Preparation
Always wash apples thoroughly before eating or cutting to reduce intake of pesticide residues or bacterial contaminants that result from handling. When cutting any unwashed fruits or vegetables, it is possible to carry pesticides from the skin into the flesh with one cut of the knife.
It is suggested that you peel the skin off if the fruit is waxed.
To prevent cut apples from turning brown, a result of oxidation, toss them with citrus juice. The juice of oranges, lemons, or limes will work equally as well. If you want to include chopped apples in a fruit salad, allow them to marinate a few minutes in the citrus juice before adding them to the salad bowl.
Freezing Apples
It's best to peel, core, and slice the apples first. Then prepare a bowl with 1 quart (1 liter) of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Drop the apples into the prepared water for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse them off and blanch in boiling water for 1 minute. Cool under running water, drain, and dry the apples on paper towels.
Arrange apple slices in a single layer on trays and put them into the freezer until thoroughly frozen. Remove and store them in heavy-duty plastic freezer bags. With this method you can avoid clumps of frozen fruit sticking together and can easily remove the quantity desired at any time.
RAW
Feel like snacking on an apple? With so many delicious varieties available, you can bite into a fresh, crisp apple and have a joyfully different taste adventure every day of the week.
Pack an apple in your brown bag lunch.
Include a colorful variety of apples on your picnic menu. They have great keeping qualities and will do fine without refrigeration for the day.
Add chopped apples to your tossed salad. It adds little bursts of sweetness and makes salad special.
Slice apples and enjoy them with a nut butter spread.
Add crunch to a fruit salad with diced apples.
Make a vegan Waldorf Salad with diced apples, diced celery, raisins, and vegan mayonnaise.
Apples and a savory creamy vegan dip make great partners at a party.
If you are fortunate enough to have a juicer in your kitchen, you can enjoy fresh apple juice throughout the year.
Start your day with an unbaked apple. In a bowl, combine raisins, nuts, chopped dried pineapple, chopped dates, and sprouted buckwheat. Core the apple, fill the cavity with some of the fruit-nut mixture, and surround the apple with the remainder. Enjoy this breakfast dish with a knife and fork.
Apple seeds are considered edible, but caution must prevail. Because they contain a small amount of cyanide, apple seeds can only be tolerated in small amounts.
BAKING
To prepare a dessert of traditional baked apples, core apples and fill the cavities with black and golden raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, crushed walnuts, and evaporated cane juice. Put them into a baking pan and add a little unfiltered apple juice in a pool at the bottom of the pan. Bake apples, uncovered, at 350 (gas mark 4) for 1 hour or until very tender when pierced with a fork. Baste often to prevent drying out. Alternatively, you can also cover the pan with aluminum foil (shiny side down) and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake another 30 minutes. This method assures a soft apple.
If you enjoy cooking historical dishes, you can even revive an 1849 apple dumpling created by Eliza Acton. She peeled and cored apples, filled the cavities with fruits and spices, and enclosed the apples in pastry dough. Each apple was then wrapped in a knitted cloth and boiled. This method then led to the baked version. Try encasing the prepared apples in a puff pastry and baking them.
COOKING
Enjoy cooked spiced apples on your whole-grain toast for a satisfying breakfast treat. Sauté sliced apples in a little water with cinnamon, a dash of cloves, allspice, and ginger. Sweeten with maple syrup or evaporated cane juice, and pile onto your toast.
Apple pie or apple cobbler can be made vegan fashion with evaporated cane juice for sweetener and whole-grain pastry flour for the crust. A little non-hydrogenated vegetable oil makes an excellent fat substitute if needed.
Applesauce: Peel and core apples. Cut into slices, put them into a saucepan, and add a little water or apple juice to cover the bottom of the pot. Cover pot, start heat on high, and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium, and cook gently, about 15 minutes, stirring often and checking liquid to prevent burning. When soft, the apples can be mashed for a textured applesauce or put through a food mill or food processor for a smoother texture. Add any spices, flavoring extracts, and sweeteners to taste and cook for another minute or two to set the flavors. Cool and store in the refrigerator.
Apple Butter: Apple butter begins with the preparation of applesauce, then spices are added and the mixture is cooked longer. After adding the spices, flavorings, and sweetener, remove the pot lid, and continue cooking over medium-low heat until the mixture becomes very thick, stirring frequently. The process may take an hour or two depending on the water content of the apples. Cool thoroughly before refrigerating.
As an alternative, you can bake your pureed, spiced apples in a shallow pan in the oven at 300 (gas mark 2) for 2 hours until thickened. With either method, check for doneness by putting a little dollop of apple butter on a dish and turning the dish upside down. The mixture should stick to the plate.
If you plan to make a large quantity for gift giving, have hot sterilized jars ready and spoon your hot apple butter into the jars, leaving only 1/8-inch at the top. Seal immediately and cool.
APPLE RELISH (Charoset)
The traditional name for this recipe is Charoset, a Hebrew word that describes a mixture of fruits, nuts, and wine eaten at the Passover Seder. This wine-free version features dried fruits and cinnamon typically used in Sephardic charoset recipes. The fruits almost always include apples that are shredded or finely diced. While European Charoset is usually a simple combination of apples, sweet wine, and walnuts, the Sephardic Jews from Spain and the Middle East enhance their relish with a variety of dried fruits and add sweetening. Here we offer an irresistible recipe that follows the Sephardic tradition. This Sephardic combination is so tasty and nutritious, it ought to be enjoyed throughout the year. Serve it as a sweet accopaniment to any savory meal
Apple Relish is one of the delicious recipes from Zel LAllen's cookbook
The Nut Gourmet: Nourishing Nuts for Every Occasion published by Book Publishing Company in 2006.
Yield: about 3 1/2 cups (840 ml).
Core and finely chop or coarsely shred the apples. Transfer to a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and mix well. Sweeten with evaporated cane juice to taste. Refrigerate the relish and allow to marinate for 4 to 12 hours. Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, Apple Relish will keep for three to five days.
APPLE HAYSTACKS WITH ROSE WATER
Here's an easy raw dessert that takes advantage of newly harvested apples when they're at their peak of freshness, sweetness, and juiciness. Since this dessert requires very little preparation, it can be made shortly before serving to avoid apples turning brown.
- Put almonds into a food processor or coffee grinder and grind to a fine meal.
- Add water, maple syrup, rose water, and dates to ground almonds in processor, and process until dates are broken down finely. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and rinse processor work bowl.
- Wash apples and core. Leave peel in tact for its excellent fiber. Coarsely shred apples in the food processor or with a hand grater, and add to date mixture, stirring to combine thoroughly.
- Spoon out in 6 mounds onto a large serving platter.
- Top each apple haystack with a slice of kiwi and a grape half. Decorate around platter with grapes and additional kiwi slices. Distribute into dessert bowls at the table using a spatula or pie server. Serves 6.
For other apple recipes click on the following:
Apple Accent Salad
Baked Apples in Carob Sauce