This apple relish came last year when I was playing golf with friends, it’s simple and a nice way to use up a couple of apples.
The Accidental Locavore decided on a condiment to go with the two chèvres I had from Goat Cheeses of France. The Red Hook Golf Club was originally an apple orchard, and hundreds of apple trees still line the fairways. This has been a terrific year for apples and there are literally thousands of them, ripe for the picking. I grabbed a bunch of Romes and McIntoshes from my favorite trees (around the tee box on the fifth hole) and made a simple relish for the cheeses. This made about 2 cups:
Apple Relish Recipe:
- ½ cup of sugar, more or less depending on your apples
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- Salt
- 1 ½ pounds tart, crisp apples, peeled and cut into 1/2″ chunks
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
In a medium sized pot over medium heat, heat the sugar and vinegar, stirring to dissolve.
Stir in the apples and cook for about 5 minutes, until the apples are cooked but still hold their shape. Stir in the ginger, taste and add salt as needed.
Cool to room temperature. Serve and enjoy!
My verdict:
Although I’m not generally a fan of “stuff” other than bread or a plain cracker with cheese, this was a nice addition.
The apples had a nice fresh flavor that contrasted well with the rich funkiness of the cheeses. Leaving them in chunks kept them from turning into mush (aka apple sauce).
The ginger added a hint of spice and some brightness. Now that I’ve done my posts for the Goat Cheeses of France, I can sit back, relax and enjoy their wonderful chèvres my way, with a baguette. The rest of the relish I’ll use to garnish a duck, or go more traditional with some pork chops or smoked pork tenderloin.
What would you use it with?
