30 April 2007
As I mentioned a few days back, I bought quite a few cookbooks while I was in London, and I've been putting them to good use since getting back. Somebody asked me ages ago for my cookbook recommendations, and I wasn't sure what to say. The truth is that I didn't use cookbooks that much, and the ones I had were more for inspiration than instruction (as with Japanese craft books). But this latest crop was a good one, and I've been loving Grub a lot lately.
I don't like to share recipes from books, because I find it a bit disrespectful to the author, but I would like to post the recipe I used for this apple compote. I've halved it and changed it just a bit, but if you try it and like it, do make a point to buy the book. The photography alone is worth it!
Granny Smith Compote
1/4 cup white sugar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into small chunks
Put 1 1/4 cups water into a saucepan. Add the sugars, cinnamon, and vanilla and bring to a boil on the hob. Stir the mixture as it heats, to dissolve the sugar. Once boiling, add the chunks of apple and return the mixture to a boil. Drop the heat and bring it to a very slow simmer. Let it simmer for two hours; cover it after the first hour. It will turn golden brown and the apples will look like puree.
The original recipe doesn't call for the saucepan to be covered at any point, but I think you'd boil off too much of the liquid if you didn't put on a cover. As with anything you make, just keep an eye on it and adjust as you go along.
It's best just after it's finished cooking (and has cooled to a non-mouth scalding temperature), but I've kept the leftovers in a jam jar and simply stirred it into my oatmeal or spread it on hot toast. It's like spreadable apple pie!
Yum! That book sounds great. I make something like that all the time - but I use Bramley apples, use only a dash of water, don't add any sugar, and put it on for 9 minutes on my timer. Sounds horribly tart but is still quite sweet, and I like the appley flavour anyway! The shorter cooking time and smaller quantity of water produces a sort of chunky result, but the apple is cooked and soft and it tastes delicious. I will try it with a longer cook next time! But if you're ever in a rush, it's still lovely after less than 10 minutes. If you don't like the sound of it without the sugar, but are GI-mindful, you can also try replacing the sugar with honey. It's also delicious with sultanas stirred in (I add them just after I take it off the heat, because if you cook them too they get very swollen which I don't like). Cooked apples is one of my staple foods. I also use it in place of 'apple sauce' in low-fat American baking recipes (as I'm sure you know, you can't buy that in the supermarket in the same way here).
posted by Jane at April 30, 2007 11:33 PM
Thanks for the recipe! Here's the US government rundown on recipe copyright:
Mere listings of ingredients as in recipes, formulas, compounds or prescriptions are not subject to copyright protection. However, where a recipe or formula is accompanied by substantial literary expression in the form of an explanation or directions, or when there is a combination of recipes, as in a cookbook, there may be a basis for copyright protection.
posted by Jodi at May 1, 2007 01:07 PM
Thank you! Looking forward to trying it out!
Have you happened to try anything out of the Apples For Jam book yet? I saw the cover in one of your pictures and just loved the look of it! I'm thinking about ordering it off of Amazon, if you think it is a decent read.
posted by Taryn at May 1, 2007 06:06 PM
oh! look how simple... and thanks for scaling it down
posted by connie at May 1, 2007 06:53 PM
Taryn -- Well, it's definitely worth buying just for inspiration. It's a gorgeous book, and I've got her Falling Cloudberries book on my mental wishlist.
Apples for Jam is organized by colour, which is really strange, but the recipes all look very good, though I haven't tried any yet.
posted by Anna at May 1, 2007 07:30 PM
wow!! that pictures is really beautiful and makes me wanna run to the kitchen and make some compote. your recipe sounds good, I make spanish "compota" following my mom's recipe and it's very similar except that it doesn't include vanilla extract.
your blog is awesome!!
xox
posted by ruthie at May 1, 2007 07:51 PM