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Minnesota has a rich apple growing heritage, but it wasn’t always that way. When the state first came into being, the landscape was considered so hostile to apple growing as to elicit the famous response from east coast newspaper editor, Horace Greeley: “I would not live in Minnesota because you can’t grow apples there!”
University of Minnesota Senior Research Fellow David Bedford, MHS Board Member Mary Meyer and author Beth Dooley discuss the history of apple growing
A variety of Minnesota-grown apples that are now enjoyed throughout the United States
Now, 160 years after the Minnesota Fruit Growers Association (now the Minnesota Horticultural Society) proved Mr. Greeley wrong, northern gardener and James Beard Award-winning food writer Beth Dooley has some delicious apple recipes for you to try after your next trip to a Minnesota orchard.
Makes about 5 to 6 dozen
Use a variety of apples, some super sweet and juicy, others tart and dry. Vary the nuts in the crumble topping. This recipe is easily doubled for a crowd.
Bottom layer
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) butter
Top layer
2 cups finely diced apples
1 cup diced pecans and/or hazelnuts
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch pan or line with parchment paper.
Stir together the flour and confectioners’ sugar. Cut in the butter using two knives or a food processor to form crumbs the size of small peas. Pat the crust into the prepared pan and bake until firm and golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Stir together the apples, nuts, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle over the crust and lightly pat into place. Return to the oven and bake until the apples are very tender and the crust is firm and golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and cut into bars while still warm.
Makes about 2 cups
This sweet vinaigrette is wonderful tossed with greens, chopped apples and nuts, or used to baste grilled or roasted pork or chicken.
Ingredients
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
2 large shallots, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
⅔ cup apple syrup (see below) or maple syrup
1 cup vegetable oil
Directions
Put all the ingredients except the oil into a blender. Blend on high, then pour in the oil in a slow, steady stream and process until thick.
Pour 1 gallon of fresh apple cider into a large pot. Place a chopstick down to the bottom of the pot to mark the starting liquid height. Set over high heat and bring the cider to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface, for about 4 hours or so. The syrup is ready when the liquid has reduced to ⅛ of its original volume and is thick enough to coat a spoon, yielding about 2 cups.
Beth Dooley is a James Beard Award-winning food writer who has authored and co-authored over a dozen books celebrating the bounty of America’s Northern Heartland. She writes for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, appears regularly on local TV and radio, and helps people connect more deeply with food through her Substack..
bethdooley.substack.com
The post Apple Recipes for Your Fall Harvest appeared first on Northern Gardener.
University of Minnesota Senior Research Fellow David Bedford, MHS Board Member Mary Meyer and author Beth Dooley discuss the history of apple growing
A variety of Minnesota-grown apples that are now enjoyed throughout the United States
Now, 160 years after the Minnesota Fruit Growers Association (now the Minnesota Horticultural Society) proved Mr. Greeley wrong, northern gardener and James Beard Award-winning food writer Beth Dooley has some delicious apple recipes for you to try after your next trip to a Minnesota orchard.
Apple-Nut Bars
Makes about 5 to 6 dozen
Use a variety of apples, some super sweet and juicy, others tart and dry. Vary the nuts in the crumble topping. This recipe is easily doubled for a crowd.
Bottom layer
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) butter
Top layer
2 cups finely diced apples
1 cup diced pecans and/or hazelnuts
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 × 13-inch pan or line with parchment paper.
Stir together the flour and confectioners’ sugar. Cut in the butter using two knives or a food processor to form crumbs the size of small peas. Pat the crust into the prepared pan and bake until firm and golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Stir together the apples, nuts, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle over the crust and lightly pat into place. Return to the oven and bake until the apples are very tender and the crust is firm and golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and cut into bars while still warm.
Apple Maple Vinaigrette
Makes about 2 cups
This sweet vinaigrette is wonderful tossed with greens, chopped apples and nuts, or used to baste grilled or roasted pork or chicken.
Ingredients
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
2 large shallots, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
⅔ cup apple syrup (see below) or maple syrup
1 cup vegetable oil
Directions
Put all the ingredients except the oil into a blender. Blend on high, then pour in the oil in a slow, steady stream and process until thick.
Apple syrup
Pour 1 gallon of fresh apple cider into a large pot. Place a chopstick down to the bottom of the pot to mark the starting liquid height. Set over high heat and bring the cider to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface, for about 4 hours or so. The syrup is ready when the liquid has reduced to ⅛ of its original volume and is thick enough to coat a spoon, yielding about 2 cups.
Beth Dooley is a James Beard Award-winning food writer who has authored and co-authored over a dozen books celebrating the bounty of America’s Northern Heartland. She writes for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, appears regularly on local TV and radio, and helps people connect more deeply with food through her Substack..
bethdooley.substack.com
The post Apple Recipes for Your Fall Harvest appeared first on Northern Gardener.