Before the Fall
For me the fruits of fall--plums, pears and apples--become most appealing when cooked in straightforward, homespun preparations. I also like to eat them out of hand, but I find that when they are cooked, the juices seem to meld the fruit into a tart, mouthwatering whole.
The following recipes celebrate the harvest. Chutneys are easy and versatile, and in this one, the apples mixed with the dried tart cherries (or dried cranberries) make a tangy and tasty combination. The two desserts--a citrus pear strudel with fresh ginger and a deep-dish plum-and-pear streusel cake--both highlight these fall fruits in an irresistible way.
A cooking note: I find quick-cooking tapioca to be an enormous asset in cooked fruit desserts. With the right proportion of tapioca, the juices become thick enough not to run all over the dessert plate, yet they are perfectly clear, as if no thickening were used. Flour, on the other hand, lends a slightly opaque appearance to a sauce.
It might seem that cooking the fruit mixtures for the strudel and deep-dish cake is unnecessary. Not so. I find it the best insurance for both taste and texture; you can always adjust the relationship of the lemon, sugar and tapioca before the desserts are baked in the oven.
Chutne y s are remarkably versatile, much like a sophisticated catsup. Here, tart fall apples mix with dried tart cherries to make a tangy combination. Dried cranberries can be substituted for the cherries; just reduce the sugar by three tablespoons. Although chutneys are commonly served with curried dishes, they make the simplest meals more interesting, whether they feature roast meats or poultry, casseroles, sandwiches or the most straightforward chicken or tuna salad. If you are using this chutney as a condiment with turkey, then be sure to spread it on the leftover turkey sandwiches too.
APPLE CHUTNEY WITH DRIED TART CHERRIES
5 medium or 3 large tart apples
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, minced
3/4 cup light-brown sugar, packed
6 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper
Dash salt
3/4 cup dried tart cherries
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
Peel apples. Core and cut into 1/3-inch dice. Combine garlic, onion, apples, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, ginger, allspice, cardamom, cloves, hot pepper and salt in 1 1/2-quart non-aluminum pan. Bring to boil over high heat.
Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender, about 10 minutes. Add cherries and cornstarch mixture. Stir well to combine. Cook until cherries are plumped and mixture is thickened, about 3 minutes. Serve hot, cold or at room temperature. Can be refrigerated up to 1 month. Makes about 3 cups.
Firm (not rock - hard) ripe pears work best in this strudel. The citrus and fresh ginger are delicate enough to enhance the pear flavor without dominating it. Cooking the pear mixture first insures that if you are unfortunately pressed into using the hardest pears, even they will be tender and flavorful when the strudel is baked. Filo sheets tear easily; don’t worry about them, just cover them up with the next filo layer. Serve the strudel warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
CITRUS PEAR STRUDEL WITH FRESH GINGER
3 to 4 large firm ripe pears
1 to 3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
1/3 cup light-brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons finely minced ginger root
1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Dash salt
6 sheets filo dough, thawed if frozen
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped medium-fine
Vanilla ice cream, optional
Peel pears. Cut each in half, core then cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Combine 1 tablespoon water, raisins, lemon juice, orange and lemon zests, brown sugar, ginger, tapioca, 2 tablespoons butter and salt in large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until pears are tender, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. Add remaining water as needed. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature (to cool quickly, transfer mixture to metal baking sheet and refrigerate until cooled to room temperature).
Place large sheet plastic wrap on work surface, extending beyond length of filo sheet so it can be used as handles to roll up strudel. Place 1 sheet filo on plastic wrap. Cover remaining sheets with plastic wrap so they won’t dry out. Brush sheet of filo with melted butter, then sprinkle with about 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped nuts. Continue to layer 1 sheet on another. Brush with more melted butter and sprinkle nuts on each, ending with nuts.
Arrange pear mixture evenly in about 4-inch-wide neat row, about 1 1/2 inches high down long side of filo, leaving 1/2-inch space from edge. Use plastic wrap to make 1 turn of filo so pears are completely covered. Tuck fruit into ends and finish rolling strudel into compact even roll. Cut roll in half. Brush with remaining melted butter. (Can be baked immediately or frozen up to 3 months. To freeze, place on baking sheet in freezer until solid. Wrap airtight. Do not thaw before baking.)
Place strudel in greased jellyroll pan and bake at 375 degrees on center rack of oven until golden brown, about 45 minutes or slightly longer if frozen. Transfer to wire rack. Cool at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve warm with ice cream. Makes 1 (16-inch) strudel or 8 servings.
Note: To reheat strudel, place on baking sheet in 300-degree oven until heated through, about 15 minutes. To toast walnuts, spread in single layer on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until light brown and fragrant, about 10 minutes, watching carefully so they do not burn.
It’s difficult to describe the total charm of this warm dessert, a thin crumb cake layer baked over a tumble of plums, pears and raspberries. It’s a homey dessert with great appeal, especially when it’s graced with a scoop of rich vanilla or butter pecan ice cream. The raspberries add a wonderful berry flavor but they’re not essential to the dish.
DEEP-DISH PLUM, PEAR AND RASPBERRY STREUSEL CAKE
3 medium (1 pound total) firm ripe pears
6 large (1 3/4 pounds total) firm ripe plums
Sugar
1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 to 6 tablespoons water
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup raspberries, optional
Streusel Topping
Vanilla or butter pecan ice cream, optional
Butter 5-cup-capacity baking dish or 8-inch-square baking pan, preferably glass.
Peel pears if desired, core and cut into 1-inch cubes. Cut plums into 1/3-inch slices. Combine pears, plums, 1/2 cup sugar, tapioca, lemon juice, cinnamon and 2 tablespoons water in large skillet. Toss gently to combine. Cook over medium-high heat, uncovered, until pears are tender-crisp, about 4 to 10 minutes depending on ripeness of pears. Stir frequently to avoid burning. Add remaining water as needed. Keep warm.
Mix sour cream and baking soda. Cream butter, 1/3 cup sugar and egg in processor or with mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and sour cream mixture. Mix well. Gently fold in flour, baking powder and salt (in processor, pulse machine on and off several times just until combined. Do not overprocess).
Spread warm fruit with juices (it’s important that fruit be warm for cake to bake through completely) in prepared pan. Tuck raspberries into fruit. Spoon batter over fruit and spread in thin, even layer with rubber spatula. Fruit need not be completely covered. Sprinkle Streusel Topping over. Place pan on baking sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees on center rack of oven until surface is deep brown and wood pick inserted in center of cake (not fruit) comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Note: To reheat, bake at 300 degrees 15 to 20 minutes until warmed through.
Streusel Topping
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup light-brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash salt
Combine flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt in food processor (or use pastry blender) and blend until butter is size of small peas. Set aside in refrigerator.