Someone once gave me a large box of apples and I needed a way to use them up before they spoiled. I came up with this one morning and the kids loved it. I teach this recipe to middle-school cooking classes, and I enjoy hearing how the students use this dish at home. Sautéed apples work great with French toast, waffles, pancakes, and oatmeal. Try it with savories such as pork chops, duck, or roast chicken as a side dish.
Jonagolds are good cooking apples with a nice balance of sugar and acid, crisp with a thin skin. They are good for pies as well as eaten out of hand.
INGREDIENTS:
3 or 4 cooking apples such as Jonagold, or other firm cooking apples
Pinch of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter
METHOD:
Cut the apples into slices 1/8 – 1/4 inch thick, removing the core and seeds.
Heat a 10-inch non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the butter. As soon as the butter is melted, add the apples, and toss to coat evenly with the butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon over all, then add the vanilla and toss well to incorporate it.
Sauté to soften the apples and to brown them. Getting some of the edges crisp and the surfaces nicely crusted is a great contrast to the melting texture the slices take on.
When the apples are no longer raw and have some color, they are ready to use.
YIELD: 2-4 servings
CHEF NOTES:
- Sautéed apples are great on French toast. I use cinnamon bun bread for the French toast, with cinnamon and vanilla in the batter. I top the toast with thick, tart yogurt, some apples, a little warmed maple syrup, and another slice of French toast. Decadent? Maybe. Good? Oh yeah.
- Use cooked apples as a topping for pork chops, roast chicken, or duck. They are also a nice complement for liver and onions as well. Sauté an onion first, and then proceed with the recipe, seasoning with salt and pepper. After cooking the apples, de-glaze the pan with a shot of cider vinegar or apple brandy, and then add a little apple juice to the pan and reduce for a quick sauce for the cooked liver.
