If you’re wondering if an apple a day can really keep the doctor away, these new recipes for fall are the perfect way to try and find out. From classic applesauce-covered pork loin to a new take on French toast, getting your daily dose of vitamins has never tasted so good.
Jim Mullen learned about cooking with apples from his mom, Audre Mullen, while growing up in Chicago. In 1996, at the age of 31, Mullen was seriously wounded while on duty as a Chicago Tactical Police Officer. After two months in the hospital and four months in physical rehabilitation, Mullen remained paralyzed and bound to a wheelchair. But instead of focusing on tragedy, Mullen targeted triumph. He championed a brand of applesauce using his mother’s beloved recipe. Today, Officer Mullen’s Apple Sauce is made in Niles and is now widely available in most grocery stores, including Jewel-Osco, Whole Foods and Sunset Foods.
“My new reality inspired a passion in me for proving to everyone that life is what you make out of it,” Mullen said.
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While growing up, Mullen and his mom made applesauce every fall. “My favorite memories are of sitting on the couch with my mother peeling apples for the applesauce,” he said. “We would always try to see who could get the longer unbroken strand of apple peel.”
“Just about everything we ate was homemade,” Mullen said. His mother’s pork roast was the biggest hit, along with dumplings, gravy and, of course, her applesauce on the side.
Many years later, when Mullen surprised Audre with packaged bottles of her applesauce, his only goal at the time was to secure a spot for it in a small local store by her house called Happy Foods. “I really just wanted her to see it on the shelf,” he said. “When we initially started and she was shopping there she would tell me how many jars were left and she would straighten out the aisle. Although she has left us I know she is here with me in spirit. She certainly has left us gold in a jar.”
The texture and flavor of Mullen’s sauce is similar to traditional apple pie filling — thick, chunky, sweet and tangy. The tangiest is the no sugar added version, which was introduced a few years ago. “It certainly has its own following but there are die-hards that will only buy the original,” Mullen said.
“You can add it to morning oatmeal, as a side with dinner or warm some of and put it over vanilla ice cream for dessert,” Mullen said. “To really enjoy, it is best served ice cold.”
At Maevery Public House in Lake Bluff, Chef Jasper Michael makes a fresh apple topping that turns classic breakfast food into dessert. Like Mullen’s sauce, his topping is a lot like apple pie filling. “Everyone loves apple pie, so turning it into a topping for French toast was the logical way to do it,” Michael said. “The flavors are a nice blend of sweet and tart (from the Granny Smith apples) that blend together to create an amazing addition to a favorite breakfast item.”
For those low on time, Michael’s apple pie French toast is a way to salute the season. And for those who would rather spend a day in the apple orchard rather than the kitchen, fresh can be best. “I love apples raw,” Michael said. “I love the crunch, the sweetness and the various flavors. My favorite are Pink Lady and Jazz.”
Chicago’s Finest Pork Loin Roast
1 3-pound boneless pork loin roast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons olive or canola oil
5 cups apple sauce
3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 fresh rosemary sprigs
Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown roast on all sides in oil. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Combine 1 cup applesauce and mustard; spread over roast. Top with rosemary. Bake, uncovered, in a 350-degree oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the roast reads 145 F. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
Serve with 4 cups of applesauce on the side (1 cup per plate).
Adapted from Officer Jim Mullen, Officer Mullen’s Apple Sauce
Apple Pie French Toast
Sauce:
1/2 pound unsalted butter
6 Granny Smith apples (peeled and sliced)
1 pound brown sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground all spice
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1 cup water
French toast batter
3 eggs
2 cups heavy cream
1 Tablespoon vanilla paste or extract
In a medium pot, melt the butter and add the sliced apples. Let the apples cook for about 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat while stirring. Add the brown sugar and the spices and continue to stir until all of the sugar and spice is incorporated and the sugar starts to melt. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer the apples until they are soft, but still have a little texture.
Whisk the eggs, cream and vanilla together. Take two to three slices of your favorite bread (a baguette cut in long slices about 1/2- to 1-inch thick is perfect). Soak both sides of the bread while heating a pan (nonstick or cast iron). When the pan is hot, add a little butter and toast the bread on both sides until they are golden brown. Place the French toast on a plate and ladle a generous amount of the apple mixture on top. Add whipped cream and/or powdered sugar and enjoy.
Chef Jasper Michael, Maevery Public House