Growing up, my folks were always trying to get me to eat more fruit. I can still hear my father’s voice lecturing for the thousandth time, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
I didn’t mind eating an apple if I was hungry enough, but other than Applejack brandy (wild kid, what can I say), I never sought out anything to do with apples.
But I grew up, became a chef, and learned to adore apples, especially in the fall. There is nothing more glorious than a crisp juicy apple in the fall. Well, except for tomatoes in the summer and asparagus in the spring…but I digress.
Most folks don’t venture much past apple pie when it comes to things to do with apples, but there are endless quick, yummy things to do with apples that have nothing to do with pie.
Here are just a few of my faves.
Charoset All Year Long
When I was a kid, I wondered why we couldn’t have charoset all year long. Why did it just have to be on Passover? For folks not in the know, charoset is the sweet fruit and nut mixture that is part of the Passover seder.
One day I was working on a menu for a client who wanted an interesting ice cream topping and out of my mouth came, “What about charoset?”
He loved the idea, and French vanilla ice cream topped with charoset was born!
Since then I’ve tried it on sea salt and caramel, butter pecan, and dark chocolate ice creams, but I do love keeping the ice cream simple and letting the charoset do the singing.
Rossi’s Family’s Ashkenazi Charoset Recipe
Every family has a different way of making charoset. but for me it can only be one way. McIntosh apples–no other apple will do—walnut halves lightly toasted, ground cinnamon, and sickeningly sweet Manischewitz concord grape wine.
Figure about 6 apples, 3 coffee cups of walnut halves, 1 coffee cup of wine* and a few good smidgens of ground cinnamon.
A lot of folks like to sweeten this up with honey or brown sugar, but I am not one of them.
Rough chop the apples—no need to peel them.
Chop the walnuts.
Throw the apples, walnuts, cinnamon, and wine in the food processor and pulse just a few times.
If you don’t have a food processor, just chop by hand. I’m a lazy girl and proud of it.
*Some folks use grape juice instead of wine.
Fill a bowl with the ice cream of your choosing and spoon the charoset on top generously.
Not Your Grandma’s Apple Slaw
This apple slaw makes a great partner for almost any kind of sandwich or alongside
fried chicken.
A slaw dressing should be sweet and salty. Just like me.
Slaw dressing
Whisk up a few shots of apple cider vinegar with three or four good drizzles of maple syrup to balance it out. Then whisk in a spoonful of mustard, almost any kind, and a pinch each of salt and fresh ground pepper.
I prefer Granny Smith apples for this. A good tart apple is the sexiest in my book. Julienne 3 apples. There is no need to peel the apples. Praise the lord. Who likes peeling apples?
Toss into your dressing and the apples will never turn color. Even a day later. I love to mix with julienned fennel or peeled and julienned jicama; use 3 fennel bulbs or 3 jicama.
Green Apple Chimichurri
I am known in my circle as the chimichurri queen. I just love, love, love making chimichurri sauce. I make many kinds and many ways. But my green apple chimichurri is my favorite.
Wash and dry a heaping handful of fresh cilantro. Toss into the food processor.
Throw in a handful of peeled and rough-chopped raw onion. Add one half of a jalapeño, one or two cloves of fresh garlic, a smidgen each of ground cumin, ground coriander, and ground chili powder, and a shot of fresh lime juice, and puree. Then toss in a handful of rough-chopped Granny Smith apples. Puree. Adjust seasoning with salt and fresh ground pepper. Pour in a few drizzles of olive oil and puree one more time. If you like it spicy add the other half of the jalapeño. I have also added fresh oregano and parsley, which is lovely, but it’s fabulous as is.
I serve this as an empanada dip. It’s also great as a topping for seared fish or roast chicken, and it’s amazing with grilled shrimp.
