Apple Cookbook (7 page)

Read Apple Cookbook Online

Authors: Olwen Woodier

BOOK: Apple Cookbook
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“A
N APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY
.”
So the old saying goes. If that’s the case, you can feel healthy and food-smart whenever you snack on an apple or pour yourself a drink of cider or apple juice. If you are looking for something a little more elaborate, think of apple tea, punch, or wassail for a special drink. Substitute apple slices for crackers, bread, or chips. No matter how you serve them, apples are tasty and refreshing.

APPLE
Drinks & Snacks
Iced Apple Tea

I love green teas, particularly those flavored with honey, lemon, or mint. I choose basic, nonflavored green tea, however, when making iced tea because I’m going to add my own flavorings of honey, lemon, and mint. Adding the apple juice turns it into a drink that is reminiscent of the apple teas, both hot and cold, served in Turkey
.

4 tea bags (green, orange pekoe, or herbal)

4 cups boiling water

1 tablespoon honey (optional)

2 cups chilled apple juice or cider

4 lemon slices

4 mint sprigs

1
. Place the tea bags in a pitcher and cover with the boiling water.

2
. Allow to steep for 5 minutes. Squeeze the tea bags gently and discard.

3
. Stir in the honey, if desired, until dissolved.

4
. Stir in the apple juice. Chill (or add a couple of ice cubes to each glass).

5
. Pour into four tall glasses and drop a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint into each.

Yield: 4 servings

FREEZING CIDER

Cider freezes well. If you have space in your freezer, you might consider buying extra of your favorite cider in the fall to carry you through until the orchards reopen.

Frosty Apple Shake

Make this with nonfrozen yogurt and you’ll have a delicious and healthful instant breakfast. I sometimes replace one of the bananas with ½ cup applesauce
.

1 quart cold apple juice or cider

1 pint (2 cups) vanilla ice cream

3 ripe bananas

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1
. In a blender, combine all ingredients, and blend until smooth.

2
. Chill until serving time or use immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Apple Smoothie

When you want a really refreshing smoothie on a hot summer’s day, pop the applesauce in the freezer for 15–30 minutes before blending all the ingredients
.

2 cups applesauce

1 cup apple juice or cider

1 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons honey

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1
. Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.

2
. Serve immediately, or keep chilled until serving time. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.

Yield: 2 servings

Fruit Crush

Can’t be bothered to peel an apple or squeeze an orange? Then replace those ingredients with ½ cup applesauce and ½ cup orange juice
.

½ cup sugar

½ cup water

1 cinnamon stick

4 whole cloves

1 orange

1 cup whole strawberries or melon balls

1 cup seedless grapes

1 large apple (Red Delicious, McIntosh)

1 lime

1 quart chilled apple juice or cider

1 bottle (7 ounces) club soda, chilled

1
. Heat the sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute.

2
. Add the cinnamon and cloves.

3
. Using a small sharp knife, remove the orange zest — the thin outer orange peel — and add it to the syrup. Remove the syrup from the heat.

4
. Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice into the syrup.

5
. Hull the strawberries, and slice them in half. Place them in a punch bowl.

6
. Halve the grapes, and add them to the bowl.

7
. Core and thinly slice the apple, and add it to the bowl.

8
. Thinly slice the lime, and add it to the bowl.

9
. Strain the syrup over the fruit.

10
. Pour the apple juice and club soda over the fruit; stir and serve in glasses.

Yield: 4–6 servings

Apple Eggnog

To avoid the possible problem of salmonella, it’s wise to avoid using raw eggs. The easiest way to do this is to use a pasteurized egg product
.

½ cup pasteurized egg product (equivalent to 4 whole eggs)

½ cup sugar

1 cup brandy

1/3 cup rum

2 cups apple juice or cider

3 cups heavy cream

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1
. Place the egg product in a large punch bowl and beat until frothy.

2
. Add the sugar and beat until combined and frothy.

3
. Beat in the brandy and rum, a little at a time, then the apple juice.

4
. Continue beating and add 1 cup of the cream. Beat several minutes until the mixture thickens somewhat.

5
. In a medium-sized bowl, beat the remaining 2 cups of heavy cream until almost stiff. Stir into the brandy and cream mixture.

6
. Sprinkle the nutmeg over the top. Serve at once.

Yield: Approximately 18 servings

Wassail

An old Twelfth Night tradition, this medieval drink of wassail (from the Anglo-Saxon
Wes hal,
or “Be in good health,” a salutation offered when presenting a cup of wine to a guest) or “lamb’s wool,” as it is also known, is still served in some English homes around Christmas. Some serve it with a spoon for eating the baked apple that flavors the beverage
.

4 large apples (McIntosh)

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar

¼ cup apple juice or cider

3 bottles (12 ounces each) ale

1 cup sherry

1 cinnamon stick

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg zest of 1 lemon

1
. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2
. Slit the skins of the apples horizontally about halfway down. Place in a greased baking dish and sprinkle with ¼ cup of the brown sugar and the apple juice. Bake, basting frequently for about 40 minutes, until apples are soft; remove from oven.

3
. Pour the ale and sherry into a saucepan; add the 2 tablespoons brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and lemon zest; simmer for 5 minutes. Add the baked apples, stir thoroughly, and serve hot.

Yield: 4 servings

OPEN-FACE APPLE SANDWICHES

Forget the bread, crackers, and cookies — substitute apple rings instead. Topped with a variety of spreads, cheeses, and meats, they provide a welcome change on the hors d’oeuvre platter. They are particularly successful with children and health-conscious adults. Topping ideas are on the opposite page.

Wash and core the apples and cut into ¼-inch to ½-inch slices. Use Ginger Gold or Cameo apples, which are naturally slow to brown. Sprinkle the slices with lemon juice or drop them into a bowl of cold water with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Remove them; pat dry with paper towels.

Party Apple Punch

Pineapples have long been a symbol of hospitality, and they blend beautifully with apples in this refreshing punch
.

1 small pineapple or 2 cans (8 ounces each) unsweetened pineapple chunks or rings

2 apples (Red Delicious)

3 cups sparkling cider or sparkling white wine

2 cups apple juice

1 cup pineapple juice

½ cup brandy, applejack, or vodka

1
. Cut the pineapple into ½-inch rings. Core, slice off the brown peel, and remove the eyes. Roughly chop the fruit and place it in a large pan. If you are using canned pineapple, drain the juice, reserving 1 cup for step 2.

2
. Core the apples and cut them into ¼-inch slices. Add them to the pan along with the sparkling cider, apple juice, and pineapple juice.

3
. Heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until steaming.

4
. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the liquor.

5
. Cool the mixture slightly, and pour it into a punch bowl or pitcher. Serve warm or cold, with or without the fruit.

Yield: 10 servings

APPLE-RING TOPPINGS

Depending on whether you are making snacks, lunch, or hors d’oeuvres, choose from the following toppings:

Peanut butter and banana slices

Peanut butter with raisins

Peanut butter and applesauce

Peanut butter and crumbled bacon

Peanut butter and chopped nuts

Cream cheese and chutney

Cream cheese with onion slices and smoked salmon (or sardines)

Cream cheese, cinnamon, and honey

Cream cheese with diced ham, curry powder, and chutney

Mashed blue cheese

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