Karen Barnaby: Apples’ versatility not merely sweet, but also savoury

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Salt Spring Island, nestled in the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver and Victoria, just hosted its annual apple festival. There are 416 varieties of apples grown on the island, a testament to the stewards who nurture them and to the rich and diverse range in the apple family. Many of them are not “good keepers” — they’re meant to be eaten shortly off the tree, which is why most people don’t realize there are so many varieties.

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I still remember the first apple I ate from a tree. It was in a field, somewhere near Kitchener, Ont. I had nibbled on crab apples when I was younger but had never encountered an apple tree.

The apple was small, shaped like a Red Delicious and tasted better than any apple I had ever eaten. It was perfectly juicy and crunchy and the sweet and sour balance was exquisite.

The apples I grew up with were McIntosh, which were good when the season started but became mealy as winter wore on. My mother made apple crumble with them and took pride in making oversized chunks of crumble. I still laugh about the time she left one cooling on top of the stove and every time I or one of my sisters passed by we’d snatch a chunk off the top. In half an hour, the crumble was naked and my mother was yelling at us. Fuming, she made another batch of crumble for the top.

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I love the versatility of apples. Most folks use them in the realm of sweets, but I like pushing them into the land of the savoury where their sweet and sour magic shines.

For cooking, Russets, Crispin, Cortland, Gala, Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp and Granny Smith are good choices.

Apple and cheddar scones

Use an intense cheddar and an apple with a good sweet and sour balance for the best flavour. Dry roasting the apple intensifies the flavour and prevents the scones from becoming gummy. These are best the day they are made.

2 cooking apples (1 lb/500 g) peeled and cored

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (60 mL) sugar plus 1 Tbsp (15 mL) for sprinkling

1 1/2 tsp (7.5 mL) baking powder

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) salt

1 large egg

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1/4 cup (60 mL) whipping cream

1 Tbsp (15 mL) water

6 Tbsp (90 mL) chilled unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup (125 mL) shredded aged cheddar cheese

Heat the oven to 350ºF (125ºC).

Cut the apples into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) cubes and spread out in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes until barely brown and dry to the touch. Cool.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Beat the egg and reserve 1 Tbsp (15 mL) of it. Beat the cream and water into the unreserved portion of egg.

Cut butter into the flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal. Add the cream mixture; toss lightly with a fork until barely blended. Add apples and cheese; toss until incorporated. The dough will seem dry. Turn out onto a lightly floured counter, knead lightly, and form into a 6-inch (15 cm) circle. Cut into 6 wedges and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet spacing them well apart. Brush the tops with reserved egg; sprinkle with the remaining sugar.

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Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool for 10 minutes.

Makes 6 scones.

Apple curry

You can also add paneer to this or serve with salmon or chicken. The cashews are essential; they are what thickens the sauce.

1/4 cup (60 mL) raw cashews

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 cup (250 mL) water

2 cooking apples (1 lb/500 g) peeled and cored

1 Tbsp (15 mL) vegetable or coconut oil

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) black mustard seeds

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) fennel seeds

1 cup (250 mL) finely diced onion

1 tsp (5 mL) minced fresh ginger

1 tsp (5 mL) minced garlic

1 tsp (5 mL) ground coriander seed

1 tsp (5 mL) turmeric powder

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) ground cumin

pinch of cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) salt

1 tsp (5 mL) sugar, optional

1/2 cup (125 mL) whipping cream or coconut milk

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Place cashews, tomatoes and water in a blender. Blend until smooth. Cut the apples into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes.

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium high heat. Add the mustard seeds and when they pop, add the fennel seeds. Give them a stir then add the onion, ginger and garlic. Cook until the onions lightly brown then add the turmeric, cumin and cayenne. Cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in the cashew mixture and bring to a boil. Add the apples and salt; turn the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes until apples are just tender. Add the sugar — you may not need it if the apples are very sweet — and cream; heat through. Check the seasoning and serve.

Makes 4 side servings.

Thai-style apple salad with cilantro and peanuts

A quick salad that goes with Thai food or simply prepared proteins. Granny Smiths are perfect for this. The salad doesn’t sit well, make it just before serving.

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2 firm eating apples (1 lb/500 g), cored

2 Tbsp (30 mL) lime juice

1 Tbsp (15 mL) fish sauce

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small Thai chili, minced

1/4 cup (60 mL) coarsely chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp (30 mL) roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Slice the apples into matchsticks and toss with the lime juice. Stir the fish sauce, sugar, garlic and chili together. Add to the apples with the cilantro and toss well. Top with the peanuts and serve immediately.

Makes 4 side servings.

barnabyvansun@gmail.com

instagram.com/karenbarnaby

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