Adaptable Apples Can Add To Dinner In Many Ways

A wide selection of newer apple varieties, such as Fuji, Criterion, Braeburn, Empire, Spartan, Jonagold and Gala, is now on the market. In order to get acquainted with their unique qualities, I decided to invite guests to a dinner where each dish would incorporate a different type of apple.

At our house, dinner guests tend to congregate in the kitchen. So, since this was to be an apple-tasting dinner, I decided to have a variety of apples on a cutting board for sampling, along with some cheeses and a dry riesling or a Washington semillon.

The Winter Apple Salad with Fennel and Gorgonzola is simple enough for a spur-of-the-moment supper, but I think it is so pretty and flavorful that it is special enough for a dinner party. I like to prepare the salad ahead, layer it in a big bowl, cover it with a damp cloth and refrigerate it for several hours. I toss the salad and serve it along with a basket of crusty bread as the guests sit down.

The roast pork loin recipe includes oven-roasted potatoes, so all that is needed is a vegetable. Red cabbage seems to complement the pork; it can be made up to a day ahead, as the mixture mellows upon reheating. With the main course, I would serve a big, soft pinot noir.

For dessert, I prefer something that can be prepared well in advance, such as the moist, pecan-studded Chunky Apple Cake with Warm Caramel Sauce. Caramel sauce is traditionally made with cream, but if you are watching calories, you can substitute evaporated milk. Your guests will probably not notice the difference.

Game plan:

1 day ahead: Bake cake and make caramel sauce. Make red cabbage.

4 hours before dinner: Layer salad and refrigerate. Chill white wine.

2-1/2 hours before dinner: Prepare pork roast and potatoes and place in oven.

15 minutes before dinner: Set out apples, cheeses, crackers and white wine.

5 minutes before dinner: Slowly reheat red cabbage.

At serving time: Toss salad and serve.

After salad: Carve and serve roast with potatoes and red cabbage. Serve red wine.

After entree: Heat caramel sauce; serve over sliced cake.

Winter Apple Salad with Fennel and Gorgonzola

Reverse the usual order for this dinner-party salad. Mix the dressing with fennel and two kinds of apples in the bottom of a big salad bowl. Layer the greens on top and refrigerate until dinner time. To serve, just add the Gorgonzola and toss.

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 garlic clove, cut in half

Salad:

2 eating apples (such as Fuji, Criterion, Braeburn or Gala), unpeeled, cored and thinly sliced

1 cup diced fennel bulb (see note)

3 cups romaine, torn into bite-size pieces

2 cups curly endive, torn into bite-size pieces

2 cups butter lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

To prepare vinaigrette, combine oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic in small jar with tight-fitting lid. Shake and let stand 20 minutes or refrigerate up to 2 days. Discard garlic.

To prepare salad, place apples and fennel in bottom of large salad bowl. Toss with vinaigrette. Layer romaine, endive and butter lettuce on top. Cover with damp paper towel and refrigerate up to 4 hours. When ready to serve, sprinkle cheese on top and toss well.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Note: Fennel bulb is available at some larger supermarkets and specialty stores.

Apple- and Prune-Stuffed Pork Loin with Roasted Potatoes

This is a cross-cultural dish. The apple and prune combination is Danish; the herbs and olive oil are Mediterranean.

1 (3- to 3-1/2-pound) boneless pork loin roast (see note)

Salt, freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled

1 cooking apple (such as Jonagold or Granny Smith), peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

8 pitted large prunes

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 baking potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into 4 wedges

For double top loin roast, if roast is tied, cut strings and open 2 pieces like book. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and half of the herbs. Arrange 3/4 of apple slices evenly down center of roast. Arrange prunes in 1 row and spread remaining apple slices on top. Replace other section of roast to enclose filling. Tie with heavy string every 2 inches. Sprinkle roast with remaining herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add roast and brown on all sides, about 12 minutes. Spray rack and roasting pan with vegetable cooking spray. Place roast on rack in roasting pan.

Place potatoes in skillet and saute until brown on all sides. Add potatoes to roasting pan. Bake at 350 degrees until internal temperature of roast is 160 degrees for well done, about 1-3/4 hours. Cover loosely with foil and let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with roasted potatoes.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Note: For boned, rolled and tied pork loin, make tunnel for stuffing by cutting 2-1/4-inch-wide slit in center of each end of loin. With long, narrow knife, cut through loin to connect slits, making opening about 1-1/4 inches in diameter. Sprinkle cavity with salt, pepper and herbs. Fill pocket from both ends with apples and prunes, spacing evenly.

Red Cabbage and Apples

Sweet-and-sour red cabbage is popular throughout Scandinavia. This version, with lots of tart apple slices, is super simple and it tastes even better the second day.

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

3 tart cooking apples (such as Jonagold or Granny Smith), peeled, cored and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon salt

1 small red cabbage (about 1-1/2 pounds), quartered, cored and thinly sliced

1 cup dry red wine

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Heat butter in large nonreactive casserole. Add onion and saute 2 minutes. Stir in apples and saute 2 minutes. Stir in brown sugar and salt. Add cabbage and toss well.

Pour in wine and vinegar. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cabbage and apples are tender, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. If excessive liquid remains, cook uncovered at slow boil until most of liquid has evaporated.

Yield: 8 (3/4-cup) servings.

Chunky Apple Cake with Warm Caramel Sauce

This rich cake serves 12 elegantly. It is very nice without the caramel sauce, but I’ve always been one to gild the lily.

2 medium to large cooking apples (such as

Braeburn, Fuji, Jonagold or Golden Delicious), peeled, cored and finely chopped

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

3 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (about 4 ounces)

Warm Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)

Combine apples with lemon peel and juice in bowl. Set aside.

Cream butter in large bowl of electric mixer. Gradually beat in sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Stir into butter mixture. Stir in apples and pecans. Spoon batter into greased and floured 10-inch tube pan.

Bake at 325 degrees until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean, 1-1/4 hours. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes on rack. Unmold. Serve warm or at room temperature with Warm Caramel Sauce.

Yield: About 12 servings.

Warm Caramel Sauce:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon butter

Combine sugar and water in heavy saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Boil, without stirring, until syrup turns amber, about 15 minutes; do not allow it to turn dark brown, or it will be bitter. Remove pan from heat and cool 2 minutes.

Carefully pour in cream. Stir in butter. Return pan to heat and cook, stirring, until smooth, about 1 minute. Serve warm.

Yield:1-1/2 cups.

Note: Caramel sauce can be cooled and refrigerated up to 1 week. Reheat slowly over low heat or in microwave before serving.

MEMO: Kathleen Desmond Stang is the author of the newly released “The Delectable Apple” (Chronicle Books.)