savor the taste of this crisp, apples colorful, healthy fruit We love apples because they remind us of climbing trees, family picnics, and Grandma’s homemade pie. Apples features over four dozen recipes sure TRUE & TRIED 50 to become instant family favorites. Here are a bounty of creative, delicious ways to prepare and serve America’s favorite fruit. Enjoy These Recipes and More: Apple Cheddar Biscuits • Chicken-Apple Breakfast Sausage • Vanilla Blush Applesauce • Apple-Cheddar Beer Soup • Apple-Stuffed Pork Loin • Apple apples Butter Meatballs • Sweet Apple Rice Pudding • Baked Apple Clafouti R ECIPES 50 TRIED & TRUE RECIPES Inside You’ll Find • 50 recipes—tested and tasted by the author, a professional food stylist • Main dishes, drinks, salads, breads, desserts, and more • Full-color photography from a professional food photographer Julia Rutland Rutland • Growing tips and the food’s fascinating history ISBN 978-1-59193-907-8 $16.95 5 1 6 9 5 9 781591 939078 COOKING / SPECIFIC INGREDIENTS apples 50 TRIED & TRUE RECIPES Julia Rutland Adventure Publications Cambridge, Minnesota apples 50 TRIED & TRUE RECIPES Acknowledgments Many thanks to the abundance of family and friends who offered support and willing palates during the tasting portion of creating this book. My husband, Dit, is always there to pick up dinner when I’ve spent the day elbow deep in pies, pots, and pans. I couldn’t do any of it without his quiet and consistent encouragement. To my girls Emily Bishop and Corinne—thanks for always being good sports when mom is into her projects. Thank you to Brett Ortler and Emily Beaumont at AdventureKEEN for guiding me through this book and others. Cheers to all who celebrate the printed recipe! 6 apples 50 TRIED & TRUE RECIPES Table of Contents Acknowledgments . 6 Apple Cheddar Biscuits . 61 About Apples . 10 Sweets and Desserts . 62 Apple Varieties . 16 Open-faced Apple Pie with Salted Pecan Crumble . 65 Jams, Sauces, and Beverages . 22 Easy Double Crust Apple Pie. 67 Vanilla Blush Applesauce . 25 Upside-down Apple-Pecan Pie. 69 Slow-Cooker Apple Butter . 27 Apple Custard Pie . 71 Spiced Apple Jelly Sauce . 29 Dutch Apple Crumble Pie . 73 Apple-Cranberry Jam . 31 Apple-Cranberry Lattice Pie . 75 Apple Butter-Bourbon Sauce . 33 Mincemeat Pie . 77 Hot Mulled Cider . 35 Simple Apple Tart . 79 Cookies, Breads, and Small Bites . 36 Cheese-Apple Danish . 81 Toffee-Apple Oatmeal Cookies . 39 Apple Spice Cake with Apple Pie Cookie Cups. 41 Butterscoth Drizzle . 83 Nutty Apple Bars . 43 Apple Bundt Cake with Maple Glaze . 85 Apple Blondies . 45 Butterscotch Apple Cupcakes . 87 Apple Baklava . 47 Apple Streusel Cheesecake . 89 Apple Puff Roses . 49 Baked Apple Clafouti . 91 Easy Apple Hand Pies . 51 Fruit-Stuffed Apple Dumplings . 93 Whole-Grain Apple Muffins . 53 Caramel Apples. 95 Herbed Apple Mini Muffins . 55 Apple Noodle Kugel . 97 Apple-Cinnamon Scones . 57 Almond-Apple Crisp . 99 Apple-Cinnamon Quick Bread . 59 Sweet Apple Rice Pudding . 101 8 Soups, Salads, and Savories . 102 Roasted Apple-Parsnip Soup . 105 Apple-Cheddar Beer Soup . 107 Chicken, Apple, and Napa Cabbage Salad . 109 Broccoli-Apple Salad . 111 Apple Tabbouleh Salad . .113 Apple Butter Meatballs. 115 Chicken-Apple Breakfast Sausage . 11 7 Apple Butter Baked Beans . 11 9 Ham-and-Apple Croissant Sandwiches. 121 Apple-Sausage-Cheddar Cornbread . 123 Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Apple Salsa . 125 Apple-Stuffed Pork Loin . 127 Smoked Pork Chops and Apple Skillet . 12 9 Index . 130 About the Author . 136 9 About Apples The familiar cracking sound as you bite into a ripe and juicy apple is about at mouthwatering as the fruit’s sweet-to-tangy flavor and flowery aroma. It’s no wonder the humble apple is America’s favorite fruit. • Apples originated in an area between the Caspian and Black Sea and archaeologists have evidence that humans have consumed apples since 6500 B.C. • There are 7,500-plus varieties of apples grown worldwide. • About 2,500 varieties of apples are grown in the U.S., but only around 100 are grown commercially. The only apple native to North America is the crabapple. • Americans per capita enjoy apples more than any other type of fruit. Almost two-thirds of the U.S. apple crop is eaten as fresh fruit. • Washington produces more than half of the apples grown in the U.S. Other top states include New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, and Virginia. About one-fourth of apples harvested are exported. • Apples are the second most valuable fruit following oranges. Red Delicious is the most widely grown at present but is quickly losing ground to Gala and Honeycrisp. • Apple growers can reasonably quickly produce new types of apples by grafting growing tips of a new variety onto existing trees. • Johnny Appleseed was a real person! Frontier nurseryman John Chapman traveled through the American Midwest in the early 1800s planting apple seeds. • Apple trees require at least four to five years to produce their first fruit. • Apple blossoms are usually pink when they first open, fading to white. The blooms appear late in spring, minimizing frost damage. That means apple trees are grown farther north than many other fruits. 10 • An apple tree might be grown from the seeds of an apple, but it will not produce the same type of fruit because the seeds are a product of both the original tree the apple grew on and the one providing the necessary cross-pollination. • Most apples are still harvested by hand in the fall. • Apples have five seed pockets called carpels. The small spots all over the apple skin (and on other fruits like pears and grapes) are lenticels—small natural openings in the skin that provide a gaseous exchange between air and the inner tissues. You’ll easily see them on potatoes and mangoes too. • Apples float because 25% of their volume is air, making them ideal for “bobbing” in a tub of water. • Apples ripen six to 10 times faster at room temperature than when refrigerated. • One gallon of apple cider is made from about 36 apples. • Apples produce their own natural wax to help the fruit retain moisture and firmness. The natural wax is occasionally white and powdery looking but can be buffed until it shines. Some producers spray additional food-grade wax to replace any wax lost to washing because the protective coating is useful for controlled-atmosphere storage and to enhance shine. How to Buy Look, touch, and smell are the senses you’ll need to select the perfect apple. Look: Inspect the apple for any bruises or nicks in the skin. Except for the yellow and green varieties, such as Golden Delicious and Granny Smith, most apples are fully ripe when most of the fruit is red. Apples won’t often be one solid color. Buy the ones most covered in red, or allow them to further ripen before using. Dull apples are typically overripe. Lenticels are the small pores that allow gases to pass between the flesh of the fruit and the skin. They look like speckles. The more lenticels, the sweeter the apple. Touch: Make sure the apple is firm to the touch with no soft spots. Different varieties are firmer than others, but a soft apple is usually overripe. 11 Smell: Apples should smell fresh and pleasant; avoid those with fermented or rotten aromas. Does size matter? Not really, except for the amount to purchase or effort to peel. If an apple tree’s branches are thinned, then the trees will produce more but larger apples. Often organic apples are smaller than their conventional counterparts. Apple equivalents: 1 pound = about 2 large or 3 medium-size apples 1 pound = 2½ to 3 cups chopped 2 to 2½ pounds = enough for a 9-inch pie Best Uses Snacking and eating raw: Ambrosia, Braeburn, Cameo, Cortland, Cripps Pink (branded as Pink Lady®), Empire, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jazz™, Jonagold, Macoun, SweeTango™, Winesap Why? In general, these apples don’t brown quickly when cut, so they make a good choice in lunch boxes and snack bags. Salads: Ambrosia, Cortland, Fuji, Gala, Honeycrisp, Jonagold Why? For salads, apples should hold their shape and be resistant to browning. They will add a touch of sweetness to slaws, green spring mixes, or spinach blends. Pies and other baked goods: Braeburn, Crispin or Mutsu, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Idared, Jonagold, Jonathan, Macoun, McIntosh, Northern Spy, Pink Lady® Why? Apples used in pies and other baked goods should stay firm and hold their shape. Avoid varieties like Red Delicious or Gala that break down in high oven temperatures. Overly juicy apples (like Fuji or McIntosh) tend to make runny fillings that will equirer additional thickeners— cornstarch or flour. Remember, for best flavor and texture, use two or more varieties. Applesauce and apple butter: Cortland, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Idared, Jonagold, McIntosh, Northern Spy, Pink Lady®, Pippin, Winesap 12 Why? Sauced apples should easily cook down and be mashed to a desired consistency. Use a mix of varieties for a robust and complex flavor. A variety of different types makes the most flavorful sauce. If preparing an unsweetened apple sauce or butter, use more sweet apples for balance. Cider, juices, and beverages: Cortland, Gala, Gravenstein, Jonagold, Pippin, Rome Beauty, Winesap Why? Tannin, acid, and sugar content are key attributes of cider apples. If you prefer a tart cider, select a tart apple and vice versa for a sweet cider. Many varieties are bred specifically for fresh and hard (fermented) ciders and are too astringent or bitter for eating out of hand, but these are not commonly sold in markets. Storage Many factors affect the length of time apples remain fresh, such as when they were harvested or if they have been washed or cut.