

Tart & Savory Applesauce
September 15, 2017
This is an ‘adult applesauce’; that is, it is unsweetened and seasoned with ‘woody herbs’ and lemon. ‘Woody herbs’ are those herbs with thicker, stronger stems and hence stronger flavors. Rosemary, sage and thyme are examples. They have a ‘meatier’ flavor than the sweet herbs, (basil, mint, parsley) and hence, are well suited to roasted meats and poultry.
In this recipe, we will make an applesauce infused with fresh sage, thyme, lemon peel and finished with herb-infused browned butter. It would accompany roast pork loin or tenderloin very nicely, or be delicious with a pile of crispy potato latkes (pancakes). (Recipe coming next week)
Applesauce is traditionally made with McIntosh apples. I find them to be very wet; they make a very loose sauce. I have used a mix of Cortland and Granny Smith apples for a firmer texture and a flavor that is a bit tart. Also, I found really B-I-G apples. They were about 8 ounces (1/2 pound) each -
I peeled only 8 apples total!
- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 25 mins
- Yields: About 4 cups
Ingredients
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter (keep 1 tablespoon in reserve)
6-8 fresh sage leaves (if small leaves, use the greater amount)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 strips lemon peel
3 pounds Cortland apples
1 ½ pounds Granny Smith apples
Juice of ½ lemon
½ -1 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper ( note: Black pepper is just fine. I’m a purist and don’t like specks of black pepper in my creamy applesauce)
Directions
Make the herbed browned butter.
1. Choose a small, heavy-bottomed sauce pan; the size you would use to heat up a can of soup. Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the herbs and lemon peels. The butter should sizzle, but not boil violently. Pay attention and swirl the pan or whisk every couple of minutes. The milk solids, or casein, will fall to the bottom of the pan. The water in the butter will evaporate as steam. And the butter will start to turn golden. Watch carefully at this point. Cook only until the butter has moved from golden and is just starting to brown.
2. The cooking process will take about 15-20 minutes with active watching and whisking. Remove from heat. Let steep for another 15-20 minutes.
3. Strain by pouring slowly into a bowl. Leave the cooked milk solids behind in the pan. The butter should be clear and free of particles.
4. The recipe will make more than you need. The extra will keep refrigerated or frozen and can be used for seasoning or cooking potatoes, chicken, pork. It is fragrant and delicious.
5. Check out ‘clarified butter’ on YouTube for visual techniques.
Make the applesauce.
1. Wash and dry the apples. (dry apples will be less likely to slip out of your hands)
2. I peel apples in my hand with a small, sharp paring knife.
3. First, use a chef’s knife and cut the apples in half and then cut the halves into quarters. Then use a paring knife to peel and de-core the apple quarters. Cut each quarter into pieces and drop them into a heavy-bottomed sturdy pot.
4. Alternately, you can use a peeler and peel each apple around its circumference. Use a chef’s knife to cut them in half and then into quarters and finally into smaller pieces.
5. Add the juice of ½ lemon to your cooking pot while you are tossing in the cut-up apple pieces.
6. Add ¼ cup water to the bottom of the pot. Stir in ½ teaspoon kosher salt and place a piece of buttered parchment paper** on top of the apples. (Use the tablespoon of butter held in reserve from above.) Turn the heat to low and cook, stirring often. The parchment paper will keep the moisture in the pot and help to soften the apples without adding lots of extra water. Adding more water will just make your final product too soupy.
7. Cook for 30 -45 minutes or until soft and mushy.
Finishing the applesauce
1. Puree the applesauce in a food processor or strain through a food mill. If you like a more rustic texture, just whisk it to bring it together.
2. If the browned-herb butter has solidified, warm it back up to loosen. Whisk about 3-4 tablespoons of warmed butter into your sauce.
3. Taste and season to your taste with more butter, lemon juice and/or more salt and pepper.
4. Serve warm or at room temperature with roasted pork, chicken or potato pancakes (recipe next week).
Prep and Cook: Browned Herb Butter: 20 minutes
Yield: Browned Herb Butter: about ¾ cup
** A word about parchment paper: If you are a student of cooking and improving your techniques, you will find that parchment paper is very, very useful. It can be used as a cover (as above) that fits right down on the surface of the food. Moisture loss can be controlled this way. It’s also used in long, slow braises to create a mini pressure-cooker effect. The French wrap portion-sized pieces of poultry or fish in parchment and cook in the oven, trapping juices and steam. The technique is known as “cooking en papilllote”. It was very popular in restaurants in the 1980’s!