Have you noticed that there appears to be great crop of apples this year?
There has been an amazing apple crop this year. The tree in my garden is full of ruby red fruit.
It’s a Discovery variety – an exterior like the apple that appeared in Snow White and a pink, mottled flesh when you cut into it.
There’s a tree across the road from me and some of the branches hang over the pavement. They are an eating apple but with a sharp flavour. The two work very well together.
At the moment I’m picking the last of the fruit from the tree and trying to preserve it. Making jelly is an option and I’ve added a recipe but there is a bit of work involved. I’ve also been peeling, quartering and coring them, dipping in an acidulated sugar syrup and then bagging and freezing them. Less work and you have fruit that you can use for all manner of dishes.
Pork and apple are a classic combination. Roast pork and apple sauce is a match made in heaven.
Stewed Bramley apples with a small amount of sugar will cut through the rich meat beautifully. In the recipe here I’ve taken pork chops and whizzed them into a schnitzel – thin slices of meat that are breaded and fried.
Flatten pork chops with a rolling pin between parchment and dip in flour, then egg and finally breadcrumbs.
You could use any crumbs but Japanese panko crumbs give you a really crispy crust.
The hot meat is served with a cool salad of celery, apple and a sour cream and oil dressing.
Celery is often an overlooked and maligned vegetable but cut it thinly, toss in the dressing and it’s really delicious.
Use the inner stems of the celery as they’re more tender. This is the perfect dish for early autumn.
For something sweet apple streusel slice ticks the box every time.
A pastry layer, topped with stewed apple and then a streusel of oats, butter, sugar and flour on top.
Eat it warm with custard and ice cream or cool and serve as a tray bake with a cup of tea.
A win win situation….