Apples

Last year I found a recipe for 'Apple Butter' which I published on this blog. I have since found another recipe which is even better.
I had not heard about 'Apple Butter' and then I heard that whole festivals are held around this event.
www.applebutterfest.org/applebutterfest.htm

My neighbour has a small orchard and said I could collect all the windfall apples, so yesterday was my day for cooking with apples - infact I did not finish until nearly midnight when I sat down to look at my results. I made 'Apple Butter' and 'Apple Chutney'.

Spiced Apple Butter
Ingredients
6lb windfall apples
2 pints water
2 pints dry cider
Sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch ground allspice
rinfd of a lemon
Method
1. Wash the apples and cut into pieces
2. Place in a large pan with the water and cider.
3. Bring to the boil and then simmer until the apples are very soft
4. Push the fruit and cooking liquid through a fine sieve and weigh the pulp
5. Allo 3/4lb of sugar to each 1lb of pulp
6. Return the pulp to the pan and simmer until it has recueced by 1/3 or until thick
7. Add the sugar, spices, lemon rind
8. Boil, stirring frequently until no liquid remains
9. Spoon into clean, dry, warm jars
10. Cover and seal with an airtight lid

I used brown sugar this year. It is just wonderful on buttered toast


Apple Chutney
Ingredients
2lb apples
8oz onion
1lb brown sugar
11/2pints pickling vinegar (spices already added)
8oz sultanas
1/2oz salt
2 teaspoons grouond ginger
Method
1. Peel, core and slice the apples. Peel and chop the onion
2. Put the onions, apples, sultanas and salt into a large pan witht eh salt and
vinegar
3. Simmer until soft.
4. Add the sugar and ginger and stir until soft.
5. Boil the chutney until it is thick.
6. Pout into hot, clean jars and seal.

It is best left for a couple of weeks to infuse the flavours and I serve it with cold meat, cheeses and crusty bread.