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Juicy fruit: apples: the core of the matter

Better Nutrition, Sept, 2004 by Alexandra Greeley

Apple-Lemon Fritters

SERVES 4 TO 6
30 MINUTES OR LESS

These puffy, fruit-filled gems turn
breakfast or brunch into a festive
meal. Serve them with warmed
applesauce, maple syrup or a dusting
of confectioners' sugar. Offer
plenty of hot coffee and hot cider.

1/2 cup whole milk or soymilk
3 large eggs
2 Tbs. melted butter or soy
  margarine
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups (about 1 1/2 apples)
  diced apples
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbs. lemon zest
1 Tbs. granulated sugar
2 cups vegetable oil for frying,
  or more as needed

1. Put milk, eggs and butter in a
large mixing bowl, and beat until
well combined. Fold in cornmeal
flour, baking powder and salt, and
stir until well combined. Fold in
the apples, cinnamon, lemon zest
and sugar.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet or deep
saucepan over medium heat. When
hot, spoon fritter batter into oil,
about 1/4 cup at a time, and fry until
golden brown on both sides, about
3-4 minutes. Remove fritters from
oil, and place on several layers of
paper towels to blot excess oil.
Repeat until batter is used up.

3. To serve, place fritters on individual
plates, and pass a selection
of toppings.

PER SERVING: 280 CAL; 7G PROT; 12G TOTAL
EAT (4G SAT. FAT); 35G CARB; 120MG CHOL;
350MG SOD; 2G FIBER; 8G SUGARS

Curried Apples and
"Chicken"

SERVES 4
30 MINUTES OR LESS

A hint of India peeks through in
this hearty apple-and-"chicken"
dish, spiked with lashes of hot--or
mild--curry powder. Serve over
Indian basmati rice, and pass with
yogurt and flat Indian bread.

2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
2 tsp. hot or mild curry powder,
  or to taste
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
3/4 cup apple juice or apple cider
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 6-oz. pkg. soy "chicken" strips
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 apple, cored and diced, skin on
1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts
  for garnish

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over
medium beat, and stir in turmeric
and curry powder. Saute 2-3 minutes.
Stir in onion and ginger, and
cook 5 minutes more.

2. Pour 1/4 cup apple juice into a
small bowl, and whisk in the cornstarch.
Pour the mixture and apple
juice into a skillet, and add "chicken"
strips, mushrooms and apple.
Cook until mixture thickens slightly,
7-10 minutes.

3. To serve, remove from heat, and
spoon over rice. Sprinkle with
peanuts as garnish.

PER SERVING: 310 CAL; 14G PROT; 18G TOTAL
FAT (2G SAT. FAT); 30G CARB; 0MG CHOL;
240MG SOD; 7G FIBER; 14G SUGARS

Ambrosial Apple Tart with
Brandy-Caramel Sauce

SERVES 4 TO 6

You can use your own favorite
flaky pastry dough, or opt for
frozen puff pastry. For added decadence,
top with a scoop of vanilla
or cinnamon ice cream.

Apple Tart

1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough
2 firm apples, cored and quartered
3 Tbs. cornstarch
1 Tbs. lemon zest
1 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup broken walnuts
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, cubed
1 Tbs. whole or skim milk
1 Tbs. granulated sugar

Brandy-Caramel Sauce

2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup brandy, or more as desired
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 475F. Spray a
10-inch round cake pan with nonstick
cooking spray, and set aside.
Thaw puff pastry at room temperature
about 30 minutes.

2. To make Apple Tart: Put apple
quarters on work surface, and cut
each quarter in half widthwise.
Thinly slice apple pieces, and put in
a bowl. Toss with cornstarch, lemon
zest, lemon juice, honey, brown
sugar and cinnamon. Add walnut
pieces, and stir to combine.

3. Roll out puff pastry on a lightly
floured surface, and fit it loosely
into a cake pan, folding up the
sides to make an irregularly shaped
container. Mound apple mixture
into the center of the dough. Dot
apples with butter. Mix milk and
sugar for wash, and brush surfaces
of dough, if using. Discard wash.

4. Bake 5 minutes at 475F.
Reduce heat to 375F, and bake
15-18 minutes more, or until
apples are tender and ernst is golden.
Remove tart from oven, and
set it aside to cool.

5. Meanwhile, to make Brandy-Caramel
Sauce: Melt butter over
medium heat, and stir in sugar and
brandy. Cover saucepan, and
increase temperature to medium-high.
Let mixture boil 2-3 minutes,
reduce heat to medium-low
and stir in cream, vanilla and salt.
Cook, stirring constantly, until
mixture, thickens, 7-10 minutes.
Remove from heat, and cool.

6. To serve, slice portions of tart,
place on individual plates and top
with sauce.

PER SERVING: 680 CAL; 6G PROT; 34G TOTAL
FAT (10G SAT. FAT); 82G CARB; 40MG CHOL;
150MG SOD; 3G FIBER; 570G SUGARS

Apple-Pecan Tea Loaf

SERVES 8

Borrowing a technique from the
Shakers, you can line the bread pan
with scented geranium leaves--preferably
the apple-scented variety--to
underscore the apple flavors
in this luscious bread. Discard
them before eating.

3 Tbs. margarine or unsalted
  butter, at room temperature
1 cup plus 6 Tbs. granulated
  sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 Tbs. grated lemon zest
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 apple, cored and diced
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. apple juice
1/2 cup pecan pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease
and flour a 9-inch loaf pan, and
set aside.

2. Beat margarine and 1 cup sugar
until well combined. Add eggs,
lemon extract and lemon zest,
and beat mixture until it is very
thick and creamy.

3. Sift together dry ingredients,
and add alternately with apple
pieces and 1/2 cup apple juice, continuing
until all ingredients are
used up. Spoon batter into loaf
pan, and sprinkle the top with
pecans.

4. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until the
top is golden and the center is firm.
Remove from oven, and allow to
cool in pan 2-3 minutes: Remove
from pan, and cool on rack.

5. Meanwhile, combine 1 tablespoon
apple juice and 6 tablespoons
sugar, and, after 10 minutes,
drizzle over top of loaf. Cool
completely before slicing.

PER SERVING: 270 CAL; 4G PROT; 9G TOTAL FAT
(1.5G SAT. FAT); 46G CARB; 40MG CHOL;
360MG SOD; 1G FIBER; 30G SUGARS

Apple-Chard Quiche

SERVES 6

Pairing cheese with apples is a gastronomic
pleasure, and adding
ruby chard simply embellishes the
combination and amplifies the
texture of this homey quiche.

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 large Vidalia or other onion,
  thinly sliced
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded ruby
  Swiss chard
1 cup (about 2 oz.) thinly
  sliced mushrooms
Salt and freshly ground black
  pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped apple
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
1 cup shredded Jarlsberg
  cheese
1/4 cup skim milk
1 9-inch deep-dish pie crust,
  unbaked

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Heat oil and butter in large skillet
over medium heat. Reduce
heat to medium-low, and saute
onion until caramelized, about 15
minutes.

3. Add Swiss chard, mushrooms,
salt and pepper. Increase heat to
medium, and cook, stirring often,
until mushrooms and chard are
soft, about 7 minutes.

4. Combine apples, flour and nutmeg
in mixing bowl, and toss to
coat apples. Combine eggs, cheese
and milk in a separate bowl, and
beat until ingredients are well
blended. Fold in apple mixture.

5. Spoon chard mixture into pie
crust. Pour egg-cheese-apple mixture
over top.

6. Bake 35-45 minutes, or until
the cheese mixture is set and the
top is browned. Cool slightly
before slicing, and serve.

PER SERVING: 300 CAL; 11G PROT; 19G TOTAL
FAT (9G SAT. FAT); 23G CARB; 105MG CHOL;
200MG SOD; <1G FIBER; 6G SUGARS

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