Apple Fritters With Cider Glaze Food

CHEF JOHN'S APPLE FRITTERS

Steps:

• Melt butter over medium-high heat and cook until it turns golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add apples and cook over medium-high heat until apples just begin to soften around the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon sugar and continue cooking another 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Drain in a strainer; let cool to room temperature.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg together in a mixing bowl until well combined.
• Whisk egg, 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter together in a separate mixing bowl. Add cooled apple pieces and sparkling apple cider; add the flour mixture. Stir just until flour is incorporated.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spoon about 2 tablespoons batter per fritter, into hot oil, slightly flattening them out. Cook in batches. Fry on one side until small bubbles appear on the surface, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip fritters over and fry the other side until richly browned, about 2 more minutes.
• Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain grease. Cool slightly before glazing.
• Whisk powdered sugar and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Add enough apple cider, 1 teaspoon at a time, to form a smooth glaze that is just runny enough to drizzle over fritters.

APPLE CIDER-GLAZED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH FRITTERS

Steps:

• For the butternut squash fritters: Place the squash, apple, ginger, egg, breadcrumbs, sage, rosemary, salt and pepper into a large bowl and stir together to combine.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and coat the bottom with about 1/4 inch of oil. When the oil shimmers, scoop heaping tablespoons of the squash mixture and drop gently into the oil, pressing with the back of the spoon to slightly flatten. Fry in batches until brown and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on a plate lined with lightly crumpled paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with more salt before serving. Makes about 2 dozen fritters.
• For the apple cider-glazed chicken thighs: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs on each side with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, then cook in batches on each side until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
• Lower the heat to medium and add the onions and 2 sprigs of thyme to the pan. Season with salt, add a little water, and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet until the onions are golden and softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the apple cider, vinegar and the reserved liquid from squeezing out the squash and apple. Simmer until reduced, 5 minutes.
• Remove the thyme leaves from the remaining 2 sprigs of thyme, then finely chop the thyme, parsley, and tarragon. Set aside.
• Whisk the butter into the reduced sauce, then add the chicken thighs back to the pan to warm through for 2 or 3 minutes, coating with the glaze and sprinkling with the fresh herbs. Check that the thighs have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, then serve with the Butternut Squash Fritters.

GLAZED APPLE FRITTERS

Steps:

• Filling: Using a paring knife, scrape out the vanilla seeds. Place half of the pod, half of the seeds, and 2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch skillet; set over medium-high heat. Cook until butter is bubbling. Add half of the apples; toss to coat. Add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar; saute, stirring occasionally, until apples begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1/2 cup cider; increase heat to high. Cook until liquid has been absorbed and apples start to brown, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove and discard pod. Transfer apples to a baking sheet. Wash skillet, and repeat with the remaining ingredients.
• Dough: Place yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer. Heat milk in a pan over medium heat until warm to the touch. Pour milk over yeast; sprinkle 2 cups pastry flour on top. Set aside until flour begins to crack, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Place the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl; whisk to combine. Add the cider, butter, salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract, the remaining 1/4 cup pastry flour, and 1 cup bread flour; whisk to combine.
• Add flour mixture to the yeast mixture. Using the dough-hook attachment, mix on low speed 30 seconds. (The dough should look very soft but still have structure; if it appears liquidy, add remaining 2 tablespoons bread flour.) Increase speed to medium and mix dough 3 to 4 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl. Sift an even layer of pastry flour onto a clean work surface, and lightly flour your hands. Turn out dough, and gather into a ball. Transfer dough to oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Lightly dust a baking pan with flour, and line a second one with paper towels. Set both pans aside.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your hands, stretch the dough into a 10-by-15-inch rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Spread half of the reserved apple mixture over dough, and fold dough, like a letter, into thirds. Pat down with your hand, forming another 10-by-15-inch rectangle. Spread the remaining apples over the dough, and fold into thirds again; the apples will be evenly distributed throughout the dough. Gather the dough into a ball, and return dough to oiled bowl. Re-cover, and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size again, about 30 minutes.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface; pat into a 10-by-15-inch rectangle, about 1 inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out fritters as close together as possible, dipping cutter in flour before each cut. Transfer fritters to floured baking pan. Set aside to rest 10 minutes, but not longer.
• While dough rests, heat oil in a low-sided six-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until a deep-frying thermometer registers 375°F.
• Flour your hands. Lift a fritter, pulling the ends to make a 4-inch oval; carefully drop into oil. Repeat with two more pieces of dough. Cook until fritters begin to brown, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, turn fritters over; cook until evenly browned, 2 minutes more. Transfer fritters to lined pan. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Coat fritters with white glaze. Transfer to a wire rack, and let glaze set. Serve warm or at room temperature.