Just as plum season ends in the mountains, apple season begins. The first apples to arrive are small, tart, and green. Later, as the autumn wears on, the apples grow rosier, redder, and larger until they reach the size of a softball. I often purchase several cases of both apples and plums to store away for winter when the local markets close up, and nothing new or green or fresh will arrive for several more months. I make sauces, preserves, and jams this time of year, and this sauce is one of my favorites, for it combines the tartness of green apple with the sweetness of plums. I serve the sauce warm, dropping a pat of butter into each bowl. The butter melts, providing the sauce with an elusive creaminess.
MAKES: ABOUT 1 QUART
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 large green apples
- 6 large plums
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 (1-inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled and crushed
- 4 cardamom pods, crushed
- 2 teaspoons whole cloves
- 1 cup apple juice
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- Unsalted butter, cut into pats, to serve
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Core the apples and chop them into 1-inch pieces.
- Slice the plums in half, remove their pits, and chop the fruit into 1-inch pieces.
- Tuck the cinnamon sticks, ginger, cardamom, and cloves into a bit of cheesecloth and tie it closed with 100 percent cotton cooking twine.
- Put the fruit and bundle of spices into a heavy saucepan and pour in the apple juice and the brandy.
- Cover the pan and bring to a boil over medium heat, then decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, or until the fruit falls apart of its own accord.
- Remove and discard the spice bundle, then puree the fruit with an immersion blender until smooth.
- Spoon the warm sauce into small serving bowls, top each with a pat of butter, and serve.
- The sauce will keep in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
