Name: Savory Applesauce with Parsnips and Mustard
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: US & Canada
Ingredients: 1¼ pounds McIntosh apples , peeled and cored, peels and cores reserved; 1½ cups water; 2 parsnips , peeled and grated (1 cup); 2 tablespoons sugar; Salt; Pinch cayenne pepper; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Why This Recipe Works

Savory applesauce can be a great accompaniment to a meal, and this version pairs especially well with roast pork, turkey, or duck. To make it without a food mill, which not all home cooks own, we peeled and cored our apples and then cooked the peels and cores with a cup of water, mashing them occasionally to coax out their flavors and pigments. We cooked the quartered apples in a separate saucepan with ½ cup of water, 2 grated parsnips, and small amounts of sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper. After mashing the cooked apples and parsnips, we strained the pulpy peel-and-core mixture over the mashed apple mixture and stirred in a spoonful of Dijon mustard for a piquancy that balanced the sweet earthiness of the parsnips. This sauce can be served warm or at room temperature.

Before You Begin

We like the tart flavor of McIntosh apples in this recipe, but Jonagold and Pink Lady apples are good, too. Nearly any variety of apple can be substituted, except for Red or Golden Delicious. You may mash this applesauce until it's smooth or leave it chunky for a more rustic effect. Serve with roast pork, turkey, or duck.

Instructions

Bring reserved peels and cores and 1 cup water to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook, mashing occasionally with potato masher, until mixture is deep pink and cores have broken down, about 15 minutes.

While peels and cores cook, cut apples into quarters and place in large saucepan. Add parsnips, sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, cayenne, and remaining ½ cup water and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally with rubber spatula, until all apples are soft and about half are completely broken down, about 15 minutes. (Parsnips will not completely soften.) Using potato masher, mash apple mixture to desired consistency.

Transfer peel-and-core mixture to fine-mesh strainer set over saucepan of mashed apple mixture. Using rubber spatula, stir and press peel-and-core mixture to extract pulp; discard solids. Stir in mustard. Season with salt to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Applesauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)