Autumn has to be my favourite season. One of the reasons being it's apple picking season and lots of vegetables are in abundance and are cheap. Having a farmer's market close by is very useful too.
When my girls were younger, apple picking, in Rougemont, was one of our favourite activities.The farmer used to transport us from the car park to the orchard in a wagon, which was a lot of fun. And then, of course, we got carried away and picked quite a few bags of apples. Once at home, I had to look for recipes to use up the apples before they became rotten. I came across one that I now have used for years, the Apple Chile Sauce. It's an excellent condiment for pâté Chinois. It also has all the ingredients that are in abundance in autumn.
My husband, who is French Canadian, loves his pâté Chinois. In fact that was one of the first meals he made for me when we first met 36 years ago. I think that was the only meal he knew how to cook at the time!
The meal reminds him of a period, after the death of his father, when his mom, (36 years old) had to care for her7 children. It was one of the meals she made very often since it was cheap and easy to make.
Now my husband appreciates it even more with the homemade Apple Chili Sauce.
Ingredients:
12 medium-sized tart apples (I usually use Macintosh)
6 medium tomatoes6 medium onions, peeled
3 green peppers, stems and seeds removed
3 red peppers, stems and seeds removed
1 stick cinnamon
1/4 cup pickling spices
5 cups sugar
4 cups cider vinegar
2 Tbsp salt
Method:
Chop apples and vegetables finely ( use food processor if you have one) and put in a large pot
Tie spices in a cheesecloth bag and add with sugar, vinegar and salt.
Bring to boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 45 minutes.
Discard spice bag and
Makes 7 to 8 pints.
Tip
I cover the lid with a red and white cloth and tie it with a red cord. It makes a lovely Christmas gift.
* Canning Safety
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