Apple Butter

It is that time of the season where the cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg come to play in Autumn and Winter cuisine.  It is my favorite time of the year! 

Making Apple Butter in the slow cooker brings a delightful aroma to your kitchen and it is such a great way to accompany some of your desserts and entrees.  I use it in my special "Bran Muffin Top" recipe, cookies, cakes, fish (especially on cedar planked salmon), chicken and even on pork chops. I make plenty of it to keep on hand through the winter (if it lasts that long).  You can freeze the apple butter (I usually portion out 1 cup at a time and freeze in individual bags) or if you know how to preserve your food by "Canning", it is best to preserve in this method.  Here is a link to the "Ball Company" on how to preserve foods and they also give you "step by step" for freezing and preserving. http://www.freshpreserving.com/ 

This recipe can be adjusted to your liking; I have found that using less sugar is best, depending on the apples that you use.  I prefer sweeter crisp apples such as Honeycrisp, Gala and Jonagold apples that are available in Washington during September and October season.  I do add a Granny or two to this recipe, for the tart flavor, but you can use any apple of your choice.  Also, just remember that the sweeter apples that you may choose for this recipe, do not need as much sugar.

Happy Autumn Season! This photo is from our yard and our neighbors tree; what a lovely site to see nature in the works, during Autumn.

APPLE BUTTER RECIPE

in a Slow Cooker

6 pounds of apples -approximately 20- 25 apples (choose different apples such as Honeycrisp and Gala)

2 Granny Smith apples

1/2 cup apple juice (use organic) - I use Washington's Gala Apple Juice

1 1/2 cups organic brown sugar

1-2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (I add 2 tablespoons as I love the cinnamon taste)

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1.  Peel, core and slice apples. 

2.  Place apples in slow cooker with apple juice (I own a 7 Quart slow cooker and it is a little large, but it works well). 

3.  Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt  

4.  Add dry mixture to apples and juice and mix well.

5.  Cover slow cooker and cook for 10-12 hours on low setting.

6.  Stir occasionally (I never have to until the end)

7. Taste for sweetness.  If you need more sweetness (to your taste) you can add more brown sugar 1/4 cup at a time during cook time.  Again, depending on the sweetness of your apples, you may not need to add more sugar.

8.  Cool and place in sterile containers to preserve (if there are a lot of juices in your slow cooker, place in a colander until most of the juices drain and then add to containers. You can use the juice for other recipes).

Apple Butter on Fruit and Nut Crostini

Note: Anjou Bakery in Cashmere, WA makes the most delicious Fruit and Nut Crostini.  Sold in many local grocery stores and at Whole Foods.  http://www.anjoubakery.com/

CHEF NOTE: You can use this same recipe to make Pear Butter. Yes, it is absolutely delicious and again, it can be used in many of your recipes as well.  If you decide to make Pear Butter, omit the juice in the recipe; all else is the same.  Pear Butter tastes great on Swordfish, Halibut and Chicken.

                                              Buon Appetito

Sea Bass in Cartoccio with Carmelized Apples and Cinzano

I love many types of fish, but one of my favorites is Sea Bass; if cooked well, you will end up with a moist delicious fish.  As with most "Lean" fish, you cannot overcook it as it will turn dry and rubbery.  I was inpired by Dave Pasternack's recipe from his book "The Young Man & The Sea", if you do not own this cook book, I suggest you order one through Amazon and have in your collection as an essential. 

There are many methods for cooking fish, I used a steaming technique with parchment paper.  In Italy, it is called Cartoccio and in France, it is Papillote.  You enclose the fish, seasoning and sauce in a paper parchment and tightly  fold the parchment so that the steam does not escape.  When baked (usually takes no more than 12 minutes), the paper puffs up and turns golden brown (when covered with an egg wash) and all the flavors, juices and aromas are held inside covering your fish.  The parchment is usually sliced on the top to serve to your guest.  Enjoy my version of this recipe that was altered from the original.  However, the original is just as delicious.

You can alter this recipe with other fruit such as pears and figs (I've done this as well and it is delicious). Enjoy!

Sea Bass In Cartoccio with Carmelized Apple and Cinzano

Serves 6

1 stick of unsalted butter
2 Gala apples, peeled and cut medium dice
8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 oz of dried Porcini mushrooms (hydrated in water for 30 minutes), chop
1 tablespoons of tarragon
1 tablespoons of thyme
1 tablespoons of chives
1 garlic clove minced
1 large egg for egg wash
6 4-6 ounces (depending of size you wish to serve) of Sea Bass
Kosher salt
White pepper
6 Tablespoons Washington Gala Apple Juice (if available in your State) or any organic apple juice
3 Tablespoons of Cinzano or cooking vermouth
6 squares of parchment (20x15)

Preheat oven to 450F

Rehydrate Porcini (if you do not have fresh) in cold water just reaching above the top of the porcini. Leave in water for about 20 minutes until well hydrated. When hydrated, squeeze water from porcini mushrooms and chop.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over a medium heat; in a saute pan and add the diced apples. Using a spatula, toss apples lightly until they are carmelized. Careful not to mash the apples while carmelizing. Transfer apples to a sheet pan to cool.

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to pan and heat over a medium-high flame; add the porcini and saute, stirring frequently, until browned add garlic and stir just at the end. Transfer porcini to a sheet pan to cool.

Chop and mix tarragon, thyme and chives. Set aside.

Combine apple juice and Cinzano. Set aside.

Cut remaining butter in 1/2 tablespoon squares. Set aside.

After apples and porcini have cooled completely, combine and make six piles on the sheet pan; to begin building the fish in the parchment squares.

Fold the parchment squares in half to make a crease. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the center of each square with a pinch of salt and a pinch of white pepper and coat both sides of fish. Place fish on parchment and layer with apples and porcini, mixed herbs and place two 1/2 tablespoons on top of fish. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of apple juice and Cizano over each fish.

Fold corners of each parchment first and then twist edges all around to seal. Brush parchment with egg wash and place on sheet pan.

Bake packets for about 8 - 12 minutes. If you have opted to serve 4 ounces of fish, it will take about 8-9 minutes, for a 6 ounce fish, it will take about 12 minutes. Bake packets until the paper has puffed up and turned golden brown. Transfer packets to serving plates. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut the top of the packet in a cross, to open packet easily.



Preparing the Sea Bass on parchment with olive oil, salt and pepper

Placing the apples and porcini on the sea bass

 
I served the Sea Bass with a Black and Mohogany Rice Cake, which complimented the flavors of the fish very well.

Chef NOTES:
You can also make this recipe with Halibut or Salmon!

Buon Appetito