Home-made apple sauce is so much better than the store-bought version, and it's surprisingly simple to make.
I like to use a variety of apples to give my sauce a complex flavor. If you're not sure which varieties make the best sauce, ask around at your local farmer's market. The friendly folks from Locust Grove Farms helped me pick out the Opalescent, Stayman Winesap and Granny Smith apples I used in this recipe.
Eat this apple sauce by itself, hot or cold, stir it into organic whole milk plain yogurt, or add it to cooked oatmeal. You can also serve it as a compote to accompany savory dishes, like slow-roasted heritage pork.
If your orange isn't organic, do not use the zest.
Use organic or unsprayed apples and leave the peel intact to take advantage of all the antioxidants and fiber found there.
I chopped the apples in my food processor while they were still raw, to avoid having large chunks of peel in the finished sauce and to give it a lovely texture. If you chop your apples by hand, you will most likely get a chunkier sauce. For a smooth sauce, purée it at the end.
Zest and juice the orange.
Core and roughly chop the apples. In two batches, transfer them to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer them to a large sauce pan with the freshly-squeezed orange juice. Cook the apples over low heat, stirring occasionally, until they break down into a sauce, about 30 minutes.
Remove the apple sauce from the heat and stir in the orange zest, sea salt, cinnamon and allspice. Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired.
Serve immediately or cool completely and transfer to an airtight container in the fridge.
Yield: 5 to 6 cups sauce
I like to use a variety of apples to give my sauce a complex flavor. If you're not sure which varieties make the best sauce, ask around at your local farmer's market. The friendly folks from Locust Grove Farms helped me pick out the Opalescent, Stayman Winesap and Granny Smith apples I used in this recipe.
Eat this apple sauce by itself, hot or cold, stir it into organic whole milk plain yogurt, or add it to cooked oatmeal. You can also serve it as a compote to accompany savory dishes, like slow-roasted heritage pork.
If your orange isn't organic, do not use the zest.
Use organic or unsprayed apples and leave the peel intact to take advantage of all the antioxidants and fiber found there.I chopped the apples in my food processor while they were still raw, to avoid having large chunks of peel in the finished sauce and to give it a lovely texture. If you chop your apples by hand, you will most likely get a chunkier sauce. For a smooth sauce, purée it at the end.
4 to 5 large organic apples
Pinch sea salt
Cinnamon to taste
Allspice to taste
Zest and juice the orange.
Core and roughly chop the apples. In two batches, transfer them to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer them to a large sauce pan with the freshly-squeezed orange juice. Cook the apples over low heat, stirring occasionally, until they break down into a sauce, about 30 minutes.
Remove the apple sauce from the heat and stir in the orange zest, sea salt, cinnamon and allspice. Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired.
Serve immediately or cool completely and transfer to an airtight container in the fridge.
Yield: 5 to 6 cups sauce
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