There’s nothing quite as striking as that first really good, perfectly “apple” apple of the season. Mine came a bit early for me this year in August, when I bit into a Fyrefly, an apple grown just 100 miles away on a small Pennsylvania farm that seems to be the only one cultivating it.
It was crispy, tart, sweet, snappy, and brisk, like all apples should be. A far cry from the apples that line the grocery bins year-round.
And as the mornings grow colder, my body likes the stewed version of this biblical fruit just the same as its fresh raw sister.
It takes 7 minutes and turns even the most mundane of breakfasts into something you’d find at a breakfast buffet at Inness, but you can also go savory and put them over roasted meats like pork.
Things you can put stewed apples on top of:
yogurt bowl with granola and almond butter
toast with peanut butter
oatmeal with pecans and coconut flakes
pork tenderloin or pork chops
pancakes with salty cultured butter, pictured below
Spiced stewed apples
Time: 7 minutes
Ingredients
1 apple (I implore you to find a local variety, or one that has a firmness and a little bit of a fuzzy, green/red coloring. These are always the best.)
A knob of butter (~1 tbsp)
1 tsp honey
Spices: I like to use a few dashes of cinnamon and a little less nutmeg and cardamom, but you can use vanilla bean too or improvise with other warming spices like clove, allspice, or ginger
A few spoonfuls of water, as needed
Instructions
Core and chop apple
into small pieces.
Melt butter over low-medium heat in a small saucepan
Add apple, honey, and spices. Stir to combine.
Let cook for 5-ish minutes, stirring occasionally. If your mixture looks dry, add a spoonful of water. You want your apples to get soft and the sweet butter sauce to thicken.
Once your apples are soft (piercable with a fork), remove from heat. Cover and let sit 1-2 minutes for extra thickness if you so desire. Pour over your dish of choice and don’t forget those yummy stewed juices.
