Apples, plums, peaches and pioneer women

I can't help myself, I hate to see something nice wasted and if I can make something out of nothing I will give it a go. It is in my DNA and for those of you who knew my Mother well, you would entirely understand what I mean. I love to give gifts from my garden produce and cooking labours and I am always equally happy to receive them in return! This week has been full of funny little incidences that have resulted in such fabulous tasty gifts.
My sister-in-law gave me a jar labelled Free Plum jam, I thought it was a type of plum until it clicked! Silly me. She is a woman clearly in sync with my values and knew we would enjoy such a lovely 'free' tangy spread on our breakfast toast. Fabulous!
Chatting at the gate with my neighbour I noted her lovely little apple tree (once laden with large red apples) was now completely bare of fruit. The previous season I had carte blanche to help myself while minding the chooks and said the apples made a beautiful Tarte Tatin. My neighbour said for such a small tree that must have harvested at least 30 apples. Later in the day a bag full of the same beautiful cooking apples appeared at my door. I made a 'cheats' Tarte Tatin, baked in my small enamel dish. Fabulous!

'cheats' Tarte Tatin

Which leads me to another delight.
It can be said I am a very observant dog walker, mainly on the lookout for wild looking young frisky dogs who can make our dowager one very nervous and unfriendly. It was during one of these walks I noted a tree dropping peaches all over a steep grassy bank near the footpath. Not something you see much nowadays. Looking up, the tree was laden and I assumed someone would soon be picking them. Not so, and on a another daily circuit I could not help myself and quickly filled a bag of the windfalls to take home. Once all the bruised and grubby bits were chopped away and stones removed, a little raw sugar added, they boiled into two cups of delicious stewed peaches. One cup for Peach muffins, one cup drizzled with runny cream for dessert. Fabulous!

And to finish my funny week of tasty gifts, the last bits of harvest from my carrot and beetroot crop (pathetic due to lack of moisture) were roasted with balsamic vinegar and brown sugar, tossed with wild rocket and cherry tomatoes. It had to be one of the tastiest lunches I have made for myself in a while.

A few weeks ago during a discussion with a friend with an interest in Numerology, I was told I have had many incarnations - I am sure one of them was a Pioneer woman, always providing a meal for her family the best way she can!

Marvey Muffins

My little 'Just Muffins' book (pub 1989) has become a bit of a treasure in my kitchen. You will remember from an earlier post I gained permission from the editor to use her recipes on my blog. It is the book I go to when making muffins. It is peppered with Christchurch advertisments and the names of people who made the recipe contributions supporting their fundraising efforts. I couldn't help thinking about how all these people fared in the earthquakes. On my last visit to my hometown I was astounded by the amount of vacant spaces of land. I was sad to see the house I lived in all my childhood - condemned and deserted, as were most of the houses around where we lived. Many members of my own family have suffered damage and the loss of their homes but now thanks to EQC and insurance they have a brighter future in new homes. So here's a bit of love to Christchurch, and yummy Apple Sultana Muffins by Fiona Marris that is now an absolute firm favourite in our home. So easy too! I have changed the recipe slightly using wholemeal instead of white flour. Use medium size muffin tins or better still use paper cases.

1 3/4 cups of wholemeal flour
salt
125g melted butter
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup stewed apple (hot)
3 tsp mixed spice
1 cup sultanas
3/4 cup sugar
1 beaten egg
Put dry ingredients in bowl. Add egg, then hot apple and lastly melted butter. Bake at 225degrees Celsius for approximately 10 minutes.

Marvey Muffins

My little 'Just Muffins' book (pub 1989) has become a bit of a treasure in my kitchen. You will remember from an earlier post I gained permission from the editor to use her recipes on my blog. It is the book I go to when making muffins. It is peppered with Christchurch advertisments and the names of people who made the recipe contributions supporting their fundraising efforts. I couldn't help thinking about how all these people fared in the earthquakes. On my last visit to my hometown I was astounded by the amount of vacant spaces of land. I was sad to see the house I lived in all my childhood - condemned and deserted, as were most of the houses around where we lived. Many members of my own family have suffered damage and the loss of their homes but now thanks to EQC and insurance they have a brighter future in new homes. So here's a bit of love to Christchurch, and yummy Apple Sultana Muffins by Fiona Marris that is now an absolute firm favourite in our home. So easy too! I have changed the recipe slightly using wholemeal instead of white flour. Use medium size muffin tins or better still use paper cases.

1 3/4 cups of wholemeal flour
salt
125g melted butter
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup stewed apple (hot)
3 tsp mixed spice
1 cup sultanas
3/4 cup sugar
1 beaten egg
Put dry ingredients in bowl. Add egg, then hot apple and lastly melted butter. Bake at 225degrees Celsius for approximately 10 minutes.

French touch - Tarte Tatin

I saw a picture of an upside down apple tart in an old Taste magazine. I have never made one before and searched on line for one with puff pastry (in true French style), and found one by Jamie Oliver. It is so deliciously yummy I could make one a week! Our lovely neighbours had 3 apples left on their young tree with an invitation to help myself while they were away! They were perfectly 'tart' to use for this recipe as it cut through the sweetness of the caramel. It is really so simple to make and looks really impressive when you have guests over. My photo is not as flash as Jamie's but you get the general idea.

500g puff pastry

 5 small apples - a mixture of sweet and acidic varieties (approx 800g)

100g golden castor sugar

100ml Calvados (or Brandy)

1 vanilla pod cut lengthways with seeds scraped out

50g butter (cubed) 

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius or 375 degrees Fahrenheit

Roll out pastry on a floured board until its about 0.5cm thick

This will be enough to cover an ovenproof fry pan you are cooking the tarte tartin in ( I use my lovely big cast iron one), leaving about 5cm extra around the edge

Put the pastry to one side. Peel apples, then halve them horizontally and use a teaspoon to get rid of the core and pips
Put the pan on a medium heat and add the sugar, Calvados, vanilla seeds and pod. Let the sugar dissolve and cook until the mixture forms a light caramel. Don't try to taste as it can burn you really easily! Once the caramel looks and smells delicious (it should be a lovely chestnut brown) - add your halved apples. Carefully stir everything in the pan and cook about 5 minutes or until the apples start to soften and you get a toffee apple vibe happening. Add the cubed butter, then lay the pastry over the top. Quickly and carefully tuck the pastry into the edges - it's best to use a wooden spoon so you don't touch the hot caramel. Bake the Tarte Tatin for about 25-30 minutes or until golden with crispy bits of caramel bubbling up from under the edges. Take it out of the oven. Carefully turn it out onto a plate wide enough (use an oven cloth to protect your self!), I asked my partner to help at this stage to hold the heavy pan while I held the plate steady! Put it to one side for a few minutes so the caramel cools down, then divide up and serve with creme fraiche, icecream or runny cream. Heaven!

French touch - Tarte Tatin

I saw a picture of an upside down apple tart in an old Taste magazine. I have never made one before and searched on line for one with puff pastry (in true French style), and found one by Jamie Oliver. It is so deliciously yummy I could make one a week! Our lovely neighbours had 3 apples left on their young tree with an invitation to help myself while they were away! They were perfectly 'tart' to use for this recipe as it cut through the sweetness of the caramel. It is really so simple to make and looks really impressive when you have guests over. My photo is not as flash as Jamie's but you get the general idea.

500g puff pastry

 5 small apples - a mixture of sweet and acidic varieties (approx 800g)

100g golden castor sugar

100ml Calvados (or Brandy)

1 vanilla pod cut lengthways with seeds scraped out

50g butter (cubed) 

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius or 375 degrees Fahrenheit

Roll out pastry on a floured board until its about 0.5cm thick

This will be enough to cover an ovenproof fry pan you are cooking the tarte tartin in ( I use my lovely big cast iron one), leaving about 5cm extra around the edge

Put the pastry to one side. Peel apples, then halve them horizontally and use a teaspoon to get rid of the core and pips
Put the pan on a medium heat and add the sugar, Calvados, vanilla seeds and pod. Let the sugar dissolve and cook until the mixture forms a light caramel. Don't try to taste as it can burn you really easily! Once the caramel looks and smells delicious (it should be a lovely chestnut brown) - add your halved apples. Carefully stir everything in the pan and cook about 5 minutes or until the apples start to soften and you get a toffee apple vibe happening. Add the cubed butter, then lay the pastry over the top. Quickly and carefully tuck the pastry into the edges - it's best to use a wooden spoon so you don't touch the hot caramel. Bake the Tarte Tatin for about 25-30 minutes or until golden with crispy bits of caramel bubbling up from under the edges. Take it out of the oven. Carefully turn it out onto a plate wide enough (use an oven cloth to protect your self!), I asked my partner to help at this stage to hold the heavy pan while I held the plate steady! Put it to one side for a few minutes so the caramel cools down, then divide up and serve with creme fraiche, icecream or runny cream. Heaven!