Someone gave me box of apples once, and I was looking for ways to use them up before they could spoil. I came up with this one morning and the kids love it. I teach this one to the middle-school classes I teach, and love to hear how they use this recipe at home. This is a good way to get more fruit into a diet, and it is great as a complement to French toast, waffles, pancakes, and oatmeal. Try it with pork chops, duck, or roast chicken as a “sauce”. See below for ideas for dinner. Jonagolds are a good choice for this dish as they are great for cooking with. A nice balance of sugar and acid, crisp with a thin skin, these are good for pies as well as out of hand.
INGREDIENTS:
3 or 4 cooking apples such as Jonagold, or other firm apples that work for cooking Pinch of cinnamon ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract 1 tablespoon butter
METHOD:
Cut the apples into slices 1/8-1/4 inch thick, removing the core and seeds.
Heat a 10 inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. I like a non-stick pan for this dish.
When the pan is hot, add the butter.
As soon as the butter is melted, add the apples, and toss to coat evenly with the butter.
Sprinkle the cinnamon over all, then add the vanilla and toss well to incorporate it.
Sauté to soften the apples and to brown them. Getting some the edges crisp and the surfaces nicely crusted is great contrast to the melting texture the slices take on.
When the apples show no signs of being raw, and they all have some color, they are ready to use.
Chef’s Notes and Tips:
At our house these get used as a side on cold mornings, hence the name. They are also excellent on French toast. I like to use cinnamon bun bread for the French toast, with cinnamon and vanilla in the batter. I then top the toast with a thick and tart yogurt, some apples, a little warmed maple syrup, and another slice of French toast. Decadent? Maybe. Good? Oh yeah.
You could use this as a topping for things like pork chops, roast chicken, or duck. They are a nice twist for liver and onions as well. You could sauté an onion first, and then proceed with the recipe, seasoning with salt and pepper. After cooking the apples, you could de-glaze the pan with a shot of cider vinegar or apple brandy, and then add a little apple juice to the pan and reduce for a quick sauce.
If you have Tokyo turnips, cut them into a similar shape and size and blanch them quickly until almost done, and them cook them with the apples. This is an excellent combination, and quite good with duck.
Serves: 2-4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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