It’s All About the Sauce--Apple that is

By Millicent K. Brody

I’m suddenly beginning to notice the importance of applesauce. Regardless of what I am serving for dinner, applesauce has its place on my dining room table. It’s a wonderful accompaniment to roast chicken, roast turkey, potato pancakes, brisket, rock cornish hens, and even pork chops. I’ve even become daring. After opening a jar of Motts, I zip it up with a couple of bags of dried cranberries from Trader Joes. It’s delicious. But not as delicious as my friend Rudy Kassinger’s homemade applesauce. So, I asked him to share his recipe.

“Cooking should be instinctive,” he said. “I don’t believe we should be slaves to a recipe. Sure, it’s not the worst thing in the world to get a few ideas from a couple of recipes, but hey, you know what you like, so go do it!”

Rather than be guided by precise measurements, he adds, “I am guided by the interesting directions of an old friend who learned the following from a real old-timer who expressed amounts as, “Some, Many, Plenty, and a Few!”

For my applesauce, I’ll be a bit more precise.

And in the interest of adding a touch of “try-it, you’ll like it”, my friend Carol adds a couple of strawberries. She says, “That turns it a delicious pink!

Go elegant. Serve in a gorgeous crystal bowl. Top with dried cranberries.


Rudy’s Homemade Applesauce
Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:
6 apples: (Almost any variety will do. It’s even better if you choose several varieties).
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup mixed raisins. (Trader Joe’s are just fine).
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
handful of dried cranberries
hand blender

Procedure:
Wash,core and peel apples. Slice into wedges. (8 to 12)

Place apples, cinnamon, and orange juice into a covered pot.

Simmer 30 minutes.

Add raisins to hot applesauce.

Cool, refrigerate and serve.

Rudy’s Thoughts: “There are variations which must be addressed, Why not substitute a few pears in place of apples? You might also try cranberries or currents in place of mixed raisins. I’ve also added dried pitted prunes and apricots. As a fan of walnuts, feel free to toss in a half-cup.”