RECIPES: WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THOSE APPLES

Editor’s Note: Upper West Side personal chef Elyse Prince writes an occasional column for West Side Rag about recipes using ingredients you can buy locally.

By Elyse Prince

What to do with all those crisp apples from the farmer’s market? Well, you can turn your kitchen apple orchard into this warming pot of cinnamon applesauce and these delicious, and healthy baked potato and apple latkes. The best part is your whole apartment will smell like you’ve been baking apple pies all day!

Cinnamon Applesauce Recipe

Serves 8 to 10

ingredients

8 mixed apples, cut into wedges. Note the beautiful mixture of yellow, green and red colors.

Juice of 1 lemon, squeeze over the cut apples

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 cup apple cider (can find at the 97th street farmer’s market)

procedure

1. Sprinkle the chopped apples with cinnamon.

2. In a large saucepan combine the apples, 1/2 cup cider, honey, and salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally and breaking up the apples, for 20 minutes.

3. When the mixture is the consistency of a chunky puree pass the apples through a food mill and return to the saucepan. If you are looking for a smooth consistency, I recommend using an immersion blender instead of a food mill.

5. Serve the applesauce warm.

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Baked Potato and Apple Latkes

Serves 6 to 8

ingredients

2 russet potatoes, grated

1 apple, peeled, grated, squeeze dried with a hand towel

1 bunch scallions, sliced thin

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

21/2 tablespoons vegenaise (west side market and whole foods market sell vegenaise)

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

fine grain sea salt

1 egg, whisked

1 tablespoon of honey

Spectrum brand organic canola spray

procedure

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F.

2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with the canola spray, just to coat. Lay out the grated potato so that it is evenly distributed on the baking sheet. Do the same for the grated apple on the other baking sheet. Spray the grated potato and apple with the canola spray and sprinkle with fine grain sea salt. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the potato is light browned and crispy and the apple is cooked through. Remove and let cool.

3. In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the sliced scallions and saute for a few minutes, until soft and lightly browned. Remove and let cool.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, add the baked grated potato and apple, the sauteed scallions, the vegenaise, honey, whisked egg, pepper, and some sea salt to taste. Mix to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take 11/2 tablespoons of the mixture and form mini latkes with your hands, pressing the mixture together to form a pancake. It is ok if the latkas are not uniform. Wet hands helps hold the mixture together.

5. Bake in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the latkes are just lightly browned and crispy on the edges.

Learn more about Elyse at elyseprince.com.