An apple a day (+recipes)

Savoured for thousands of years, the humble apple deserves its place at the top of Kiwi fruit bowls. Photo / Supplied

You have found me with my face buried in Heston Blumenthal's Big Fat Duck cookbook learning about molecular gastronomy.

I have always been fascinated by why apples and globe artichokes brown so quickly once cut - or, in Heston Blumenthal's words, bruise. The oxidation is caused by enzyme activity, and rubbing lemon on the surface of the cut area slows down browning because of its antioxidant properties.

Okay, some of us knew that already, but did you know that malic acid, the principal acid in apples, triggers a very high saliva-release response, which can create the impression of a juicier fruit?

Blumenthal says a little malic acid sprinkled on caramelised apple can make it seem particularly fresh.

Pulling my nose out of the book, I decide the humble apple needs to be rediscovered. But first some apple facts:

* Archeological evidence suggests humans have been snacking on apples since 6500BC, and the fruit is thought to have originated from somewhere between the Caspian and Black seas.

* There are 7500 varieties of apples, the largest of which was grown in Japan in 2005, weighing in at 2.1kg.

Before cooking anything with apples, I always think about which variety will give me the result I want for different dishes.

Granny smith apples are the best for pies, shortcake and as caramelised slices for a lemon meringue wafer dessert.

Or try Enza's recently released Jazz variety in apple coleslaw with fresh fish, or in a salad with green mango and served with roast chicken and a buttermilk dressing.

The Jazz is a great little Kiwi apple - and allegedly has the loudest crunch. It should also have a longer shelf-life than a lot of other apples.

When it comes to poaching apples for any reason, make sure the fruit is not too soft, or, like rhubarb, it will collapse with cooking and turn into pulp.

My recommended technique is to instead braise the apples in a deep roasting tray by bringing them to a simmer with a small amount of water on the stove top. Then place them in a 145C oven and leave to poach until just cooked through. When the apples are cool, drain the liquor, reduce it to a syrup, then pour it back over the apples.

Armed with my dehydrator, my next assignment is to make apple leather by roasting halved, cored apples for 30 minutes, scooping the flesh into a blender and spreading the puree on to non-stick sheets to dry and cut into shapes for a healthy, tasty snack.

RECIPES

Apple tarte tatin
Tamarind-glazed chicken, apple and feta salad