Braised Apples With Orange Sauce Recipes

BRAISED AND BRûLéED APPLES WITH ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Bring apple cider, maple syrup, butter, vinegar, and salt to a simmer in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-low heat, stirring to melt butter. Add apples to pot in a single layer (you might need to cook in batches depending on the size of your pot) and return liquid to a very gentle simmer. Cook, turning apples halfway through, until a skewer (or the tip of a small knife) slides easily through flesh but apples stay intact, 20-25 minutes; set aside.
• Remove apples from pot with a slotted spoon and place, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet; set aside. Bring liquid in pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until reduced to a thick caramel with bubbles that slowly expand and then pop, 15-20 minutes. Add cream and stir until sauce is smooth. Reduce heat to low and keep sauce warm in pot while you brûlée the caramel apples.
• Sprinkle cut sides of reserved apples with sugar and caramelize with kitchen torch (alternatively, you can brûlée them under the broiler, about 3 minutes).
• To serve, scoop ice cream into bowls; place an apple half, brûléed side up, in each. Drizzle with warm caramel sauce and top with some nuts.
• Apples can be braised 1 day ahead. Let cool in liquid, then cover and chill. Reheat over low before continuing.

BRAISED APPLES WITH ORANGE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Carefully pare the peel from the oranges and cut into julienne strips. Simmer the strips for 10 minutes in water. Drain and rinse. Squeeze the juice from the oranges, strain and set aside.
• Peel and core the apples and put them in a bowl with water to cover and add the juice of the lemon to prevent them from discoloring.
• Drain the apples. Using 2 tablespoons butter, grease a flameproof baking dish just large enough to hold them comfortably. Put a teaspoon butter in each apple. Sprinkle with sugar. Add 2 tablespoons of the cognac, white wine and orange juice. Bring to simmer on top of the stove, cover loosely with foil paper and put into the oven.
• Bake for 25 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure that the liquid remains at a simmer and that the apples are not overcooking. If they cook too long, they will collapse.
• When the apples are done, arrange them on a serving dish. Add the jelly to their cooking juices and bring to boil. Stir in remaining cognac and orange peel. Cook for a minute or two, or until the sauce is thick enough to coat the spoon. Pour over the apples. Serve at room temperature, with the cream in a small jug.

BRAISED PORK IN ORANGE SAUCE (CARNE DE PUERCO A LA NARANJA)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot, add pork cubes and saute over medium-high heat until cubes start to brown, about 10 minutes. The cubes may give off a lot of water; if so, continue cooking and stirring until water evaporates. Add caramel coloring and continue cooking and stirring until pieces are a rich brown. Do not let caramel coloring burn.
• Add all the remaining ingredients except the flour and orange juice paste. Stir to mix well. Then add flour paste and mix well so there are no lumps in the sauce. Lower heat to barely simmering, cover pan and leave to cook 1 hour or longer, until pork cubes are tender and sauce is thick and unctuous.
• Serve immediately, removing bay leaves, cinnamon stick and fresh thyme sprig. Garnish with thin slices of unpeeled orange or orange wedges, and serve with rice and beans, and West Indian vegetables, such as yams, yautia and malanga.