How Bout Them Apples? A guide to selecting and using apples

Red Delicious - The ubiquitous apple of the media, think Snow White and the Wicked Witch. Characterized by its deep red color, it's a reliable, crisp apple, perfect for eating raw.

Fuji - Developed in Japan and introduced to the US in the 80's. Intensely sweet and slightly acidic with a crisp juicy flesh. Great eaten raw alone or in salads. Loses consistency when cooked.

Gala - Similar in shape to the Red Delicious but features a mottled red and bright yellow skin. Firm, juicy, and fine-textured with yellow white flesh. Its sweet slightly tart flavor makes it good for both cooking or eating raw.

Golden Delicious - A nice all-purpose apple with mild sweet distinctive flavor. Careful not to store them too long because they shrivel and can bruise easily. Very nice for pies and salads.

Jonagold - a hybrid of Golden Delicious and Jonathan apples, Jonagolds are a nice balance of sweet and tart. Firm and juicy, they will store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. They can be used in almost any apple recipe.

McIntosh - Very juicy with soft skin and crisp flesh, they can become mealy if stored too long. Nice for eating or making apple sauce but they will get mushy when baked.

Granny Smith - Gorgeous bright green skin with a rosy blush when very ripe. Firm, crisp and tart, these apples are best paired with salty cheeses and savory foods when eaten raw. They sweeten when cooked and make wonderful pie apples. Granny Smith are my favorite choice for caramel apples because their tartness balances the sweetness of the caramel.

Photo by Erin Coopey

Caramel Apples

If you've never tried to make your own caramel, you'll be surprised at how easy it is. I love being able to control the ingredients I am using, substituting organics and better quality cane sugar versus the chemicals and food coloring found in some processed brands. I suggest purchasing a candy thermometer to take the guess-work out of cooking.

4 cups sugar
1 1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
1 quart whipping cream
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 to 12 Granny Smith Apples
10 to 12 wooden skewers

In deep, heavy-bottomed 8-quart pot, combine sugar, corn syrup and water. (Be sure to choose a very deep pot so the sugar mixture doesn’t boil over.) Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Swirl the pot once or twice to combine ingredients, but do not stir or the mixture might crystallize. Boil until mixture turns a medium amber color. Be sure to watch the boiling sugar closely because the color can deepen quickly.

As the caramel continues to boil, it will turn a dark brown, the bubbles will turn tan in color. This is your cue to remove it from the heat and add the cream, butter and salt. The mixture will bubble up; just let it sit a moment to subside. Place back over medium-high to high heat and swirl pot around a few times to combine ingredients. Clip on a candy thermometer* and boil until mixture reaches 250 degrees, swirling mixture several times during boiling to make sure the temperature is consistent throughout.

Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Insert a skewer into each apple, pressing it downward through the center of the stem. Dip apples, one at a time, into hot caramel. Angle and rotate the apples within the caramel to get complete coverage. Pull the apples out slowly to allow excess caramel to drip off.

Place apples on greased wax paper or foil. Let cool to set.

*If you don't have a candy thermometer you can test the doneness spooning a drop of the caramel into cold water. You will be cooking to "firm ball" temperature which means the caramel should form a firm ball that doesn't flatten when you remove it from the water, but should still easily change shape when you touch it.

Roasted Oysters with Bacon and Parmigiano-Reggiano

A couple years ago, Vince and I took a day trip up to Skagit County, Washington to see the tulips. We stopped in La Connor for lunch. The special of the day was Roasted Oysters. The menu described the dish as roasted oysters with a bacon cream sauce and seasoned bread crumbs. I asked the chef if he could accommodate my gluten sensitivity by leaving off the bread crumbs and he obliged. Yippee! What arrived was a creamy, decadent dish - briny, meaty oysters topped with a garlicky cream sauce and smokey bacon crumbles. We ate lunch on the sunny patio overlooking the river, watching eagles fight over a fish. A nice glass of Chardonnay, and I was in heaven.

I was so delighted by the oysters that I stopped on the way home and bought some fresh ones to recreate the dish. It is simply marvelous, if I do say so myself!

Try it as an appetizer or luncheon entree with a green salad.

Roasted Oysters with Bacon and Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan Cheese)

1 dozen large oysters, in the shell (I used Samish Bay)

1 cup heavy cream

1 to 2 cloves garlic

4 strips of cooked bacon, crumbled

1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (go for the good stuff here, not the old green can)

Fresh cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Peel and slightly crush the garlic.  Add the garlic and heavy cream to a small sauce pan.  Heat to a simmer and reduce by half (approximately 10 minutes).  Remove from heat.

Scrub the oysters with a wire brush until clean. Shuck the cleaned oyster and place them on a baking sheet.  (Note: Shake a layer of rock salt onto the baking sheet before placing your oysters.  This will help them to stay upright and level while roasting.)  Sprinkle with bacon crumbles.  Spoon 1 ½ teaspoons of Parmegiano Reggiano onto each oyster.  Then spoon on heavy cream dividing it equally among the oysters.  

Roast the oysters until they are hot and the cream has begun to bubble and brown, approximately 10 minutes.

Schweinschmorbraten / German-Style Braised Pork

I've been craving roasted and braised food lately.  Perhaps it's the gray, rainy sky and short light of winter.  Nothing seems to be more satisfying when it's gloomy than a warm, rich roast with root vegetables.  Here's last nights' dinner.

Schweinschmorbraten

German-Style Braised Pork

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 cloves

2 slices thick-cut bacon

3 lb bone-in pork shoulder roast

Salt and Pepper

2 tbsp bacon fat, lard or canola oil

2 small parsnips, peeled and cut into 1" chunks

1 large or 2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1" chunks

1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1" chunks

1/2 cup red wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 bay leaves

4 sprigs of thyme

1 tbsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp wine vinegar

Directions

Heat oven to 300F.

Thinly slice the garlic cloves lengthwise.  Slice the bacon cross-wise into 1/2" strips.  Using a paring knife, pierce the pork roast randomly and insert a slice or garlic or piece of bacon.  (Studding pieces of bacon or salt pork in a roast is called larding.) Season the pork generously with salt and pepper.

Place a small roasting pan or flame-proof casserole pan onto a burner.  Heat over medium heat.  Add lard.  When the lard is hot but not quite smoking add the pork roast and brown on all sides. This should take about 20 minutes.

After the meat is completely browned, push it to one side of the pan and add the vegetables.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have begun to soften - about 15 minutes.  Add the wine, stir and scrape the bottom of the pan gently to loosen any caramelized bit.  Increase the heat slightly and simmer until the wine is reduced by about half - 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the stock, bay leaves and thyme.  Use a set of tongs to lift the roast and place it on top of the vegetables. 

Cover the pan with aluminum foil.  Place in the preheated oven and roast until fork tender - about 2 1/2 hours. 

Transfer the pork to a platter and use a fork to pull chunks away from the bone.  Use a slotted spoon to arrange the vegetables around the chunks of pork.  Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

Bring the roasting pan with the juices to a boil over high heat.  Mix the arrowroot powder with the water in a small bowl.  Whisk the arrowroot mixture into the boiling juices and cook until sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes.  Stir in the vinegar and check the sauce for salt and pepper.  Serve alongside the roast.

Relishing Life!

They say, "be careful what you wish for." Well, that summarizes my life these days. Teaching cooking classes, writing a cookbook...barely staying ahead of it all! I've given myself permission to not blog regularly (not that I've been that regular). Sorry but when I have a spare minute to write, I'm writing tips, product information and technique examples for the cookbook.

The last few months have been pretty non-stop. I am both exhausted and exhilarated. I can see the finish line though. I'm almost finished with the recipes for the cookbook, now it's all about testing, writing additional content and photographs.

Speaking of photos! Take a look at the first images for the cookbook, photographed by Rina Jordan and styled by Malina Lopez.

Condiments Chapter Title Page

Mustard

Aren't they beautiful? I know! So exciting!

So, what recipes am I finishing up? Relishes and quick pickles. Still have a few zucchinis out in the garden? Well, here's the answer to your squash prayers. My mom's friend, Genie, has graciously shared her recipe for Zucchini Relish. Mom and dad made a bunch of it and dad puts it on everything.  Let me know what you think? Meanwhile, I'll be in the kitchen making Chow Chow, Sweet Pickle Relish, Pickled Onions, Refrigerator Pickles, Corn Relish...Good Gory. Anyone need me to bring a relish tray to a party?

Genie’s Zucchini Relish 

Makes about 2 cups

2 1/2 cups grated zucchini (remove seeds)

1 cups grated onion

1/2 green bell pepper, cored and seeded

1/2 red bell pepper, cored and seeded

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds

2/3 cup cider vinegar

Grind (or process in the food processor) zucchini, peppers and onions, add 1/3 cup salt, mix and let stand overnight. Drain and rinse twice.

Combine rinsed vegetables with remaining ingredients in a medium-sized sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Pour cooked relish into a non-reactive mixing bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours until fully chilled.

Transfer relish into a sterile glass jar for storage. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Butter Up!

Well, I've put Chapter 1, Condiments, of Staples from Scratch to bed.  The editor has it and we've already run through some revisions so now it's on to Chapter 2, Nut Butters and Spreads.  My husband thinks that it sounds x-rated. Well, I say, "good!"  Let's have a little fun, Beevus and Butthead style.  I've been busting my butt over nuts and fruit and could use a little laugh.

In honor of poor taste in humor (but great taste in food), let's all imagine a fresh fig.  What does it remind you of? Uh huh. Now let's squish 'em (ouch!) and add a little sugar.

Rosemary Fig Butter
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 lb of fresh figs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup port
1 3" sprig of rosemary
a splash of balsamic vinegar, optional

Wash, stem and quarter the figs.  Place them in a sauce pan with water.  Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until the figs are squishy soft.

Put the figs through a food mill with a coarse disk to remove the skins.  Return the sauce pan.  Stir in the sugar and port.  Add the rosemary sprig. Bring the figs mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the figs have thickened to a spreadable consistency, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Finish the fig butter with a splash of balsamic vinegar, if desired.

Cool to room temperature and transfer to a glass jar, cover and refrigerate up to 1 month.

Serving suggestions:
Serve warm with roast pork or
Fig butter is wonderful on toast or a flaky croissant
Smear it on a chicken sandwich
Serve it with a cheese tray - I like it with a salty Manchego, sharp Cheddar or creamy Brie
Put a dollop on a baguette slice with Mascarpone and a little prosciutto
Serve it with a rustic caramelized onion and goat cheese tart
Use it for a filling for spice cake

Enjoy!

Erin's Photos

ErinCoop's photostream on Flickr.

A Cookbook? Really?

Oh yes, friends, it's true! I have been asked to write a cookbook for Quarry Books. I am stunned, excited, freaked out, thrilled. Mostly, I'm really happy!

The working title is Staples From Scratch: How to Make Your Own Kitchen Pantry Essentials. So what's it all about, you ask? Well, it will include recipes for condiments, salad dressings, chips and dips, nut butters, and more.

I think it will appeal to many people - from the adventurous cook to the person with food sensitivities. It's great fun to create food from scratch that you might have never thought about before. Why not make your own ketchup? It's easy! And while you're at it, use your ketchup to make your own barbecue sauce or cocktail sauce. One recipe leads to the next. You'll also be surprised at how simple most recipes are.

I am working on Chapter One now. It's due to the publisher on July 27 so the clock is ticking. Chapter One is Condiments so my kitchen is filled to the brim with jars of mustard, samples of ketchup, homemade Worcestershire, and mayonnaise galore.

I'm currently in mustard mode - Ball Park-Style Yellow Mustard, Bavarian Sweet Mustard, Spicy Brown, Dijon-style, Whole Grain, Creamy Dill... The list goes on.

I've learned a ton about mustard. For example, did you know that mustard is hottest when it's made with cold liquid? The cold liquid creates an enzymatic reaction that causes that nose-clearing spiciness. Time will lessen the heat, especially if the mustard remains at room temperature. 

Intrigued? Try this recipe for yourself.

Old World Mustard

1/2 cup yellow mustard seeds (for more heat try adding some brown mustard seeds)

1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1/2 tsp kosher salt or sea salt

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 sprigs thyme

1 clove garlic

1 tsp honey 

1 tsp olive oil

cold water, approximately 1/2 cup

Pulverize the mustard seeds, pepper, salt, garlic and thyme using a food processor, spice mill or mortar and pestle. Scrape the crushed seed blend in a small glass bowl. (Note: Do not use a metal mixing bowl. The mustard can pick up metallic flavors.) Add the vinegar, honey, and oil and mix until you created a coarse paste. Slowly add water, one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture reaches your desired thickness. Cover with plastic wrap and let the mustard rest on your counter for 1 to 2 days. Transfer to a clean jar, cover, and refrigerate. The mustard will last up to 12 months.

Old World Mustard is reminiscent of French country mustard. It's wonderful as the base of a mustard sauce for roast beef or steak, great in vinaigrettes and delicious on sausages and hot dogs. 

Remember the longer it sits the milder it will become, but you can speed the process by heating it in a sauce pan over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes. Don't simmer, just warm it. 

Staples from Scratch will be published in August of next year, 2013. In the meantime, it's back to the kitchen for me!