Apples

Apple Upside Down Cake

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I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for apple desserts. The first one I’m offering is from King Arthur Flour, a riff on pineapple upside down cake. The recipe calls for making this in a cake pan, but I’m going to use my cast iron skillet. Boiled apple cider is apparently a product relatively easily found in New England, or from the King Arthur catalog. I’m going to use the apple juice concentrate instead. I love having those frozen concentrates on hand … orange juice, pineapple, apple …. they make it easy to add lots of fruit flavor without lots of liquid. Great for glazes for grilling as well. The idea about putting the apple top in the center of the cake makes for an interesting presentation. You could skip it and just use apple slices instead.

Homemade Caramelized Applesauce

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One more idea for apples is this lovely recipe for applesauce.I found this recipe through the website for NPR’s Splendid Table. Here are their testing notes: A heavy-bottomed saucepan and long, slow cooking are necessary here to prevent scorching of the caramelization that is the essence of this delicious sauce. Keep a close eye on the mixture while it is cooking on high heat; again, to make sure it isn’t scorching. Go by the progress of the caramelization rather than a specific number of minutes. We also made a double batch; it works, but the caramelization takes longer because of the increased volume. Either way, we think it’s worth the time because the sauce is so very good. From the “Clinton St. Baking Company Cookbook” by DeDe Lahman and Neil Kleinberg (Little, Brown and Company). Granny Smiths are fine here, but you could really use whatever’s in the box. The cookbook says “peeled”, but I wouldn’t do it – if I didn’t want the bits of peel, I’d just use my immersion blender to make a smooth puree when everything is cooked. Up to you.

Toasted Chicken Sandwiches with Caramelized Apples and Smoked Gouda

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I saw a note that says we can look forward to apples in our box through the end of the season. Thought you might want some ideas. This recipe comes from “Chicken and Egg: A Memoir of Suburban Homesteading with 125 Recipes” by Janice Cole (Chronicle Books). The onions and apples can be cooked (separately) up to 8 hours ahead of time and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.

LeRoy’s Kohlrabi and Apple Slaw

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The last recipe for today is from Julia LeRoy who just closed her restaurant, LeRoy’s Fried Chicken. I’m taking liberties with her recipe which was originally for turnips. It’s similar to a recipe Suzanne posted 2 weeks ago for kohlrabi slaw. I made this slaw, adding a little homemade horseradish mustard. Yum! I may never eat kohlrabi any other way. Of course if you have any turnips lurking in the refrigerator, add them to the kohlrabi here.

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

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When the apples start to pile up and you’re thinking about making apple sauce, someone will mention this recipe for apple butter made in a slow cooker. It really works. This version is from “The New Southern Garden Cookbook” by Sheri Castle (The University of North Carolina Press, $35). The bonus is that your house will smell delicious while this is cooking. Sheri notes that you can substitute 2 pounds of sweet potatoes for part of the apples and make apple-sweet potato butter. Interesting.

Do you have one of those $20 apple peelers that sticks the apple on a pronged skewer and slowly rotates it through a peeler and slicer? I thought they were a gimmick until I tried one. Fabulous! Apples, peeled (or not), cored and sliced in 10 seconds. Really.

Apple, Chicken, and Smoked Gouda Salad

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One more recipe from my AJC archives ….

Even in winter I like dinner salads – especially those with cheese and nuts and fruit. This adaptation of a traditional Waldorf salad combines some of my favorite ingredients. The honey mustard dressing is a nice foil for the richness of smoked Gouda and the sweet crunch of the apples. Use all one variety of apple or mix them for contrasting flavors and colors. Substitute Swiss cheese for the Gouda if you’re not fond of smoked cheeses.