Apple Cookbook (13 page)

9
. Add the wine to the stock and pour over the duck and vegetables. Cover the pot and roast for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. (At this point, the duck can be refrigerated for a day or two, so that any remaining fat can solidify and be scraped off.)

10
. Place the Dutch oven on top of the stove and simmer for 15 minutes.

11
. Remove the duck pieces to a dish, cover, and keep warm. Place the vegetables and liquid in a blender with the cornstarch. Purée until smooth and return to the Dutch oven with the duck pieces.

12
. Peel, core, and cut the apples into ½-inch cubes. Stir the apples into the mixture in the Dutch oven; cover and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the apples are tender.

Yield: 4 servings

This is an easy and good way to cook pork chops — the lean flesh gains moisture by absorbing the liquids. You can serve the sauce as it comes out of the skillet or you may decide to purée the apple slices to make a saucier cream sauce. This is a good dish to serve with rice
.

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 center-cut loin pork chops, cut 1-inch thick and patted dry

3 large cloves of garlic, minced

freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

3 apples (Golden Delicious, Empire, Braeburn, Gala), cored, peeled and sliced ½–1-inch thick.

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1½ teaspoons ground mace

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

½ cup light cream or sour cream thinned with a drop of milk

¼ cup apple juice or cider

1
. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pork chops and garlic, sprinkle with pepper to taste and brown for 2 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate.

2
. Discard any fat in the skillet and heat the butter over medium heat. Add the apple slices; sprinkle with the sugar, mace, cloves, and ginger, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened and golden.

3
. Add the cream and apple juice to the skillet, and when the mixture begins to bubble in about 3–5 minutes, add the pork chops. Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet and simmer for 15 minutes, until the chops are tender when pierced with a fork.

4
. Remove the chops to a serving dish and cover with the sauce.

Yield: 4 servings

This recipe is another favorite of Jim Law of Linden Vineyards. You can replace the butter with olive oil, but the flavor will not be quite as rich. The stuffing can also be used in split boneless chicken breasts, which you would bake for 20–25 minutes only
.

1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound)

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

2 medium apples (Jonagold, Stayman, Winesap, Fuji), cored, peeled (if desired), and thinly sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup fresh bread crumbs, made by processing 2 large slices stale bread

½ teaspoon marjoram

½ teaspoon savory

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon–1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil

G
LAZE

4 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon brown mustard

1
. Split the tenderloin almost in half. Place it between two sheets of wax paper; pound it to about ½-inch thick.

2
. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the apples and onion and sauté until lightly brown and soft, about 5 minutes. Add the bread crumbs, marjoram, and savory and toss with the apple-onion mixture until moistened through. Remove from the heat.

3
. Preheat oven to 375°F.

4
. Pepper and salt the inside of the tenderloin and spread the apple stuffing over the surface.

5
. Roll the tenderloin lengthwise and tie with kitchen string. Reheat the skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and brown the pork on all sides. Place in a baking dish.

6
. T
O MAKE THE GLAZE
, combine the honey, sugar, vinegar, and mustard.

7
. Pour the glaze over the tenderloin and bake for 45 minutes, basting with the glaze 3–4 times. Remove from the oven; let stand for 5–10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 4 servings

This is a good stew to serve with baked potatoes (regular bakers or sweet potatoes). Split the hot potatoes, fork up the flesh, and top with cooked broccoli florets tossed with sour cream and a little Dijon mustard
.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium carrots, diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 1-inch cube fresh ginger root, minced

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 pounds lean lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1½ cups red wine or flat beer

2–3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons cold water

2 large apples (Granny Smith, Braeburn, Fuji)

1
. Heat the oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven and sauté the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and ginger for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the cinnamon, cloves, and cayenne.

2
. Add the lamb and pour in the stock and wine. Cover the pot and simmer for 1½ hours.

3
. Mix the cornstarch and water to a paste and stir into the stew to thicken to the desired consistency.

4
. Peel, core, and cube the apples, add to the lamb, and simmer for 30 minutes longer.

Yield: 8–10 servings

My mother varied this traditional pork pie by using beef because the meat breaks down better during cooking, making for more tender bites
.

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground mace

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds boneless chuck or beef round, cut into 1-inch chunks

5 tablespoons olive oil

2 large onions, thinly sliced

2 cups beef stock

1 cup red wine

2 medium apples (Granny Smith, Baldwin, Fuji)

pastry for a single piecrust (page 114)

1
. Mix the flour with the thyme, cinnamon, ginger, mace, and pepper. Dredge the beef chunks in the spiced flour and reserve any flour that is left.

2
. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven and sauté half of the beef until browned on all sides. Remove to a plate. Brown the remaining beef in 2 tablespoons of oil.

3
. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the Dutch oven and sauté the onions for 5 minutes. Add the remaining spiced flour to the onions and cook for 5 minutes.

4
. Add the stock and wine; cook over medium heat until steaming. Scrape up any browned flour sticking to the sides.

5
. Add the beef, cover the pot, and simmer over very low heat for 1 hour.

6
. During the last 15 minutes, preheat oven to 400°F. Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples. Roll out the pastry to fit a deep 2-quart casserole dish.

7
. Spoon the beef into the casserole dish, cover with the sliced apples, and top with the pastry. Seal the edges to the rim with the tines of a fork. Cut a small steam hole in the center.

8
. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

Yield: 6 servings

I met Louise when I was living in Westchester County, New York. She used to provide great meals for her husband, Bob, and son, Bruce, who were running Salinger’s Orchard in nearby Brewster. Today, Louise still lives in the middle of the orchard, which is now run by her son and his wife, Maureen, who is head baker for the orchard’s market. According to Bruce, his mom’s meat loaf is still one of his favorites. Louise, of course, makes her own applesauce
.

3 small slices fresh bread, crumbled (about 1½ cups)

1 medium onion

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground veal or pork

¼ cup ketchup

1 egg

2½ teaspoons prepared mustard

½ teaspoon pepper

1 cup applesauce

3 tablespoons apple cider

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1
. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2
. Crumble the bread into a large mixing bowl.

3
. Grate in the onion. Add the beef, veal, ketchup, egg, 1½ teaspoons of the mustard, and pepper.

4
. Mix well and shape into a round loaf. Place in a baking pan and bake for 1 hour.

5
. In a small saucepan, heat the applesauce, cider, brown sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon mustard.

6
. Pour over the meat loaf and for bake 30 minutes longer.

Yield: 4–6 servings

This meat mixture makes delicious meatballs, too. Just shape the meat into 2-inch balls and brown in 1 tablespoon oil in a small Dutch oven. Drain off the fat, add ½ cup tomato sauce, cover the pan, and bake for 30 minutes
.

2 slices whole-wheat bread

1 medium onion

1 large tart apple (Granny Smith, Jonagold, York)

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

½ cup raisins (optional)

½ cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons steak sauce

1 egg

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

G
RAVY

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 tablespoons apple juice

1
. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2
. Crumble the bread slices into a large mixing bowl. Grate in the onion.

3
. Peel, core, and finely chop the apple. Add to the bowl.

4
. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. (I use my hands and squish it together.) Turn into a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan, cover, and bake for 1 hour.

5
. T
O MAKE THE GRAVY
, pour the pan juices into a skillet. Mix the cornstarch, curry powder, and apple juice until smooth. Add to the pan juices, heat, and stir until thickened. To make thicker gravy, use 2 teaspoons cornstarch; for thinner gravy, add a little milk.

Yield: 6 servings

The vegetables are in the pot, so all you’ll need is to serve this with steamed or microwaved potatoes and crusty French bread
.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 medium red cabbage, shredded

4 apples (Granny Smith, Fuji, Jonagold, Braeburn)

2½ pounds kielbasa (Polish sausage) or low-fat turkey kielbasa

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon ground mace

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup beef, chicken, or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon red wine or apple cider vinegar

1
. Heat the oil in a 4-quart kettle and sauté the onions and garlic for 5 minutes.

2
. Stir the cabbage into the onions and sauté for 5 minutes.

3
. Peel, core, and slice the apples, and add to the pot. Stir all together.

4
. Put the kielbasa into the pot with the vegetables. Add the bay leaf and sprinkle with the thyme, mace, and pepper.

5
. Add the stock and vinegar, cover the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30–40 minutes.

6
. Meanwhile, warm a serving platter. Remove the kielbasa and cut into serving-sized portions. Arrange the vegetables on the serving platter; top with the kielbasa.

Yield: 4–6 servings

I have found this to be a crowd-pleaser, which means I have tripled the recipe. It’s an easy dish to make when you have guests and return home after a day out. Have your guests peel and dice the apples; it’s a nice way for them to contribute to the meal without getting in the way of your preparations. Serve with jasmine rice, a mixed salad, crusty bread, and a fruity red wine such as an Australian shiraz or a California pinot noir. Cheers!

2 tablespoons olive oil or butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon mild curry powder

2¼ cups milk

2 medium sweet apples (Golden Delicious, Mutsu/Crispin, Empire, Gala)

½ cup raisins

one 1-pound, center-cut slice fully cooked ham, cut 3/4-inch thick

1
. Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet. Stir in the flour and curry powder and cook for 1 minute.

2
. Pour in the milk and, using a wooden spoon or wire whisk, stir to make a smooth sauce.

3
. Peel, core, and dice the apples. Add to the curry sauce with the raisins. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

4
. Cube the ham (remove fat and bone, if necessary) and stir into the pan. Cook for 10 minutes longer, or until heated through.

Yield: 2–3 servings