How ’bout them apples?
Delicious recipes make the most of one of fall’s most popular offerings
What would happen to a doctor if he ate an apple a day? Would he explode? Would he disappear? Or would he be satisfied knowing he is eating one of nature’s greatest gifts?
For any doctor brave enough to try, now is the time to do it. We are at the peak of apple season, and the orchards and markets are laden with America’s second most popular fruit (after bananas).
Now is when they are at their freshest and best. The apples you buy next spring and summer will have been picked now, or maybe in the next couple of months, and kept refrigerated until they are sold. And although apples stay fresh and good for a long time, there is no comparison between an apple you buy next June and one you buy now.
The only question is: which variety to get? More than 7,000 varieties of apple grow around the world, with 2,500 types that grow in the United States. Of those, about 100 are grown commercially and find their way to your produce store.
With those guidelines in mind, I made three apple-based dishes — one savory, two sweet. Knowing the right type to use for each dish made them even better.
APPLE FRITTERS
Yield: 12 fritters 1 tablespoon butter 2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch dice (precision is not required) ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 1½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground ginger ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 large egg 1 tablespoon melted butter ½ cup apple cider Vegetable oil, for frying ½ cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon milk
In skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat and cook until it turns golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add apples and cook until apples just begin to soften around the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar and continue cooking 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain in a strainer and allow to come to room temperature.
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg; whisk until well-combined. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together egg, the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar and the 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Stir in the cooled apple pieces and the cider. Add the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated.
Heat oil in deep fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees. Spoon about 2 tablespoons batter per fritter into hot oil, slightly flattening them. Cook in batches, no more than 2 or 3 at a time. Cook until golden brown on bottom and small bubbles appear on top, about 2 minutes. Flip fritters over and fry on the other side until richly browned, about 2 minutes more.
Transfer with a slotted spoon to a papertowel-lined plate. Cool slightly before glazing.
To make glaze, stir together powdered sugar and milk until smooth and just runny enough to drizzle over the fritters. If too runny, add a little more powdered sugar; if not runny enough, add a little more milk. Use a spoon to drizzle glaze over the fritters.
PER SERVING: 323 calories; 24 g fat; 4 g saturated fat; 18 mg cholesterol; 2 g protein; 25 g carbohydrate; 14 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 165 mg sodium; 43 mg calcium
— Adapted from Allrecipes.com
APPLE CUSTARD PIE
Yield: 8 servings 1 pie crust 2 sticks butter 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 eggs 1 cup granulated sugar ½ cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon kosher salt 3 semi-tart apples, such as Granny Smith, Baldwin, Cortland or Idared Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pierce inside of pie crust all over with a fork, line with parchment paper or foil and weigh down with pie weights or dry beans. Bake until crust is a light golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment. Keep the oven on.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. If using a vanilla bean, split the bean lengthwise with a sharp knife, spread each half open and use the knife to scrape out the seeds from both sides into the melted butter; add the vanilla bean pod halves.
Continue to cook, swirling the pan often, until the butter foam subsides and it becomes golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside 10 minutes to cool.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract, if using. If using vanilla bean, remove the pod halves from the butter. Slowly add all the butter to the egg-sugar mixture, whisking constantly. Add the flour and salt and whisk until smooth.
Peel and core the apples; slice into ¼-inch slices. Arrange them in a slightly overlapping circle around the edge of the pie crust, with a few slices in the center when the outer ring is complete. This may not take all of the apples. Slowly pour the filling over the apples, giving it time to seep down into the crevasses between the slices. Add enough filling to come within ¼ inch of the top of the crust. This may not take all of the filling.
Bake until the apples are a deep golden brown and the filling is set in the center, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer pie to a wire rack and cool for 2 hours. Serve warm or at room temperature.
PER SERVING: 518 calories; 32 g fat; 17 g saturated fat ;79 mg c holes terol; 6g pro te in; 55g carbohydrate ;34 g sugar; 3g fiber; 441 mg sodium; 32 mg calcium — Adapted from Tasting Table,
by Mika Paredes