Some much needed R&R: Cooking and spicy apple butter

Abrazos a todos,

This past week I had been feeling a bit melancholy. I've been in the delicate process of recovery from a seeming barrage of winter maladies. In general these would seem relatively insignificant, but I've observed that when living alone little things tend to get exaggerated, and I've been working on training myself to maintain a balanced perspective. This perspective is surprisingly difficult when you have no one to bounce ideas off of or tell you to suck it up. I'm learning though, and I think overall battling these ups and downs has been a positive experience. One way I've learned to overcome the more somber periods is by doing something I enjoy, such as reading, cooking, or writing.

The other day was unusual because I had no classes. I had the entire day open to me, which can be a good or a bad thing. If I can't find a way to occupy my time in a positive and productive manner then I find I sometimes allow the negative ideas to creep in. After a slow morning and a couple episodes of Friends I headed to Starbucks, ordered a Cappuchino, and set to work.

In the afternoon, as I was cleaning the apartment, I hit on the idea of making apple butter, which is usually a day long process. My rationale is that while I usually spend about $15 pesos on a jar of jam, which is mostly just sugar with a little fruit flavor; why not buy a kilo of apples for $12 pesos, boil them down to make apple butter, and add no sugar? I immediately dropped the vacuum and headed for the local verduleria, purchased my apples, and rushed back to begin the boiling process.

Below is the step-by-step guide I created for my process of cooking the apple butter.

First bring about a cup and a half of water to a boil.

Take 1 kilo (about 5 large apples) and slice into wedges, placing the wedges in the water as each apple is sliced.

Cut the apple and add slices one by one over low heat.

Here's where the spice comes in! I added three chilis, with the seeds. You can add spice if you wish or leave it out entirely, it depends on your preferences.

Mince the chilis and add to the apple mixture.

A little butter or lard (In this case I used about a tablespoon of lard) helps with the caramelization process although it is not necessary.

All the apple has been added and is beginning to look like apple sauce. I forgot to mention that the skin of the apple  may be left or taken out, depending on personal preferences.

Now it's necessary to sterilize the jars. I used two leftover marmalade jars.

Rinse the jars with soap and water and then add boiling water and some vinegar, filling them to the top, to remove any unwanted critters : ) Let sit for at least 5 minutes. Use a cloth when holding the jars to avoid getting burned.

This is what it should look like after about an hour and a half. The apple sauce begins to boil down.

I left the apple mixture on low, went to the gym, returned 2 hours later, and found it was almost finished! I also prepared flatbreads and baba ghanoush that evening as well.

When the mixture turns dark brown, and has a thick, almost syrupy texture, it is ready to be transferred to the jars. Let the butter cool and carefully transfer to the jars. It should fill a little over 1 jar of butter - que rico!!!

Apple butter can be enjoyed on toast, flatbreads, in sandwiches, pancakes, or a host of other dishes. Be creative! I like mine spicy but if you want a sweeter version add some vanilla extract or a little cinnamon. The possibilities for spicing this dish up are, if not endless, at least extensive. While apple butter is time consuming, it is not labor intensive and can largely be left to cook on it's own, an occasional stir every 45 minutes should suffice to keep it from burning.

I've found cooking can be a wonderful and fun way to be productive. It's an outlet for stress, which seems to disappear almost instantly when I set myself to the task of preparing something. For me, cooking is also highly meditative and conducive to thinking, and is a way to balance my day and accomplish something that I can subsequently enjoy. 

Good luck with the cooking and buen provecho!!!