Apple Marmalade



Glorious Golden Goodness



I know it is still a little early to be getting ready for Christmas but it is only a few weeks away. Given that I actively dislike being anywhere near the mall during December, I really like to have things done well ahead of time.  I generally start my Christmas planning on or about Boxing Day. I admit this is sick and twisted and there is probably medication out there somewhere to address this concern.

And we are done...except for the taste test

I come from a family that loves to give gifts to one another, it is how we show that we care and are paying attention to what is happening in your life. It is so much fun to see the joy and excitement when you are able to find that exact right item for someone. Another way that I like to show my appreciation for people in life, particularly at the holidays, is to cook and prepare treats from my kitchen. This can be anything from cakes, breads, cookies, jam, jellies, etc.

Last night I started on this production and made Apple Marmalade.  This is a wonderful marmalade that I can make pretty quickly as I normally have all the ingredients sitting in the kitchen. The recipe below is for a single batch but I tripled the recipe and ended up getting 11 bottles, some to keep and some to give away. This recipe comes from the Companies Coming Preserves book. I used my French mandolin (cutting tool not instrument) to slice the apples. It is quite fast and you get uniform slices BUT if you use one be VERY careful and use the guard.  A number of months ago, I sliced the top off of 2 fingers with this handy item! I just use a rasp to take the outside of the orange and lemon.

4	Tart apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
½	Small orange, juiced and grated rind
½	Small lemon, juiced and grated rind
½ cup	Water
2 cup	sugar

Prepare fruit, rind and juice. Place in a bowl.

Just coming to the jelly stage

Stir water and sugar in a large saucepan on medium heat until mixture boils.  Add fruit mixture. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes until fruit is clear and mixture thickens. Cool a small amount to room temperature on a chilled saucer to see if it jells.  When jelly stage is reached, fill hot sterilized jars* to within ¼ inch from the top. Seal. Makes 2 half pints.

*to sterilize jars: place jars and covers in a pot of simmering water for at least 5-10 minutes and remove them from the water immediately before filling. 

A few handy pieces of equipment:

·         Wide mouth funnel

·         Silicone tipped tongs

·         Rasp

·         French mandolin

ENJOY!

Harvest Pork and Apple Stew

Fall and Slow Cookers go together like peas and carrots – perfect.  Taking a few minutes at the beginning of the day and then being rewarded at the end with the sweet smell of stew (or your meal of choice) wafting through the house is just beyond delightful. By the time you sit down to eat you have long forgotten the 15-20 minutes it took to throw everything in a walk away.

A place set for Geoff - lunch is ready.

This Harvest Pork Stew is one that is in frequent rotation in my kitchen.  I love the balance of flavor with savory meeting sweet.  I first enjoyed this at my cousin’s dinner table and have since made it my own. You can really use any combination of vegetables (turnip, carrot, parsnip, etc); even throw in a few green peas at the end for color.  But the real wonder of this stew is the addition of apples. It adds an amazing flavor pairing with the pork.

The recipe below gives instructions for cooking this in a Dutch oven on the stove, but I will normally brown the pork and sauté the onions and garlic to caramelize and soften then throw it all in the crock pot for the day.

Harvest Pork and Apple Stew

2 tbsp	Butter or oil
1 ½ lb	Boneless pork, cut into ½ inch cubes
2 cloves	Garlic, minced
1 med	Onion, chopped
3 cups	Chicken stock
½ tsp	Salt
¼ tsp	Dried rosemary
¼ tsp	Sage
1	Bay leaf
3 cups	Cubed butternut squash, or turnip, or parsnip
2	MacIntosh apples, cored and cubed (Mac’s work the best as they will dissolve but any apple will do)
2 large	Potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cups	Carrots, peeled and cubed

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook until lightly browned on all sides. Stir in the garlic and onion, and continue to cook until the onion has softened, and the pork is firm, and no longer pink, about 5 minutes,



Just waiting for some crusty bread to dip.



Place the pork and onions into a large saucepan. Pour in the chicken broth, and season with salt, rosemary, sage, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Stir in the butternut squash, apples, potatoes, and carrots. Return to a simmer, then cook, uncovered until the squash and apples are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and serve,

ENJOY!