Monday, September 29, 2008

Applesauce in Every Pot

There is nothing better than a warm bowl of applesauce, lightly sprinkled with cinnamon, for breakfast on a cool morning. My basic recipe: quarter your apples, and put them in a large pot with a little bit of water. I used about 1/2 c of water for 15 apples. Apples have plenty of their own water, so you just need enough to keep them from burning as they start cooking. Turn on the heat and let the water come to a boil, then cover the pot and lower the temperature to a simmer. Cook til the apples are soft. Working in batches, put the cooked apples and all collected liquid through a food mill that is set over a large bowl. Puree the apples, leaving behind the skin, stems, and seeds, and then pour the sauce back into the pot. Add some lemon or lime juice to brighten the flavor (I prefer lime, which has that extra bit of tang to it) and then add the sweetener of your choice, if desired. I used about 1/3 c maple sugar, but you could also use white or brown sugar, maple syrup, agave, or stevia--or just leave it as is. It also depends on that specific batch of apples, whether they're tarter, sweeter, or not as flavorful as they could be. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature, with or without a sprinkling of cinnamon on top. Enjoy!

3 comments:

JSA said...

Looks delicious! (But since I don't own a food mill, it looks like too much work for me... I'd have to core and peel first). What do you think are the best mixture of apples for apple sauce? Would they be the same for apple pie?

The apple frittata looks good -- and it looks easier than making a pie (I hate putting the top crust on, it always breaks -- my brother is an absolute pro at pie crusts).

What is the sweetener you mentioned? stevia? And for whom was that fabulous welcome home dinner? I wish I could have been there. I cook like that for my family sometimes and while my husband enjoys it, my kids turn their nose up at most of it. It's very aggravating.

Kt said...

Thanks! Having a food mill makes a huge difference for applesauce IMO, as you don't have to core and peel -- but on the other hand, you have to deal with all the stuff that gets into the food mill, so maybe it balances out? Any chance you have one of those nifty peeler/corer things, where you spin the apple around and the peel and core come off/out at the same time? Your kids might find it fun to do. :)

The crostata is SO much easier than an apple pie--and it only uses 3-4 apples, so you're not peeling apples all day.

Stevia is a leaf that is used as a sugar substitute. It's super sweet compared to sugar, so you just need a tiny amount. I haven't used it much, but some say it has a strange aftertaste. You can get it at Whole Foods or in any health food store.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia

And yeah, kids don't always appreciate all the effort that goes into a meal like that -- it can be very frustrating! Do they like helping you cook?

LOL ... maybe I should've just sent you an email! :b

Kt said...

Just realized I totally forgot to answer your apple question. I used a combination of Jonagolds and Cortlands. I like applesauce that's on the tarter end, which I know isn't everyone's thing. And I didn't use them this time, but I like the color that Macintosh skins give to applesauce, too.