Recipe - Pork, Apple and Spiced Winter Vegetable Stew

Another recipe using cooking apples. This received mixed reviews from those who tasted it: some found it sweet, others thought the apples gave it a nice tangy taste. If I make it again I probably won't use quite as many apples, but nevertheless I consider it a success and perfect for the Winter weather ahead.

All measurements are rough guesses as it's a few weeks ago now that I made this. 

Here is the stew bubbling away when it was almost ready!






















Ingredients:
1 medium turnip
4 pork chops
4 parsnips
3 large sweet potatoes
5 large cooking apples
5 large potatoes
spices - cumin, mixed spice, cinnamon, black pepper

Method:

• Peel and chop the turnip, sweet potatoes, parsnips and 3 of the apples. Sweat them in a large pot with the pork chops (throw them in whole, the stew cooks for a long time and the meat will soften and come apart on its own anyway so no need to slice them) and a dash of olive oil (or what I used - Donegal rapeseed oil) until they start to soften. 
• Add approx 1 litre of water and bring to the boil, then add approx 1 teaspoon of each of the spices and simmer for 3-4 hours.
• Peel and chop the potatoes and the other two apples and add to the stew, you'll provbably need to add some more water at this stage as well. Bring back to the boil then simmer for another hour or couple of hours, until the meat is falling apart and the potatoes are well cooked.
• Taste regularly during this period, you might need to add more spices.
• Eat, and enjoy!

Recipe - Blueberry and Apple Cake

I was recently given a big box of cooking apples, and I already make a great apple crumble, so I wanted to take the chance to experiement with some of these. I decided to make an apple cake, and it turned out pretty well!

Amounts are approximate as I do not own a kitchen scales or measuring jug; I just chuck in stuff until it looks or tastes like the right consistency.

My two year old loves to hold the mixer for these sorts of recipes while I add ingredients to the bowl.


Ingredients:
200g butter/margerine
150g caster sugar
300g self-raising flour
punnet of blueberries
4 medium cooking apples (or 3 large, or 5 small)
2 eggs

Method:

• Peel the apples and cut out the cores, chop into small pieces and put in a pot with a little water and leave it on a medium heat. Stir regularly as the apples begin to break down and you end up with apple sauce.
• Mix the eggs, butter and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl.
• Add half the flour. Mix well.
• Add the apple sauce.
• Add the rest of the flour slowly with the mixer turning. 
• The mixture should be thick, but not quite as stiff as whipped cream; it should pour out of the bowl easily. 
• Turn off the mixer before adding the blueberries, mix them in with a spoon.
• Pour into either a greased springform metal cake tin or a silicone baking mould. 
• Lick the bowl. The mixture is yummy.
• Bake for approx half an hour at 180 C. 
• Leave in the tin for at least half an hour after baking, before turning out onto a plate.
• Slice, eat and enjoy!