Category Archives: Vegan

What’s Cooking?…Stewed Apples

  What’s Cooking?…Stewed Apples

I know, I can hear it….you are probably saying – Stewed Apples, are you for real.  Well yes.  I did give this some considerable thought and then I just decided yes.  I will post this.   Some people might say – just open a can, and of course you can, but, the taste is really not the same.  I know it seems simple, but it really is easy to overlook the basics at times.  As I have previously mentioned, I love to take an ordinary ingredient  (or fabric for that matter) and create something really wonderful.  I think apples are really in that space.

image

Apples have been around for a long time.  They certainly were a temptation for Adam and Eve (although I have wondered at times if this could have been a quince?)  An apple a day keeps the doctor away!  There is some truth to that.  Apples are an excellent digestive.  It’s not without coincidence that they are served with pork to aid digestion.  More about apples here.

Apples – The World’s Healthiest Foods

Apple Intake and Cancer Risk

Anyhow, back to the apples.   Stewed apples are one of the great starter foods for babies, or as an invalid food if a person has been unwell or unable to eat a regular diet.  They are easy to consume.  Once the stewed apples are made, they can be used as a condiment for meat dishes – especially pork (think roast pork, pork chops or pork meatloaf).

What’s Cooking?…Crumbed Pork Chops

Stewed Apples can be used as an adjunct for tomato sauce, sausage rolls and for constructing many other wonderful dishes such as apple crumble, apple cakes, apple turnovers, apple strudel, apple pies, apple danish and apple buns.  If a quick dessert is required, serve them warm or cold with a little ice-cream or yoghurt or even add as the filling for pancakes.  They can also be used to make a version of Bircher Muesli.  Please be aware that different apples at different  periods of ripening, have different levels of sweetness.

This is how I do it.

Ingredients

2 kg of apples
½ cup sugar (or to taste)
1 teaspoon of ground cloves ( or one rounded teaspoon whole cloves)
Method
Half fill a medium/large saucepan with water.  Peel and then slice the apples into the water.  (This stops them from browning).
image
Once all the apples are prepared, drain off all the water.  Sprinkle the sugar and cloves onto the apples.
image
 Set the saucepan onto low heat with the lid off and gradually  bring up to a simmer.  This may take 20-30 minutes.  Allow to simmer for a couple of minutes, then stir through.  The apples will be a little pulpy and smell divine!  Turn off the heat and allow to cool.  Decant into a storage dish, cool and refrigerate  until required.  Remember if you have used the whole cloves to remove them before serving .  Enjoy!
image