Grape Cider Grapple Calvados Punch Recipes

MULLED GRAPE CIDER

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine grapes and 2 cups water; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Press through a strainer; reserve juice and discard skins and seeds. , Pour juice through a double layer of cheesecloth into a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add the sugar, cloves, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and remaining water. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours. Discard cloves and cinnamon sticks.

CIDER PUNCH

Steps:

• Combine 4 cups apple cider, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 whole cloves and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Halve 1 orange; squeeze the juice into the pan and add the peels. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and let steep 10 to 15 minutes. Strain into a pitcher and add 3/4 cup apple brandy or bourbon. Chill at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve in tall glasses on the rocks or reheat and serve warm in punch mugs. Garnish with orange slices.

SPARKLING GRAPE PUNCH

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine water and sugar.
• Bring to a boil; boil for 3 minutes.
• Cool.
• Add juices and mix well.
• Stir in ginger ale just before serving.

SPARKLING WHITE GRAPE PUNCH

Steps:

• Just before serving, combine juices in a 5-qt. punch bowl. Stir in soda. Add grapes if desired.

POULET AU CIDRE (CHICKEN IN CIDER AND CALVADOS)

Steps:

• Peel and core apples. Finely chop half of one apple and cut the rest into 12 wedges. Toss the apple in lemon juice.
• Heat half the butter in large frying pan. Add the chicken pieces, skin side down, and cook until golden. Turn chicken over and cook another 5 minutes. Remove the chicken and pour off fat.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in the same pan and add onion, celery and chopped apple. Fry over moderate heat for 5 minutes without browning.
• Remove from heat. Sprinkle flour into mixture and stir. Add Calvados and return to heat. Gradually stir in cider. Bring to a boil, return chicken to pan, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
• Heat remaining butter in small frying pan. Add apple wedges and fry over moderate heat until browned and tender. Remove from heat and keep warm.
• Remove the chicken pieces from the pan to a platter and keep warm. Skim excess fat from cooking liquid. Add creme fraiche, bring just to a boil and simmer 4 minutes, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and serve with warm apple wedges.

CIDER AND CALVADOS GELEES WITH CHAMPAGNE GRAPES

Steps:

• In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over water to soften 1 minute. In a saucepan combine cider and sugar and bring to a rolling boil. Boil mixture, skimming froth, until reduced to 2 cups. Stir in brandy and lemon juice and pour through a sieve lined with a double thickness of dampened cheesecloth or paper towel into a bowl. Stir gelatin mixture into hot cider mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Stir mixture well and divide among four 1/2-cup molds. Chill gelées until firm, at least 3 hours, and up to 2 days.
• To unmold gelées, dip bottoms of molds, 1 at a time, into a bowl of hot water 3 seconds. Run a thin knife around edges of molds and invert gelées onto 4 small dessert plates.
• Serve gelées with small bunches of grapes alongside.

CRANBERRY GRAPE PUNCH

Steps:

• Add the Kool-Aid to a pitcher.
• Pour in the cranberry juice; stir until the Kool-Aid is disolved.
• Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve (3-4 hours).
• When ready to serve, stir in the club soda.
• Serve over ice.

GRAPE PUNCH

Steps:

• In a large punch bowl or pitcher, combine the juices; mix well. Stir in soda just before serving.