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An apple for the teacher
17 September 2009
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." "There's always one bad apple in every bunch." "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." "Let's not compare apples to oranges."
"Don't upset the apple cart." And, lest we forget Peter Brady attempting to sound like Humphrey Bogart, "Pork chops and applesauce. Swell, huh?"
There must be countless other apple sayings, but that would just get annoying. What is wonderful are the countless ways to prepare and eat the over 7,500 apple varieties
available worldwide. The average American eats about 65 apples a year. After some of the following suggestions for using this truly super fruit, that number may go up
significantly.
The basics include apple pie (even so, variations of something so simple never stop) apple sauce, apple cake, apple fritters, baked apples, apple strudel. One of the most
simple ways to enjoy apples is sliced with a sharp cheddar cheese.
Apples are also used in salads, vegetable purees, curries. A well known chicken dish called Chicken Normandy, and used in stuffing for stuffed pork chops (recipe to
follow.)
It's the season for apples, with the cooler mornings, the smell of fallen leaves, apple picking, and, if not for H1N1, or other infectious germs, bobbing for apples. Here are
some recipes to try, and serve over and over, no matter what the season.
The Original Fish Market Apple Pie
(The Fish Market, located in downtown Philadelphia in the 1970s)
Crust
1 ¾ c all-purpose flour
¼ c sugar
1 t cinnamon
½ t salt
2/3 c butter
Apple cider (or water), enough to bind dough
Filling
1 ½ c sour cream
1 large egg
1 c sugar
¼ c flour
2 t vanilla extract
½ t salt
2 ½ lbs McIntosh apples, pared, cored and sliced (about 6 large or 9 small apples)
Topping
½ c (1 stick) butter
½ c flour
1/3 c sugar
1/3 c brown sugar
1 T cinnamon
¼ t salt
1 c chopped walnuts
Method
—Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees
—For the crust, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut in butter with pastry blender, or fingertips, to the consistency of coarse meal. Add just enough
apple cider, a tablespoon, then teaspoons full at a time, to moisten the pastry mixture evenly. (Usually two is fine, but it always depends upon the temperature/consistency
of the ingredients. Use as little as possible.) Press dough into a ball. Roll out between sheets of waxed paper, or a lightly floured surface. Turn the pastry into a 10-inch
pie plate. This makes a significant amount of dough, which allows for a decorative rim to be formed.
—To make the filling, combine sour cream, egg, sugar, flour, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Add the sliced apples to the mixture, stirring to coat evenly. (Paring and
slicing apples into the cream mixture helps to keep browning of the apples to a minimum.) Turn the filling into the prepared pie shell just before placing into the preheated
oven.
—Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
—While the pie is baking, prepare the topping by blending the butter, flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and walnuts.
—After the pie is baked, remove the stir filling in crust gently but thoroughly. Place the topping mixture evenly over the top of the pie. (Heat form the pie will soften
the topping to aid in spreading if necessary.)
—Return to the 350 degree oven for another 15 minutes and remove from oven.
—Allow the finished pie to cool
before slicing.
Shenandoah Apple Cake
(This was originally from Linda Brown, of Richmond, VA - I have only lessened the amount of sugar her recipe listed. I have made this at least 3 times a
year for the passed 20 years.)
Ingredients
1 c butter
1 ½ c sugar
2 eggs
2 ½ c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 t cinnamon
3 c chopped apples (either peeled or unpeeled)
1 16 oz bag of butterscotch chips
1 c chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
Method
—Preheat oven to 350 degrees
—Cream the butter and sugar. Add beaten eggs, and mix well. Then add the dry ingredients beating in after each addition. Stir in the apples, chips and nuts. Mix
well. This will be a thick mixture.
—Press into a 9" x13" pan. — Bake for 1 hour.
— Easily makes 8-servings.
Stuffed Pork Chops
(I must take full credit for this one - one of my Sunday afternoon creations, although there must be many variations out there.)
Ingredients
½ c chopped sweet onion
½ c chopped celery
1 clove minced garlic
¼ c chopped Italian parsley
1 tart apple, finely chopped
½ t Poultry seasoning
½ lb breakfast sausage or sweet Italian sausage, browned
¼ c Apple Jack Brandy or Bourbon
2 T butter
½ t allspice
1 c fresh bread crumbs
1 beaten egg
¼ c grated Asiago or parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4-6 thick, bone-in pork chops, slit from fatted side, to form pocket
Olive oil
Method
—Sauté the onion, celery, parsley, and garlic in butter until translucent. Add the apples, poultry seasoning, and brandy or Bourbon, and cook together another 8-10
minutes to allow the alcohol to dissipate.
—Mix in the browned, crumbled sausage.
—Remove from heat and combine the allspice, bread crumbs, beaten egg, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Stuff each chop (alternatively, you may use the same
stuffing mixture for a stuffed pork loin.) Secure each chop with toothpicks.
—Coat the chops with olive oil, season the outside of them lightly with salt and pepper and
a dusting of allspice, and roast in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer reads 150 degrees.
—Remove from oven, tent with foil to
retain heat while letting the chops rest before serving.
—Serves 4 - 6 people.
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