For all my talk about the rhythm of the seasons, sometimes I like to do things out of sync.Besides, I have that refrigerator to clean out. I found two Jazz apples in the crisper. They showed no signs of deterioration. And, I had this recipe that was beckoning, inspired by one in Saveur Magazine. The orginal calls for star anise and pistachios, neither of which I had on hand.
Baked Apples with Calvados
two baking apples (Northern Spy, Golden Delicious or Rome Beauty)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
juice and zest from orange or lemon
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup Calvados or apple brandy
8 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon anise seed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cinnamon sticks
Preheat oven to 400. Peel and core the apples. Stuff the centers with walnuts and butter. Place in buttered baking pan and set aside.
Blend the other ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the apples. Bake for about 45 minutes or until apples are soft (but not mushy). Baste periodically while apples are baking. Serve warm, spooning the thickened juice from the bottom of the baking dish over the apples.
I wanted cheese with mine. My husband preferred ice cream, but we had none.
The apples reminded us of deep autumn. The spices were perfect in concert with the brandy, giving the apples a complex, almost mysterious taste. This one's a keeper.
It is also my entry in the Leftover Tuesday event hosted by Mary at Ceres & Bacchus.
22 comments:
Calvados must be some type of apple liquor? This sounds yummy, and not at all out of season here in Michigan, as we are one of the biggest apple producers in the country! Cheap and delicious! You sure can clean out a fridge!!!
Hey Cyn, I have a hard time finding Calvados this far north! So I usually use apple brandy.
I intend to bring a bottle home from France, if I can.
Mimi,
This looks great. I think walnuts sound better with apples than pistachios. Definitely bring calvados home from France, it's so much cheaper there. Poire William is also a good idea. I use it in making pear sorbet (and for sipping, it's one of my favorites). Thanks for your entry.
Mary
www.ceresandbacchus.com
Mary, we are packing ample bubble wrap and bringing an extra suitcase - LOL. Oh, the goodies I can bring home...
Autumn and the recipes that go with it are like nectar to the gods for me. LOL This sounds like a must try!
I feel the same way, Nan. The flavors of fall really resonate with me (and my palate). Why wait 'til October?
yum. i love baked apples, but never got around to making them. I agree with Mary - walnuts definitely sound better than pistachios!
Gosh, I'm so envious that you're headed to 'the home country'. You'll have such a blast! ;)
I love baking with apples, Mimi. It's amazing the transformation they suffer (can I say that?) in the oven.
It looks delicious!
VC, I've been counting the days so long, everyone thinks I should have gone already. So hard to work around a semester, ya know?
Oh, Patricia, I hate to think of apples suffering!
I love the sound of this! I baked some apples a few months ago using some orange liqueur. I do love Calvados, though I haven't had any in quite a while. We used to drink it in New Mexico in the winter.
Toni, welcome back!
My husband and I are used to eating our baked apples with just cinnamon and brown sugar and walnuts, so this was differnent but very good.
Calvados, Yes! I discovered this a few years ago and have been in love ever since.
Beautiful apples.
So, how close is the fridge to empty...how many days to departure...how exciting...
Well, Tanna, there is our vast supply of mustards and olives still there, and a few other necessities. Three weeks now!
Pretty snazzy for leftovers, Mimi! I love this.
Snazzy leftovers indeed, Mimi! Don't you just love the rhythm of pulling things out of fridge and pantry, adding a bit of this, a bit of that, with the end result being a fabulous baked apple? Just lovely!
Thanks, Lydia and Christine, I guess they were kind of snazzy at that. I thought I was weird because I prefer this kind of cooking to following some new recipe to the T.
It seems more creative to me, letting your ingredients drive your meals. . .
Mimi--The weird weather certainly does inspire autumnlike dishes, doesn't it? I'm actually contemplating a pot of chili tonight, but trying hard to avoid the temptation and go more springlike, out of sheer stubbornness.
TerryB, it's freezing here today and that defintely changes my appetite.
I've never heard of jazz apples- is that why they look like they're playing mini saxaphones? Sorry, I know that was kind of wacky! This looks delicious.
LOL, I think they are from New Zealand. . . at least they were when I first found them two years ago...
I think you can eat this kind of dish all year round..especially with this crazy weather we are having. Monday we were sweating in shorts, today we are bundled up in jeans and sweaters. Crazy.
This looks like comfort food to the max!
Definitely comfort food, Kristen.
We've been having the same weather. It was actually HOT about a month ago, then it cooled down considerably.
But, the lilies of the valley and daylilies are coming up. I wish we would have lilies of the valley for May Day...
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