts For the topping, crumble together one stick of butter or margarine, one cup-all-purpose flour, ½ cup brown sugar, one teaspoon vanilla extract, one heaping teaspoon cinnamon and one cup chopped nuts. The mixture should be coarse but ingredients well-distributed. Arrange over the top of the apples and bake for approximately 35 minutes or until golden and bubbly. All ingredients can be doubled to make a larger amount for a big family. Serve hot, warm or cold. Can stand by itself but whipped cream or vanilla ice cream will make it special. If you are enjoying one of those crock pot days and want to be adventurous, you might be interested in warming up your kitchen with a fresh apple tart. 　 Butter-Apple Tart Peel, core and thinly slice six apples, toss with zest and juice of one lemon Two tablespoons all-purpose flour One teaspoon cinnamon Dash ground cloves ½ cup granulated sugar Mix together and set aside while you prepare the crust. Butter Rich Crust Two sticks of butter (best!) or margarine 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour Zest of one lemon 1 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Ice water as needed to form dough Combine two sticks of butter or margarine (butter is best but not necessary), and one and one half cups all-purpose flour with zest of one lemon, one cup granulated sugar and two teaspoons vanilla extract. The food processor really facilitates the matter. When you have a dough, press onto a greased baking sheet. Spread it out as far as possible, making it about one-fourth inch thick. We are going for a rustic look here, not symmetrical. Arrange the apple slices on the crust, overlapping them slightly. Be creative here and think about how it will look when it comes to the table. It will taste good no matter what, but eye appeal certainly helps that homey atmosphere. Leave about a two-inch space of dough around the edges. Once you have finished placing the apple slices, lap the dough over all around. It won't be even, so don't even try. Brush the edges with water, sprinkle with sugar. If you have some sugared juice left from the apples, dribble it over the sliced apples. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or until edges are very golden brown. You want to make sure the bottom of the crust is baked through. You can lift up a corner and peek if you are in doubt. Turn down to 375 degrees if it seems to be browning too quickly. Best served warm or cold.