Nothing says autumn quite like this sweet, tart, crunchy, juicy fruit. While they are commonly eaten out of hand, most apples are great for cooking, too. And few fruits are this versatile: Apples work in all-American or French dishes, and in kid-friendly or super-sophisticated treats as well as drinks. One traditional pairing is apples with pork. The fruit's sweetness complements the meat's savory side, resulting in classic dishes such as pork chops with apple sauce and sausage and apple stuffing. You've probably got apples in your kitchen right now—here's what to do with them.
For more on this fall favorite, see our visual guide to apples.
Tips:
- Go for Firm and Shiny
When buying apples, choose those without any bruises or soft, mushy spots. They should be firm for their specific variety (a McIntosh will not be as firm as a Granny Smith). Look for fruit with shiny skin—dull skin hints at a lack of crispness and flavor.
- Refrigerate Apples
Apples quickly lose their crispness at room temperature. To keep apples in the fridge, place them in a perforated plastic bag in the crisper. Do not store bruised or cut apples since that will make the other stored apples spoil. To keep apples for an extended period of time, wrap each one in newspaper (don't use paper with colored ink) and then store in a dark, cool place like the cellar or the garage.
- Prevent Browning
If you're slicing apples and don't want the exposed pieces to turn brown, dunk the slices in a bowl of three parts water to one part lemon juice.
- Mix Sweet and Tart
When baking a pie, use a mix of sweet and tart apples to ensure a balanced flavor.
Sweet Treats
- Caramel-Dipped Apples
- Apple Galette (see recipe below)
- Old-Fashioned All-American Apple Pie
- Three-Apple Applesauce
- Upside Down Apple Tarts
Savory Spins
- Apple and Parsnip Soup with Coriander
- Apple, Roquefort, and Red Leaf Lettuce with Pumpernickel Croutons
- New England Sausage, Apple and Dried Cranberry Stuffing
- Mashed Yams and Apples
- Pork Chops and Applesauce
Delightful Drinks
Apple Galette
Bon Appétit | September 2006
by Christopher Hill
Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings
Here's Hill's take on a tart he had at Chez Panisse in Berkeley.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons (or more) ice water
- 1 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
- 4 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
- 1/4 cup apricot preserves
- Whole milk
Preparation
Blend flour and salt in processor. Add butter and blend, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water and blend just until dough begins to clump together, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep dough chilled. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.
Roll out dough between sheets of parchment paper to 1/8-inch-thick round, 14 inches in diameter. Remove top sheet of parchment. Using bottom sheet as aid, transfer dough on parchment to large unrimmed baking sheet. Chill 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine apple slices, 2 tablespoons sugar, and lemon peel in medium bowl; toss to blend. Spread preserves over crust, leaving 1 1/2-inch plain border. Arrange apple slices in concentric circles atop preserves, overlapping slightly. Using parchment as aid, fold plain crust border up over apples, pinching any cracks in crust. Brush crust with milk. Sprinkle crust edges and apples with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
Bake galette 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking until crust is golden, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven. Slide long thin knife between parchment and galette. Let stand at least 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.
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