Calvados, the apple brandy from France’s Normandy region, adds great depth of flavor to apple dishes. Since most of the alcohol burns off, my spiked apples make a great addition to your morning oats or yogurt as well as a delicious filling for a tart or crêpes or the topping for a scoop of ice cream—vanilla and olive oil ice cream, of course! They’re equally delicious served alongside pork chops or a pork roast.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tart apples, such as Granny Smith, cored and sliced into 12 wedges
- 2 sweet apples, such as Fuji or Honeycrisp, cored and sliced into 12 wedges
- 1/4 cup calvados
- 1/4 cup brown sugar or your choice of sweetener
- Cinnamon to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. When very warm, add the olive oil and the apples, arranging the fruit in one layer (do this in batches if your pan can’t hold them all at once). Let the apples cook until the edges brown slightly, then flip them and brown again. Add the calvados to deglaze the pan. After one minute, sprinkle on the brown sugar and cinnamon and toss. The sugar should melt, but don’t let it burn. Add the butter and swirl until it melts, then remove from heat.
Yields 4-6 servings