Five Spice Apple Crumble

Today's recipe is a slight variation on my standard apple crumble recipe, but a small change that makes a big difference. The simple addition of Chinese 5 spice powder makes for a delicious aromatic apple crumble. Five spice powder combines Chinese cinnamon with anise, cloves, ginger and fennel in a delicious balance that actually works very well with apples.

The neighbours might be breaking down your door for a dinner invitation if they get a whif of this dessert baking. It is a real treat for the nostrils as well! The addition of a scoop of french vanilla ice cream is in no way optional!! ;) The perfect fall dessert!

Combine:

2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp fresh chinese five spice powder
1 1/2 tbsp corn starch

Toss this mixture with:

3 pounds apples peeled and cut in chunks or wedges
1/2 cup cup melted butter

Spread apple mixture in the bottom of a a deep 9x13 inch baking dish or similar sized deep baking dish:

For the crumble:
In a large bowl toss together:

2 tsp baking powder
2 cups rolled oats (large)
2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp chinese five spice powder

Using your hands rub thoroughly through the dry ingredients:
1 ½ cups butter, cut in small cubes.

Sprinkle the crumble over the apples and press down slightly. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40-45 minutes or until top is evenly golden brown and the apple bottom is bubbling. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Orange Ginger Roast Chicken

The fall weather is definitely in the air in this neck of the woods, at least. During one of those chilly days last week, I decided to make a new version of my brined and roasted chicken using orange and ginger flavours. The whole cloves in this brine make a beautifully aromatic addition to the orange and ginger flavours. Your neighbours may be knocking down the door for a dinner invitation if they get a whiff of the gorgeous scent of this chicken roasting...better make 2, just in case! ;)

In a small bowl combine:

3 tbsp peppercorns
4 tbsp dry thyme seeds
4 tbsp anise seeds or 4 whole star anise
2 tbsp whole cloves

4 tbsp grated fresh ginger
4 cloves chopped garlic
1 cup boiling water

Set aside to steep for a few minutes while you prepare the rest of the brine.

In a large bowl combine:

6 litres water
Zest and juice of 2 whole oranges

1 chopped onion
Few sprigs fresh thyme if you have them
¾ cup sugar ( Here you can experiment with flavours by using equal amounts of other sugars like honey, maple, molasses or brown sugar.)
½ cup kosher salt
Steeped herbs (above)

Stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved, then submerge

1 three pound whole chicken

entirely in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or preferably overnight.

Pull the chicken from the brine and pat the skin dry with paper towels. Rub the entire surface of the chicken with

2 tbsp olive oil
Season the skin with salt and pepper and some chopped fresh thyme.

Boil 1 lsmall orange for about 10 minutes.

Stab the orange about a dozen times with a fork and stuff it into the cavity of the bird along with:
About 6 sprigs fresh thyme
4 peeled cloves garlic

several slices fresh ginger

Roast uncovered on a rack in a preheated 375 degree F oven until a meat thermometer reaches 185 degrees when inserted into the thickest part of the breast meat ( approximate 1 ½ hours or longer depending on the actual weight of the chicken)

Honey Ginger Dijon Glazed Pork Chops

Shown served with Lemon Basil Fettuccine Puttanesca

While there is still some good grilling weather to be enjoyed, I thought I'd share a very quick and simple recipe for very tasty grilled porkchops, which coupled with a simple pasta dish makes a great workday meal in only about 20 minutes!

Grill 4 to 6 pork loin chops and brush repeatedly with the honey, ginger and dijon glaze.

Glaze:

Simmer together in a small saucepan for about 10 minutes over medium heat:

2 tbsp fresh grated ginger root
1/2 cup honey
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp dijon mustard