BOB & LENORE's COOKBOOK
© 2011 EVOO CANNON BEACH COOKING SCHOOL

FRUIT BUTTERS AND SPICY FRUIT SAUCES

By:


Cooking fruit like plums, pears, and apples down slowly enough that the sugar in the fruit caramelizes and turns the mixture brownish is called a fruit butter. We make a fruit butter for this recipe first, then add seasonings to make a dressed up fruit sauce. Butters are good alone. When spice is added they give more dimension when used with fish, meats, and game.

Ingredients:

  • 4 pounds fresh fruit (apples or pears or plums) made into a fruit butter
  • The remaining ingredients are optional. Use to make Sweet 'n Spicy
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • dash of alspice
  • 1 more tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to adjust tartness if needed
  • 1-3 teaspoons blue agave syrup, if needed for sweetness

Method:

For fruit butter:
Wash, cut fruit into quarters or halves. Don’t worry about seeds, pits, and skin.

Place into heavy pot, with only the water that clings to them and a pinch of salt. Over medium low heat, let fruit slowly cook down until the meat of the fruit is soft and slightly caramelized.

Remove from heat and cool slightly. Place into food mill to process out the fruit-meat and leave seeds, skins and pits behind. Serve warm or chilled as is. Store refrigerated or freeze for up to 6 months.

To make it sweet ‘n spicy:

Add vinegar or lemon juice, spices, pinch salt, and taste. If needed use more vinegar or lemon juice for tartness, or add agave syrup if needed for sweetness.




TO RECIPES

printable page