2 tablespoons thinly
sliced fresh ginger
2 cinnamon sticks
8 whole cloves
1 tablespoon whole
allspice
4 cups apple cider,
preferably unfltered
6 large very crisp apples,
peeled, cored, and
cut into 1/2-inchthick wedges
Cooked apples are elemental food where I grew up in the mountains of North Carolina. When someone mentioned cooked fruit, it usually meant cooked apples. To this day, if you go to a little meat-and-three joint around there, cooked apples will be one of the choices of sides. Instead of the traditional technique of stewing the apples until they are soft, these are gently poached until barely tender, then refrigerated overnight in the cooking liquid. The next day, the apples are infused with the spices, so the result is somewhere between cooked apples and spiced apples. You can play with the shape of the apples. Sliced is obvious, but you can also cut them into rings or carve out little balls with a melon baller. You can reuse the poaching liquid. Store it covered and refrigerated for up
to one week. It can also be simmered until reduced and used as syrup. If you use red apples, save the peelings and simmer them in the liquid as it reduces. The peelings add flavor and give the syrup a beautiful blush. The syrup is good on pancakes, stirred into hot tea, or drizzled over good cheese to serve with the apples. I usually use full-sized apples, but this is lovely made with a pound or two of
sweet crab apples or lady apples. If you use small apples, cut them in half to remove the tiny cores but do not peel them.
Makes 6 servings
1 Tie the ginger, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice into a square of cheesecloth or place in a tea ball. Place in a large saucepan and add the cider. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add the apples, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer just until the apples are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
2 Set the apples aside to cool to room temperature in the liquid. Remove and discard the spice bag. The apples can be served now, but for best flavor cover and refrigerate in their liquid overnight. Strain the apples, saving the cooking liquid for another use. Serve the apples lightly chilled or gently reheated. Variation: You can use this recipe to poach fresh quinces. Because quinces
are hard as rocks, increase the cooking time to 1 to 2 hours.
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