Mary Margaret Shelton's Apple Cake
Grouper with Apples, Roasted Shallots and Peas
Mary Margaret Shelton's Apple Cake
From Vintage Virginia Apples, www.vintagevirgianiapples.com
This moist old fashioned cake is rich and delicious. Serve with Serious Cider—-the crème fraiche and dry cider offset the sweetness of the cake.
1 1/2 Cup vegetable oil
1 C. white sugar
1 C. brown sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
3 C. all purpose flour
1 C. chopped nuts (walnuts and pecans)
1 1/2 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 C. grated tart apples
1 C. unsweetened coconut
Put all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Pour into a tube pan and bake at 325 degrees for about an hour and 15 minutes. While the cake is still warm, pour glaze over the cake. Let the cake sit in the mold until it cools. Unmold and serve with a tiny bit of whipped cream or crème fraiche.
Glaze:
1 stick butter
1 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. milk
Bring to a boil and simmer 2 or 3 minutes. Pour over cake while cake is still hot and in the pan. Leave cake in pan to cool.
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Grouper with Apples, Roasted Shallots and Peas
6 servings
From In Praise of Apples by Mark Rosenstein
The layered flavors in this recipe pair well with Foggy Ridge First Fruit Cider.
1 1/4 lb grouper filet
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon cloves
2 eating apples, peeled, cored and sliced
Juice of 2 lemons
18 whole shallots, peeled
2 tablespoons light cooking oil
1 Cup snow peas, strings removed
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 Cup apple cider
2 Tablespoons Calvados
Preheat oven to 350 F. Slice the fish across the width of the filet to create 12 equal 3-ounce pieces. Place the slices between two pieces of plastic food wrap. With a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan, flatten the filets to 1/2” in thickness. Season with salt, pepper, coriander and cloves, and set aside.
Toss the apple slices in lemon juice, and toss the shallots with 1 Tablespoon of the cooking oil. Place the apples and shallots in a small roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes, turning 3 times, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside (this can be done in advance). Turn the oven down to 225 F.
Blanch the snow peas for 30 seconds in boiling, salted water. Drain and rinse with cold water immediately. Drain well and set aside.
Preheat a heavy skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil and 2 Tablespoons of butter. When the foam subsides, add the fish in batches. Saute the fish for 4 minutes on each side. Remove and keep warm on a platter in the oven.
Discard the butter and oil in the pan and wipe the pan with a paper towel. Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter and heat until butter foams. Place the shallots, snow peas and apples in the pan all at once. Toss for about 30 seconds to heat then add the cider and Calvados. Spoon over the grouper and serve at once.
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Cider Pot au Feu
From In Praise of Apples by Mark Rosenstein
6 Servings
Use any Foggy Ridge Cider in preparing this dish—and don't forget a glass for the chef.
1 stewing chicken
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 whole coriander seeds
3 springs fresh marjoram
2 Cups apple cider
2 Cups apple and leek stock, or chicken stock
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
2 large potatoes, peeled and ut into 2” cubes
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4” circles
1 parsnip, peeled and sliced into 1/4” circles
2 leeks, white part only, sliced into 1/4” circles
1 eating apples, peeled cored and sliced
1 Tablespoon Calvados
Cut the chicken into 6 pieces, separating the legs from the thighs and splitting the breasts in half. Remove and discard the skin. Or purchase legs, thighs and split breasts.
Combine the spices, herbs, cider, stock and vinegar in a pot large enough to hold all the ingredients. Bring to a simmer and add the potatoes, carrots, parsnips and leeks. Continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Skim any foam that rises to the top.
Add the chicken legs and thighs, and simmer for 10 more minutes. Then add the breasts and simmer for 15 more minutes. Continue to skim any foam throughout the cooking. Add the sliced apple, simmer for a final 5 minutes, and fish the pot au feu by adding the Calvados just before serving.
Arrange the vegetables on each plate, place a piece of chicken on top and some some broth over the chicken.
Note: Always keep the poaching liquid just below the point of boiling. Watch your timing. You want everything to finish cooking at the same time. If your chicken pieces are large, add them earlier.
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Apple and Leek Stock
From In Praise of Apples by Mark Rosenstein
2 gallons
6 leeks, with top quarter removed, split in half, washed and cut into 1” pieces
2 large onions, cut into quarters
8 medium apples, cut into quarters, seeds removed
4 stalks celery, washed and cut into 1” pieces
4 medium carrots, washed and cut into 1” pieces
1/4 Cup light cooking oil
6 sprigs parsley
1 small bunch thyme
10 peppercorns
5 coriander seeds
2 pieces of cinnamon stick, 2” long
3 Cups apple cider
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the leeks, onions, apples celery and carrots in the roasting pan. Toss with the cooking oil and place in the oven. Roast for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, tossing every 20 minutes until the vegetables are well browned and golden. Remove from oven.
Place the vegetables in the stockpot. Add about 1 Cup water to the roasting pan. Using a spatula, loosen the bits of vegetable and any brown juices from the bottom of thepan. Add this to the stockpot.
Add the remaining ingredients, along with just enough water to cover the vegetables. Bring the stock to a simmer over medium heat. Adjust the heat and keep the stock at a simmer, partially covered. Simmer for 6 to 8 hours—don’t allow to boil. Strain and discard the vegetables. Cool and refrigerate or freeze the stock.
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Allen's Favorite Stir Fry
From Anne Dick
Serves 4
Foggy Ridge Sweet Stayman nicely compliments the spice in this versatile recipe.
1 lb. beef tenderloin
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1/4 Cup orange zest, chopped fine
1 T. olive oil
2 T. hoisin sauce
1 T. mushroom soy sauce
1 tsp. Oyster sauce
2 tsp. Asian chili sauce
6 C. baby lettuce greens or other tender greens
generous handful of green vegetables, such as thin asparagus, snow peas or sugar snap peas
Dressing:
1 head garlic, roasted and smashed with the back of a spoon
1/4 C. fresh mint leaves
1/2 C. fresh basil leaves, Thai basil is best
2 T. cooking oil
3 T. lime juice, freshly squeezed (or more to taste)
1 T. brown sugar
3 T. fish sauce
1 tsp. Asian chili sauce
2 T. fresh ginger, chopped fine
Cut meat into very thin strips. Combine with garlic, zest, oil, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce and chili sauce. Let sit for several hours. Blanch vegetables and chill them in ice water. Pat vegetables dry and cut into 2” lengths. Make the dressing.
Toss lettuce, vegetables and dressing. Place on 4 salad plates. Add 1 T. cooking oil to very hot wok or iron pan. Stir and toss beef rapidly until it looses its raw outside color. Immediately put beef on top of salad. Serve at once.
Vary the recipe by serving the stir fry over couscous, substituting chicken or scallops for the meat or adding more chili sauce.
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