#FoodAndVino #SpotlightNews
Autumn is apple-picking season, and many farmers markers, grocery stores and even roadside apple stands are chock-full of delicious apples this time of year. That makes fall the perfect time to whip up some apple-inspired foods. This recipe for “Elsie’s Stewed Apples” from Laurey Masterton’s “The Fresh Honey Cookbook” (Storey) requires a tad more effort than traditional applesauce recipes, but the extra work is well worth it in the end. When shopping for apples in advance of preparing this recipe, avoid apples that have a mealy texture as well as those that are overly sweet.
Elsie’s Stewed Apples
Ingredients — serves six
2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds apples, peeled, cored
and cut into thick slices
1⁄2 cup honey, preferably sage
honey
1⁄2 cup white wine
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
Fresh sage sprigs for garnish
Instructions:
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the apples, turn the heat to high and sauté until they begin to brown on the edges, about 5 minutes. If some are getting too well done, remove them and place on a plate while the rest continue to cook, then return them to the skillet when all are done.
Reduce the heat to low and add the honey, wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1⁄2 cup water. Cover and allow to cook until the apples are tender but still firm; you don’t want them to turn into applesauce.
Serve this in a bowl, tuck in a couple sprigs of fresh sage from your garden, and tell your guests all about sage honey.
Pairing:
Le Crema Sonoma Chardonnay
La Crema — California
We’ve been leaning towards chardonnays as of late, and this one from Le Crema offers a lively array of fruit flavors to enjoy with this dish, and this season. Straight from the label, the winery lets reveals there are apricots, lemon, gala apple, oak and spice aromas. There are lemon drop, white stone fruit, yellow plum and Galia melon flavors, too.
This is a crisp white that will liven the taste buds. Something welcoming for a nice, cool day this fall.
Of course, wine parings are often times a matter of personal taste. Let us know what you think of this paring online at TheSpot518.com, and let us know what other wines you would try in its place.