baked apples filled with fruits and nuts {ffwd}
We’ve been on dessert overload at home. There was the Chocolate Chip Cake I made for New Year’s Eve, which lasted through the weekend. Then, there was an apple crisp to help combat the frigid temperatures early in the week. We now have a Meyer Lemon Tart in the refrigerator to celebrate Howard’s birthday.
Because I didn’t plan ahead, there wasn’t really room in the lineup for this week’s recipe for French Fridays with Dorie: baked apples filled with fruits and nuts. On top of that, baked apples isn’t something Howard eats. Fortunately, it was easy enough to make a one apple version just for me.
After the indulgences of past six weeks or so of the holiday season, a baked apple is a relatively virtuous dessert. I think the recipe’s name in French sounds much more special: pommes au four (apples in the oven). And, it was so simple to make.
You core the apple (melon baller works best, thanks, Diane). Then you peel the top half and score the boundary between peeled and not peeled so it doesn’t explode. The filling can be any combination of your favorite dried fruits and nuts bound together with some honey and a dash of warm spice. I used apricots, prune, golden raisins and cherries for fruit, walnuts and pistachios for nuts, and ginger for spice.
I even used a spoonful of my own honey from the 2012 harvest.
To stuff, a dab of butter goes in the core followed by as much filling as will fit, then another dab of butter on top. The apple bakes in a small amount of apple cider, some more butter, and the apple peelings. This liquid is used to baste the apple while it’s baking.
I ended up eating my lone apple cold for breakfast (see wide array of desserts above) topped with warmed juices. I can’t remember ever making or eating baked apples before, though the taste reminded me of so many apple desserts I’ve had. I liked it, but I’m not sure I’d bother making it just for myself again. So, this might be a one-hit wonder.
I don’t have much else to say today. I hope you are staying warm where you and that the weather is treating you gently. Happy Friday!
You can find the recipe on-line here. As always, the recipe is also in the most-used recipe on my shelf, Dorie Greenspan’s book Around My French Table. To see the combinations my Dorista friends used, check out their links here..
Chilly
I always find it curious that one of our favorite hearty meals to bring cold weather comfort is a homonym of the weather: Chili. And, it has been very chilly around here for the past few days. The first few days after last week’s snowstorm were glorious. The sun was shining, and though it was cold, the world was sparkling and bright. Howard and I went snowshoeing in the woods near our house with Bella, who enjoyed romping in the drifting snow.
Now it’s downright arctic with the thermometer reading in the teens and the wind taking things down towards zero. The end is in sight, but it is cold.
Chilly weather cries out for chili. A big giant pot of chili. So that’s what happened in my kitchen. There are so many different variations. I have a handful of different recipes I like making over and over. I like testing out new ones too. I even have a cookbook with just chili recipes. This weekend, I went with a tried-and-true recipe, the one I’ve been making since I had my first apartment.
There’s nothing special about this chili. It has all the expected elements: ground beef, beans, chili powder. It’s easy to prepare, can be on the table in an hour, and always hits the spot. This recipe can be tweaked for your preferences. I use a mild chili powder with some jalapeno. You can easily turn up the heat with a hotter chili powder or more jalapeno. I’ve made this with ground turkey. I’ve also made with half the meat. Any kind of bean works well: red kidney, black, pinto. The following is just this week’s version.
Chili for Chilly Weather
Serves 6
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, finely chopped
3-4 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 Tbsp finely minced garlic
1 finely minced jalapeno, fresh or pickled (optional)
1 Tbsp crumbled dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
2 bay leaves
2 tsp ground cumin
¼ cup mild chili powder
1-28-oz can whole tomatoes in puree, tomatoes chopped or broken by hand into smaller pieces
1 cup beef broth
1 cup water
Salt & ground pepper
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained or 2 cups cooked kidney beans
Sour cream, lime wedges, and diced avocado to garnish
In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the oil and add the meat. Cook, breaking down the lumps with a spoon as it browns. Add the onions, green pepper, celery, garlic, jalapeno, oregano, bay leaves, cumin and chili powder. Stir to blend well. Add the tomatoes, broth, water, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook about 20 minutes, stirring often. Add the beans and cook about 10 more minutes.
Serve in bowls over white rice and garnished with sour cream, lime wedges, and diced avocado. Cornbread with honey butter goes well on the side.
Thoughts on January from the cool new set of monthly inspirations my sister Jane gave me.
A Plateful of Happiness 