Apple Cookbook (11 page)

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

¼–½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1
. Combine all ingredients and refrigerate. To save leftover relish, place in a covered jar and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Yield: 4 cups

A
PPLESAUCE IN MEAT LOAF
. Of course, it makes a very moist and tasty one. Grated, sliced, or cubed, apples add another dimension to soups, meat pies, poultry, pork, beef, and lamb. In fact, is there any meat dish that can’t take apples? Whether you are preparing a casual supper or a formal dinner, apples belong on the menu.

A delicious soup that my mother made whenever she had leftover chicken and rice, mulligatawny, meaning “pepper water,” originated in India. It was popularized in the British Isles by English and Scottish soldiers and their returning descendants
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2 tablespoons olive oil or butter

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small stalk of celery, chopped

1 medium apple (Granny Smith, Newtown Pippin, Braeburn, Stayman)

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons curry powder

5 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup cooked rice

½ cup heavy or light cream

1
. Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan and sauté the carrot, onion, and celery for 5 minutes.

2
. Peel, core, and dice the apple. Stir into the vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes.

3
. Stir in the flour and curry powder.

4
. Gradually pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes.

5
. Add the rice and simmer for 10 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.

6
. To scald the cream, heat it in a small saucepan to just below boiling (tiny bubbles will form at the edge of the liquid). Add to the soup and serve.

Yield: 4–6 servings

Whether served hot or at room temperature, this starter goes together very fast and can be made while the rest of the dinner is cooking. Or serve it at lunch accompanied by crusty bread and an olive tapenade
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1 large apple (Rome Beauty, Northern Spy, Winesap)

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium zucchini, chopped

1 large onion, sliced

½ cup cider or sherry

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

½ cup light cream

½ cup chopped fresh parsley ground nutmeg (optional)

1
. Peel, core, and dice the apple.

2
. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet. Add the apple, zucchini, and onion; sauté over medium heat for 5–10 minutes, until soft.

3
. Add the cider, nutmeg, and pepper. Cover the pan and simmer 15 minutes longer.

4
. Add the stock, cover the pan, and simmer for 5 minutes.

5
. Purée the vegetables in a blender or food processor (or force through a sieve).

6
. Return the vegetables to the skillet, add the cream, and bring to a fast boil.

7
. Pour into serving bowls and sprinkle with the parsley; dust with additional pepper, and a little ground nutmeg, if desired.

Yield: 4–6 servings

Make this with canned beans, rinsed to remove the salt, and cut your preparation time down to 15 minutes and the cooking time to 30 minutes. Serve the soup over brown or white rice for a heartier meal
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1 pound dried black beans (turtle beans)

6 cups water

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 large cloves of garlic, chopped

2 large stalks of celery, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

3½ cups beef, chicken, or vegetable stock

½ cup sherry

2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 bay leaf

2 tart apples (Granny Smith, Jonagold, Winesap, Ida Red)

½ pound sweet Italian sausage links, cut into 2-inch pieces

½ pound hot Italian sausage links, cut into 2-inch pieces

1
. Wash and pick over the beans. Place in a large pot, add the water, and heat to boiling. Remove from the heat, cover the pot, and set aside to soak for 1 hour.

2
. Heat the oil in a 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven, and sauté the garlic, celery, and onion for 5 minutes.

3
. Add the stock, sherry, allspice, and bay leaf. Drain the beans and add to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 2–4 hours (depending on how tender you like the beans).

4
. Peel, core, and dice the apples. Add with the sausage to the beans during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Yield: 6–8 servings

A takeoff on Welsh Rarebit, which is often made with beer and rarely with apples. My mother used to serve rarebit regularly for a school-day breakfast or a Saturday high tea. She, however, made ours with milk, never beer
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3/4 pound Cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon butter

1 large apple (Rome Beauty, Winesap, Fuji)

½ cup heavy or light cream

1 teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

4 slices bread, toasted

1
. Grate the Cheddar into a medium-sized saucepan. Add the butter.

2
. Grate the apple into the pan. Add the cream, mustard, and nutmeg.

3
. Cook over low heat, stirring, until all ingredients are blended.

4
. When the mixture begins to bubble, pour over buttered toast and serve.

Yield: 4 servings

What a wonderful combination — freshly grated Cheddar cheese and apples, good enough to eat between two pieces of whole-grain bread. The leeks add a winning quality to this custard dish. Served hot, warm, or cold, it’s a good choice for a light main meal or for a brunch buffet
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1 large leek

2 tablespoons butter

3 cups canned apple slices (page 157), drained

1 cup grated Cheddar cheese

1½ cups half-and-half or light cream

3 eggs

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1
. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2
. Wash the leek and discard the outer layer and any of the tougher green leaves. Cut into ¼-inch rings.

3
. Heat the butter in a skillet, add the leek, and sauté for 5 minutes. Put into an 8-inch-square baking dish.

4
. Layer the apple slices on top and sprinkle with the Cheddar.

5
. Beat the half-and-half, eggs, nutmeg, and pepper. Pour over the Cheddar.

6
. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the custard is set and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Yield: 6 servings

My friend Ivan Lillie, a caterer and private chef, has served me some pretty wonderful meals. Of the many recipes I’ve borrowed from him, this is one of my favorites
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