This month we are joined by Chef John at Ott Street Eats, a food truck with ever changing fare, in Downtown Harrisonburg, where he shares an apple forward appetizer and a savory pork and apple entree. Both dishes feature Shenandoah Valley Orchards’ Granny Smith apples and are easy to make, no matter your skill level in the kitchen.
Granny Smith Apples
A well known apple with a distinctive bright green hue and unmistakable tart crunch, Granny Smith apples have been a favorite for cooking since 1890. Granny Smith apples are known for their excellent shelf life, in some instances being stored for up to a year with no loss of quality or taste. These apples remain firm when baked and provide a tartness and flavor that balances well with the sugar used in pies, crumbles, cakes, and tarts, making them the first choice for baked apple goods.
Apple + Brie Skewer
For a delicious appetizer that’s handheld and easy to make, Chef John recommends this skewer that has both a creaminess and a crunch for satisfying guests.
Ingredients:
- 1 Granny Smith apple
- 1 Round of Brie cheese
- Caramel Sauce, your favorite brand or homemade
- Handful of Dried Cranberries
- Toothpicks
Directions:
- Cut your apple and brie cheese into bite size pieces
- Load up your toothpicks with your apple and brie pieces, alternating for balance of flavor
- Drizzle caramel sauce over skewers to taste and sprinkle on dried cranberries.
Pork Tenderloin with Sauteed Apples Recipe
Moving onto the main dish, Chef John showed us how to make a one pot dish that’s full of flavor. The apples perfectly complement the pork tenderloin in both flavor and texture. This dish can be made to your taste, adding a little brown sugar into your pork seasoning for added sweetness, or giving your sauce more zest with Dijon or even honey mustard.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Pork Tenderloin
- ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Teaspoons Fresh Sage, Minced (or 1 Teaspoon Dried)
- 1 Large Granny Smith Apple
- 1 Cup Chicken Broth
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- White Wine (About a Tablespoon)
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons Apple Juice
Directions:
- Cut tenderloin into rounds about ¼” thick and tenderize.
- Pat tenderloin dry on both sides and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and sage.
- Pre-heat skillet to medium-high heat then add 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Once the butter has melted, add in your apples and saute until they start to soften, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add in the tenderloin medallions and brown on all sides, about 8-10 minutes.
- While tenderloin is cooking, make your apple juice slurry in a small bowl. Put your apple juice in the bowl, add in your cornstarch, and mix thoroughly.
- Remove pork and apples from the skillet and set aside.
- Keep the skillet over the heat and deglaze the pan with chicken broth and a large splash of the white wine. Scrape any browned bits and mix into the liquid.
- Add in apple juice slurry and mix well.
- Cook the mixture until it thickens, then place pork and apples back in the skillet.
- Incorporate your pork and apples into your thickened sauce and ensure everything is coated evenly and the pork and apples become hot. Remove from heat and serve!
Our visit to Ott Street Eats was amazing and gave us great ideas for how to use our abundance of Granny Smith apples. We hope you enjoy these apple forward recipes for your next gathering or dinner. Thanks to Chef John for sharing these recipes. Make sure to visit Ott Street Eats for amazing, inspired food and join us next time as we explore the endless possibilities of Shenandoah Valley Orchards apples with our next featured creator!
