Applesauce with Dates and Star Anise

There are many benefits to retrying recipes other than perfecting them. One of the things that I have found is that, in most cases as I retry recipes they tend to get simpler. My innate preference is cooking with fresh and seasonal ingredients and of course simplifying the recipes every time I try them I tweak them here and there, sometimes to adapt to my families changing preferences.

I have made this applesauce which really is a hybrid between an applesauce and a chutney, a few times since the first time I made it a year ago. I think today’s variation was about the right level of flavor and simplicity. I have since reduced the number of dates I have used, and if you want you can actually leave them out. Apple sauce, a simple way to use up the abundant apples that we get in our neck of the woods is great as a lunch box snack and of course perfect for adding into desserts.

Tart and smooth with just a hint of spice, this applesauce will be a great side for an assortment of dishes. It would be great with crackers as well. This resurfaced along with a deep yearning to go apple picking this year whether my yearning will be fulfilled or not time will tell.

The girl was very sick after we returned from India, and could not eat anything heavy I made a batch of the applesauce, reducing the dates. I was a little sad that it took away the richer brown color but the deep sweet and tart taste of the apples balanced with the gentle fennel like flavors of the star anise shone through.

PrintApplesauce with Dates and Star Anise

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Makes about 3/4 cup

A lightly spiced apple sauce that works very well with crackers and cheese.

Ingredients

3 to 4 honey crisp apples
2 Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup (about 15) dates, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup water or apple cider
4 star anise
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 teaspoon red chili powder

Instructions

Core and chop the apples leaving the skin on and place in a cooking pot.
Place the apple juice, dates, star anise, lime juice and red chili powder in the same pot and cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes.At this point the apples should be very soft and the mixture fairly thick.
Cool the mixture, discard the star anise, puree until smooth in a blender.
Use as needed.
This will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
3.1http://www.spicechronicles.com/applesauce-dates-star-anise/

 

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