Braeburn and beetroot salad with goat's cheese
This is a lovely early-autumn dish with a nice mixture of delicate but independent flavours.
Serves 4
400g beetroot (preferably half red, half golden)
4 tsp black peppercorns
2 sprigs thyme
½ sprig rosemary
2 garlic cloves
A pinch of salt
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
200ml water
For the apples
2 braeburn apples, peeled and thinly sliced
50g butter, melted
50g caster sugar
Salt and black pepper
For the dressing
75g Dijon mustard
100g white balsamic vinegar
250ml extra virgin olive oil
150ml vegetable oil
A squeeze of lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
To serve
½ log mature goat's cheese (preferably ragstone)
A bunch of watercress, washed
A handful of bitter salad leaves
1 shallot, sliced into rings
1 Top and tail the beetroot, then wash. Place all the beetroot ingredients in a tray (with the gold and red slices separated, so the colours don't run). Cover with foil. Bake at 160C/325F/gas mark 3, for 45 minutes or until cooked. While warm, rub the beetroot with an old but teatowel and the skin will slip off. Cut into wedges.
2 Toss the apples in melted butter, then roll in sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a pan until quite hot. Cook the apples in a little oil until golden. If they are still a bit raw, bake for a few minutes. Set aside to cool.
3 Mix the dressing ingredients. Divide the leaves, beetroot, apple and shallots between four plates. Drizzle with the dressing. Top with the goat's cheese and serve.
Recipe supplied by David Philpot, PaternosterChop House
Apple snow
Apple snow is as fun to make as it is peculiar – you whip up a meringue and slowly beat in apple puree. It definitely needs an accompaniment though, so serve it with whipped cream, custard, or thin, crisp biscuits such as gingersnaps.
Serves 6-8
3 large tart apples, cored and quartered
3 large egg whites
60g icing sugar, or to taste
1 Place the apple quarters in a saucepan, and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the apples are totally soft – about 5-10 minutes. Drain off the liquid, and pass the apples through a sieve into a bowl (alternatively, peel them before boiling and puree in a food processor).
2 Whip the egg whites until foamy, then begin adding the sugar a little at a time, beating until the whites are firm and shiny. With the mixer on high speed, gradually begin adding the apple puree, a few spoonfuls at a time. The mixture will transform from foamy to dense and nearly grow out of the bowl. Once all the puree has been added, taste the "snow" and add more sugar if required.
3 Serve a large dollop of the apple snow set on a small pool of custard or cream, or serve on its own with biscuits.
The New York Times Cookbook by AmandaHesser (WW Norton)
Apple and kohlrabi gratin
The sweetness of the apple really lifts the earthy kohlrabi and potato, and cuts through the richness of the cream. Serve with a fillet ofsustainable white fish, with a crisp green salad on the side.
Serves 4
500g floury potatoes
1 head of kohlrabi
500ml single cream
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bramley apple
Butter
A handful of fresh breadcrumbs
25g gruyere cheese, grated
A handful of chopped parsley
1 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Peel the potatoes and kohlrabi, discarding the shoots, and cut into 5mm-thick slices. Add to a pan of boiling, salted water. Cook until they just give when you insert the tip of a knife – you want them to keep their shape. Drain.
2 Put the cream and garlic into a heavy-based saucepan and season. Bring to the boil, then take off the heat. Peel the apple and grate into the cream. Add the potato and kohlrabi.
3 Butter four dishes and spoon in the mixture, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
Recipe supplied by Richard Corrigan, Chef Patron Corrigan's Mayfair
Apple and cheddar latkes
Apple and cheddar is a classic childhood flavour combination. Using both tart and sweet apples is a must.
Makes 12-14
1 large, sweet apple such as golden delicious, peeled, cored and halved
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and halved
1 lemon, juiced
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp flour
½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp black pepper
1 large egg
70g mature cheddar, grated
Vegetable oil
1 Grate the apples into a medium bowl. Toss with the lemon juice and add the salt. Allow to stand.
2 In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and pepper. In another small bowl, lightly beat the large egg and set aside.
3 After the apples have stood for 5 minutes, gather them in the centre of a few layers of muslin or a clean teatowel and squeeze out the excess juice. Place back in the bowl and add the flour mix and cheese. Toss until the apples are evenly coated. Add the beaten egg and mix until completely combined.
4 Pour vegetable oil into a frying pan until it reaches 2cm up the sides. Once the oil is medium-hot, drop in a heaped tbsp of the apple mixture. Slightly flatten with the back of a spoon. Cook the latkes on their first side for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully flip and cook for another minute. Transfer to kitchen roll to drain, then keep warm in a preheated, very low oven. Repeat the process with the remaining apple mixture. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of black pepper.
Recipe supplied by Adrianna Adarme, acozykitchen.com
Steamed apple pudding withblack pepper and clottedcream
The cracked pepper adds a little bit of interest and gentle heat to this classic British pudding. Be generous with the clotted cream …
Serves 6
220g self-raising flour
A pinch of salt
110g suet
120ml cold water
680g bramley apples
A pinch of ground black pepper
A pinch of cinnamon
A pinch of ground ginger
55g sultanas
80g soft brown sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
35g butter, diced, plus more for greasing
Clotted cream, to serve
Custard, to serve
1 Grease a 1.2 litre pudding basin.
2 Sieve together the flour and salt, stir in the suet and add enough water to make a light dough. Divide into one-third and two-thirds. Roll the dough pieces into 2cm-thick circles and line the basin with the larger piece of pastry, leaving the smaller circle for the lid.
3 Peel, core and slice the apples, then mix with spices, sultanas and sugar. Fill the basin with the mix. Add the lemon and diced butter. Damp the edges of the pastry with water, then add the pastry lid, crimping the edges to seal. Cover with a piece of pleated and greased foil, secure with string then steam for 2-2½ hours.
4 To serve, turn out on to a warmed plate, cut a hole in the top of the pudding then drop in a spoonful of clotted cream and serve with custard.
Recipe supplied by Albion at NEO Bankside, albioncafes.com
Dutch apple pancakes
This apple pancake (pannekoeken) puffs up as it bakes, and makes a decadent breakfast.
Serves 6
2 tbsp butter
3 eggs
A pinch of salt
120ml milk
65g flour
Icing sugar (optional)
For the topping
100g brown sugar, packed
1½ tsp cinnamon
⅓ tsp nutmeg
3 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
6 tbsp butter
1 Preheat the oven to 210C/425F/gas mark 7. Put the butter into an ovenproof frying pan or dish and slide into the oven to melt.
2 Meanwhile, prepare your batter by beating the eggs in a large bowl. Add the salt, milk, and flour, then continue tobeat until smooth.
3 When the butter has melted, swirl the pan to coat it, then pour in the batter. Bake for about 15-18 minutes without opening the oven door. The pannekoeken is ready when it is browned and crisp around the edges.
4 To make the apple topping, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Add the apples to the bowl and mix gently to coat, then set aside.
5 In a large saucepan, gently melt the butter then add the apple mixture and cook over a medium heat until the apples are tender. Spoon over the hot pannekoeken, sprinkle with icing sugar, cut into wedges, and serve.
Recipe supplied by dulcedough.com
Chai-spiced apple andoatmeal bread
This dense, appley loaf is perfect for breakfast, and even better the next day when the chai spices have had time to infuse.
Makes a 900g loaf
85g oats
130g flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp ground cloves
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
3 tbsp skimmed milk
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cox, granny smith or braeburn apples, diced
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Combine the first seven ingredients in amedium‑size bowl.
2 In a separate bowl, combine the milk, honey, oil and egg until well blended. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined. Fold in the diced apples.
3 Pour the batter into a well-greased loaf tin and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden and a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
Recipe supplied by everybodylikessandwiches.com
Spiced apple chips
Serve as a snack or as a gorgeous garnish foranother dessert.
Serves 1-2
1 granny smith apple, very thinly sliced, core left in
70g pecan nuts
For the syrup
50g sugar
50ml water
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla pod, deseeded
2 cardamom pods, bruised
1 long pepper
1 lemon, zested
A pinch of salt
1 Preheat the oven to 110C/230F/gas mark ¼. Place all the syrup ingredients, except the salt,into a small saucepan. Cook on a low heat, stirring, to dissolve the sugar. Then raisetheheat to medium and boil the syrup for 3‑4minutes until slightly thickened.
2 Line two flat baking trays with parchment, lay out the apples on one of them and brush with the syrup. Then discard the spices, add a small pinch of salt and toss the nuts in the remaining syrup. Spread on the second tray.
3 Bake the pecans for 30 minutes, then add the apples and return to the oven for an hour.
4 Take the apple slices off the tray while they are still warm, otherwise they will stick. Store in an airtight container.
Recipe supplied by Olia Hercules, therecipekit.co.uk
Peanut butter-stuffed caramel apples
These stuffed and coated apples would be great for a bonfire party or Halloween.
Makes 4
8 tbsp peanut butter
3 tbsp melted butter
4 tbsp digestive or ginger biscuits, finely crushed
65g icing sugar
4 medium apples, washed and thoroughly dried
225g caster sugar
140ml cream
50g butter
100g dark chocolate chips
100g white chocolate chips
100g butterscotch pieces
Chopped peanuts, for sprinkling
Crushed honeycomb, to decorate
Flavourless oil, for cooking
1 Mix the peanut butter, butter, crushed biscuits and icing sugar until smooth. Set aside.
2 Core each apple then divide the peanut butter mixture evenly between the apples, filling or stuffing each hole using a spoon or piping bag. Level off the excess peanut butter mixture at the ends.
3 Turn each apple on its side and insert a skewer into the middle of the side of each of the apples, through the peanut-butter-filled hole, and halfway through the next side.
4 Line a baking sheet with parchment and lightly oil. Put the caster sugar in a pan with 100ml water and cook over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves and becomes a dark golden colour. Stir in the cream, a little at a time, then add the butter and mix until smooth. Dip the apples into the caramel one at a time, spooning it over to coat. Place the apples on greaseproof paper, skewer straight up. Chill for about 1 hour, untilset.
5 Place chocolate chips and butterscotch pieces into three separate microwave-safe bowls. Heat one at a time on high heat for 60-90 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted. Fill three freezer bags with each, pressing to one corner. Cut a very small hole in the corner of each bag and pipe stripes up and down the apples. Sprinkle the apples with the chopped peanuts and/or honeycomb. Chillto set.
Recipe supplied by Lorie Roach, loriesmississippikitchen.com
Roasted pork cutlets with baked apple, amontillado androsemary
Pork and apple is a classic combination. The little twist here is the amontillado sherry; it brings a bittersweet complexity along with the herbal fragrance of the rosemary.
Serves 4
4 thick pork cutlets
Olive oil
4 small apples, such as cox or braeburn, halved
400ml amontillado sherry
2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves removed, and stalks discarded
Salt and black pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. Season the pork cutlets with salt and pepper and then rub with olive oil. Pan-fry the cutlets for two minutes on each side on a high heat to caramelise, then give them a minute on the fat side to brown and crisp.
2 Transfer the cutlets to a roasting tray with the apples and sprinkle with the rosemary. Cook for about 12-15 minutes, until the pork is just cooked through and has a little spring in the meat when pressed. Remove the pork and rest in a warm spot until serving.
3 Pour the amontillado into the tray with the apples and cook for 10-15 minutes, until they have softened and lightly browned, and the amontillado has begun to reduce.
4 Remove the tray from the oven and place over a medium-hot gas ring. Reduce the sherry to a gravy consistency and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any sediment.
5 Serve each cutlet with an apple, and spoon the rosemary-infused amontillado on top.
Recipe supplied by Benjamin Tish, Salt Yard Group
