Renowned cookbook author Olwen Woodier—who owns Glenfiddich Farm in Leesburg with her husband, the ceramic artist Richard Busch—is intimately familiar with the many gifts of cooking, from her garden’s generous harvests to the satisfaction of providing a delicious and nourishing dish.
“I think there is something inherently joyful about cooking a meal for people, especially those who are family and good friends, and especially when you're planning dinners around festive or important holidays,” she said. “You put so much thought into what is seasonal, and so much love goes into the choice of foods to please everyone's likes and dislikes. I know it can be a little overwhelming when catering to people’s tastes. But cooking can be such a pleasure, and, of course, the preparations for a big holiday dinner can be done incrementally ahead of that special day. Then there is the pleasure that comes from sitting at the table surrounded by loved ones and knowing that they are happy to be sharing food and friendship.”
For the perfect ingredient to add crisp flavor to a holiday meal, look no farther than the apple. Apples have a surprising flavor range, from sweet to tart, and can provide anything from a nostalgic mellow note to a delightful, unexpected sharpness. And they're a cold-season classic.
“Although we can buy apples year-round, shipped to us from different hemispheres, they are a seasonal fall fruit,” Woodier noted. “They need to finish ripening in the colder weather in order to develop that crisp and juicy texture. One of the pleasures of fall is finding a local and perhaps pick-your-own orchard where you can do what people have been doing for millennia—bite into a fresh-picked apple and, if you're lucky, savor the season with a glass of just-pressed apple cider.”
The pleasure extends well into winter, when apples can elevate any holiday meal. Here, courtesy of Woodier’s “The Apple Cookbook,” are two flavorful recipes for your festive holiday table.
Corn Bread–Apple Stuffing
Make your own corn bread or muffins from scratch (or from a mix) the day before so you can enjoy them fresh for dinner, then use the leftovers in the stuffing the following day.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 medium apples (Empire, Idared, Golden Delicious), peeled, cored, and chopped
2 cups crumbled corn bread (2 large muffins or 4 slices of bread)
1/4 cup apple juice
1 egg
PREPARATION
1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and saute for 5 minutes.
2. Add the parsley, oregano, and apples, and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the corn bread.
3. In a small bowl, beat together the apple juice and egg. Mix into the stuffing.
4. Stuff into a 5- to 6-pound chicken and bake. The stuffing can also be baked separately in a greased 1-quart baking dish for 45 minutes at 350°F.
Add an Apple
"Among my favorite apple side dishes are apple-based stuffings," Woodier writes. "An apple can be added to almost any stuffing recipe without throwing it off balance; it will impart only a mild flavor, but it will make the stuffing a little moister. Use 1/4 cup apple juice to replace some water or broth in your stuffing—it will make the dressing a touch sweeter."
Harvest Apple Pie
Woodier puts a charming twist on this holiday classic "by rolling out a very large circle of pastry, placing it in a pizza pan, and folding the pastry over the apples to create a very large, half-moon-shaped pie."
INGREDIENTS
Pastry for a double 9- or 10-inch pie crust
1/4 cup apricot jam or marmalade, melted
5 large apples (Idared, Jonathan, Golden Delicious, or a mix), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 9- or 10-inch pie plate.
2. Roll out half the pastry and fit it into the pie plate. Brush with melted jam and refrigerate.
3. Place the apples in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice.
4. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
5. Layer half the apple slices in the chilled pie shell and sprinkle with half the brown sugar mixture. Repeat the layers. Scatter the butter pieces over the apples.
6. Roll out the top crust, place over the filling, trim and flute the edges. Cut 3 steam vents in the center. Brush with the milk and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.
7. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until crust is golden brown. If the edges of the crust start to brown too quickly, cover with strips of aluminum foil or a pie-crust shield. Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Find Olwen Woodier's cookbooks at Roots 657 Cafe and Market at 42301 Spinks Ferry Rd. in Leesburg or at The Corner Store in Waterford. For more Glenfiddich holiday treasures, visit Richard Busch's Glenfiddich Farm Pottery (by appointment only, call 703-201-0977) at 17642 Canby Road in Leesburg.
Recipes adapted from "The Apple Cookbook," published by Hachette Book Group/Storey.com.