Apple Sauce - Easy

Potato latkes are great to eat naked (the latkes, not you ... hot oil is murder on skin), but they are even better accompanied with a condiment. There are many schools of thought on the subject.  I've heard of some who use ketchup.  I just recently saw a recipe with pear sauce.  But the overwhelming majority have their latkes with either sour cream or apple sauce on the side.

I am of the apple sauce persuasion.  And while anyone can open a jar of applesauce, the homemade stuff is just so much more better.  It is so easy to make a batch that I whipped up a small batch while simultaneously frying my small latke batch.  Make a small batch yourself just to test it out.   Then double or triple it next time.  And invite me over.  Apple sauce is good year-round.

You can make this basic apple sauce recipe three different way:  smooth, slightly chunky or super chunky.  It all depends upon the apples you use.  MacIntosh apples are tender and break down into mush.  Granny Smith are crisp and retain their shape.   For this recipe I used (surprise, surprise) Macs and Grannies (there's a joke in there somewhere).  If you want to use other varieties you'll have to look them up yourself.   I'm leaving to go walk the dog and work off all the latkes I have been "sampling" since yesterday.

Cinamon Apple Sauce - Easy
Yield: about 1 cup

4 apples (use tender varieties for smooth sauce, crisp for chunky, or a combination for the best of both worlds)
1/2 cup apple juice (optional)
1/2 cup water (use one cup if omitting apple juice)
1 Tbl. honey  (use 2 tablespoons if omitting apple juice)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice (optional)

Peel apples.  Make a game out of it and see how long you can make a peel.  Peeking out on the left side of the photo is youngSon's menorah.  He first made it during for his first Chanukah in Hebrew school.  He's now a freshman at college and taller than me. But I digress ....

When the grown-up in you returns, cut large chunks of apple from around the core.  Discard core, then coarsely chop large chunks into smaller chunks, about 1/2 inch or so.  No need to make chunks even sizes.

Place chopped apples into 1-quart saucepan.  Pour in apple juice and/or water and honey.  Stir in  cinnamon.  You can see by the bits of green that I was a little sloppy when peeling.  Sue me.

Cook over medium heat until starts to boil, then turn down heat to medium-low.

Continue to simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until apples are softened to your liking and most of the liquid has been absorbed or evaporated.  Remove saucepan from heat and stir in lemon juice.

Let cool slightly, then gently mash with a fork, if desired, until consistency is to your liking.

Serve warm or chilled, alongside latkes as an appetizer or by itself as dessert.

Very Good Recipes tags: kosher, dessert, easy