Well hello there. It's been a little while, almost 4 weeks to be exact. I've missed you and I've missed cooking. The last few weeks have been...well...just awful. I survived a 5 day flu, only to suffer through a 2 1/2 week long bout of bronchitis that made just being awake miserable. In the midst of all this, NAK and I moved. Only four blocks away, but with 100+ boxes, no move is an easy move. For the sake of NAK's health and my sanity, I've stayed away from the kitchen, but now I'm back in the game!We're in our new place though and loving it but it'll be a while before we're fully dug out from mounds of packing paper and bubble wrap.
In the meantime, Chanukah came along to distract me from the depths of moving - and unpacking - hell. And really, there is no better excuse to play in the kitchen than the promise of hot potato latkes and tasty toppings. And so, I focused my time and energy on applesauce and blueberry jam, not a bad way to distract yourself from the never-ending pile of boxes in my living room. But for now, my break time is over, and it’s back to work for me. Enjoy!
Homemade ApplesauceAdapted from Ina Garten
1 large navel orange, zested and juiced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3 -4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
3-4 sweet red apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the zest and juice of the oranges and lemon in a large bowl. Peel, quarter, and core the apples (reserving the peel of 2 of the red apples) and toss them in the juice. Pour the apples, reserved apple peel, and juice into a nonreactive Dutch oven or enameled pot (I used a porcelain casserole dish). Add the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and allspice and cover the pot. Bake for 1 hour, or until all the apples are soft. Remove and discard the red apple peel. Mix with a whisk until smooth, and serve warm or at room temperature. Yields about 6 side-dish size servings.
Blueberry Ginger Jam
Adapted from Todd Gray via The New York Times
**I don’t typically do restaurant reviews here on Sassy, but if you haven’t yet been to Equinox, Todd Gray’s restaurant right by the White House, you are missing out. NAK and I dine there on occasion and it’s just fabulous.
4 cups blueberries
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon peeled, finely grated fresh ginger
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon port wine
In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Place over high heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer until thick and shiny, about 30 minutes. May be served warm as a sauce, or allowed to cool completely (it will thicken more upon cooling) and served as a spreadable jam. Yields 2 cups.
