Of Apples and Autumn

Empire Apples, Masker Orchards

There is something about this time of year that drives me back to the kitchen with renewed interest. The cooler weather, shorter days and intersection of last-gasp summer and just-ripe fall produce at the farmer's markets makes cooking much more interesting. I love summer, just ask anyone with a beach house who knows me! And I adore the simplicity of summer cooking with amazing in-season ingredients. But when the air gets that chill and the sun starts to set before we've finished with dinner, I look forward nights of braised meats, roasted root vegetables and apples. Crunchy, juicy, apples.

For a family of three we eat an astonishing amount of apples. And we enjoy picking them ourselves. Over time we have developed a family tradition. We pick our apples at Masker Orchards in Warwick, NY. Nothing fancy. Just your basic pick-your-own place.  We make a day of it.  First we pick and eat ourselves into an apple-colored daze. Then we pay for our apples (29.1 lbs of them this year to be precise), buy some cider and head into town for lunch (this year we stumbled across Eddie's Roadhouse. The burgers are fantastic - ground in-house, flavorful and juicy - and they have an interesting and varied selection of beers on tap.  Ask for some garlic aioli for your fries). Afterwards we head to Bellvale Creamery for their pumpkin ice cream. Then we come home and contemplate the apples.

Apple pie.  Apple crisp.  Baked apples.  Plain old apples.  Apple sauce.  I make it all.  Then this year I was struck by inspiration.  What better way to get rid of make use of these delicious specimens than apple butter?  My love affair with slow cooking has endured and I decided that I would attempt to make apple butter in the slow cooker. Is it OK to call myself a genius? The slow cooker broke down the apples while concentrating all of their flavor. The result was a luscious, highly flavorful, caramel-brown, spice-scented spread. If you have an abundance of apples I recommend trying your hand at apple butter.

Apple butter is wonderful as an addition to oatmeal or other hot cereals, on a bagel or pumpkin bread with cream cheese, as an accompaniment to a cheese platter, as a spread on sandwiches or, for some of us, right off the spoon.

World’s Easiest Apple Butter

Ingredients:

• Approximately 6 lbs of apples (a mix of sweet and tart), peeled, cored and cut into 1” chunks
• ½ cup water, apple cider, or orange juice
• Zest of one lemon
• 2 cups of sugar (if you don’t plan on canning this you can cut down on the sugar but since I often use this with cheese the sweetness provides a nice contrast especially with sharp cheeses)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• Other spices to your taste – I usually toss in a few star anise and cardamom pods (just remove them once the butter is done).  Fresh ginger would be good too, if you have it on-hand.

Preparation:

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl large enough to accommodate them.  
2. Stir well to mix and make sure the liquid and sugar is evenly distributed.  
3. Toss into your slow cooker, set it to low and let it cook for 10 hours.  
4. Wake up to the best smell and delicious apple butter.  Alternatively, come home from work to the best smell and delicious apple butter.

You can also make this on the stovetop; it just requires a little more vigilance.  Once the ingredients are combined pour them into a large, non-reactive pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally until it reaches the consistency of extremely thick applesauce and the color of dark caramel.

If desired you can process the apple butter and can it.  It makes a nice holiday gift for teachers.  You can find detailed canning information and instructions here.

The child, clearly enjoying the fruits of her labor.  Pun intended.

I Have Seen the Light and It's On My Slowcooker (plus a recipe for Short Ribs)

I'll admit it.  I was not quick to jump on the slow cooker bandwagon.

"Why do I need a slow cooker when I can braise on my stove top or in my oven?"  "What can I make in a slow cooker that I can't make in a pot?"  And, to be truthful, those questions are still pretty valid.  But, after spending some time using one, I have come to the conclusion a slow cooker definitely has its advantages.

I can make dinner.  While I am sleeping.  I can make breakfast.  While I am sleeping.  It. Will.  Cook.  For.  Me.  While I am sleeping.  I like sleeping.  I don't sleep enough.

In all seriousness a slow cooker is a great kitchen tool if you have the room for one.  It takes up a lot of valuable counter real estate and in a NYC kitchen it has a lot of competition.  Plus storing it when it's not in use also requires a serious space commitment.  However, once you've tasted creamy oatmeal, on a 15 degree morning, that cooked while you were SLEEPING, you will no longer be a commitment-phobe.  For that recipe visit Food52.  I'm here to talk about short ribs.  If the oatmeal doesn't convince you, these will.

Short ribs are one of my favorite winter-time meals.  To me there is nothing more comforting and homey than a plate of warm,  flavorful meat and sauce that has cooked all day.  Ordinarily  making them is a huge undertaking.  Not with a slow cooker!  You do some advance preparation, plug it in and walk away (or go to sleep).  In my research on slow cooker methodology it would appear that there are recipes that allow you to toss some ingredients in, turn it on and walk away (soups, the aforementioned oatmeal).  My (admittedly limited) experience bears out that most recipes involving meat benefit from a little more work.  Taking the time to brown the short ribs and develop a seasoned, thick braising liquid is worth it.  Really worth it.  When you wake in or walk into a home that smells like this recipe and you see that little red light on the "warm" setting, you won't regret it. 

I've seen the light.  Go towards the light.  You will be rewarded.


Slow Cooker Short Ribs with Red Wine Sauce

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs bone-in short ribs
• Salt and pepper
• 1 TBS canola oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 large celery stalk, diced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 generous TBS tomato paste
• 2 TBS flour
• 2 cups red wine (nothing too fruity)
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups chicken or beef stock

Preparation:

1. Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
2. In a large heat the oil and pan brown the short ribs on all sides (in batches if necessary) and remove them from the pan.
3. Degrease the pan if there is too much fat left from cooking the ribs (leave a little behind for cooking the vegetables).
4. Add in the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook until the vegetables soften slightly (about 5 minutes).
5. Stir in the tomato paste to distribute evenly and allow it and the vegetables to brown slightly (an additional 5 minutes).
6. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to coat evenly.
7. Carefully pour in the wine and stir to combine.  Make sure to scrape up any brown bits that have formed in the pan (known as fond) - they add a ton of flavor to the dish.  Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid thickens and reduces slightly; 3-5 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  At this point you can combine the ribs and this mixture and refrigerate if you want to prep this the night before.  In the morning, continue with step 8.
8. Pour into the container of your slow cooker and place the browned short ribs on top.  Place the herbs on top and pour the stock over.
9. Cook for 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.  
10. Check periodically to make sure the liquid hasn't reduced too much.  
11. Once cooked, remove the ribs from the container and set aside.  Allow the liquid to cool  and skim off any fat you can see.  (It's best if you can make these a day ahead and chill the sauce in the refrigerator,  It makes removing the fat from the sauce much easier.) Reheat the sauce.  If it needs more time to thicken you can pour into a pan and simmer until it reduces.  Add the ribs back in to reheat over low heat.  

I like to serve over egg noodles or polenta  (you want something that will hold all of the luscious sauce).  It looks pretty garnished with a little chopped parsley (for color) and pairs nicely with a leafy green salad and a glass of dry red wine.

Why Do We Cook? (Plus a recipe for Chinese Tea Eggs)

This summer was long.   The days were hot and filled with activity.  There were highs and lows in both life and temperature.  100+ degrees outside.  Gorgeous mornings for running along the Hudson.  Hurricanes.  Rainbows.  Hail.  My daughter gained a sense of confidence when it comes to sports (something I've yet to manage).  We spent time with friends filled with food and fun. We were lucky to be able to spend another vacation on the Cape. 

But the lowest of the lows came when my father had a health scare which sent him to the hospital and me on the next plane out of town to play my least favorite recurring role:  The Daughter From New York (TDFNY).  Medical professionals in Florida who deal with patients of a certain age dread TDFNY.  She sweeps in (generally wearing all black).  She takes control.  She demands attention.  She asks pointed questions.  She challenges.  She subtly provokes.   In other words, TDFNY gets shit done.  Luckily this was just a temporary hospital stay and my father was home within 48 hours.  I got the chance to spend some quality time alone with my parents without the associated responsibilities of a husband and a daughter.  Refreshing lemonade out of what could have been some extremely sour lemons.  

So what did I do?  I cooked.  And cooked.  And then I cooked some more.  Watermelon and cucumber salad with feta, mint and lime.  Grandma's brisket with homemade mashed potatoes.  Bite sized chocolate chip cookies.  Biscotti with toffee and chocolate.  Fluffy omelets.  Homemade hot fudge sauce for ice cream.  Baked ziti with garlic bread.  I can't fix what ails my father.  I can't make it better for him or my mother.  I can't be there every day.  And I agonize over what I can't do.  But while I am there I can make sure they are nourished by my food and my love. 

Ever since that trip I've been thinking a lot about why we cook.  There are the obvious reasons:  we need to eat; it's healthier and less expensive than dining out, etc.  But for those of us who love to cook it goes much deeper.  For me I can show someone how much I love them by cooking their favorite dish.  I can make their day a little brighter with a small treat.  I can make them feel taken care of and tended to for even just a little while.   And it's also a little selfish.  I relish nothing more than seeing someone enjoy something I've made for them.  Everybody wins.

This past weekend a dear old friend and her mother came to visit me.  They were in town to mark the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.  On that day they lost a firefighter brother and son when the South Tower collapsed.   Their resilience amazes me.  And while I couldn't take away their pain, the sense of loss and their sadness there was something I could do:  I could open my home to them.

 And cook.

My Mother-In-Law's Tea Eggs
Yield - 1 dozen

My mother-in-law is an amazing Chinese cook.  Born in China and raised both there and in Taiwan before coming to the United States in her 20s she has a mind-boggling command of Asian technique.  These eggs were a favorite in my husband's home when he was growing up.  I don't recall the first time I ate them but I do remember my sense of awe at how 3 simple ingredients could transform a hard-boiled egg into something so resplendent.  

Ingredients:

1 dozen eggs, rinsed

Enough water to cover the eggs in a heavy bottomed pot

2-3 tea bags (plain old black tea will do - I prefer loose leaf teas and usually use oolong)

3 star anise

1 cup soy sauce

Preparation:

1. Place the eggs in a heavy bottomed pan and cover with cold water by an inch.
2. Bring the water to a boil.
3. Cover the pot and remove from the heat.  Allow the eggs to sit in the covered pot of hot water for 8 minutes.
4. Remove the eggs from the pot and set aside.  Measure out about 1 cup of the hot water and discard.
5. Add in the teabags, the star anise and the soy sauce.  Allow the mixture to steep.
6. Carefully roll the eggs to crack the shells all over but do NOT peel them.
7. Return the eggs to the water/tea/anise/soy mixture and allow the eggs to steep in the mixture for 30 minutes while it cools.
8. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
9. When you are ready to eat an egg simply remove it from the liquid and peel it.   You will delight in the gorgeous marbling that has taken place.

 
The eggs will keep for about a week in the refrigerator.