Another Apple a Day

Back before there were Red Pack tomatoes, there were Meyer lemons.  But,  in between the lemons and the tomatoes, I made a stop at Soergels Farm and bought some apples.  True to form, I bought more than we could reasonably eat and now I am left with some that I need to use up.  Homemade applesauce here I come!

You don't know what really good applesauce tastes like until you make it yourself.  And it's so easy to do that there's really no excuse not to.  No matter how you like your applesauce, chunky, smooth, with or without sugar, most of the effort in making it comes from preparing the apples.

This recipe from Ina Garten takes applesauce to a whole new level.  It's very rich and delicious and really tastes like a treat.  While it's certainly not a low calorie example of applesauce, I have to admit that it's the absolute best I have ever tasted.  So, if you're in the mood for something truly decadent, go for it.  Just keep telling yourself that it is fruit after all.

Recipe:  Homemade Applesauce
(Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, 1999)

Ingredients:

Zest and juice of 2 oranges
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 pounds sweet red apples (6 to 8 apples)
3 pounds Granny Smith apples (6 to 8 apples)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Preheat oven to 350.

Place the zest and juice of the oranges and lemon in a large Dutch oven.  Peel, quarter, and core the apples and toss them in the juice.  Add the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and allspice and cover the pot.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until all the apples are soft.  Mix with a whisk until smooth.  Serve warm or at room temperature.