Cidersauce Recipes

TWICE-COOKED PORK BELLY WITH CIDER SAUCE

Steps:

• The day before you want to eat, lay the pork belly skinned-side down, season generously, scatter over the fennel seeds and crumble over 3 of the bay leaves. From the widest side, roll into a tight log and use some butcher's string to tie at regular intervals. (You could take some fennel seeds and bay to your butcher and ask them to do it for you.)
• Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3 1/2. Melt the butter in a large, shallow flameproof casserole dish or ovenproof sauté pan. Brown the pork all over (this will take a good 15 mins), then remove from the pan and add the vegetables and remaining bay leaves. Cook for about 10 mins until starting to colour. Nestle the pork among the veg. Pour over the cider and bring everything to a simmer, cover and cook in the oven for 2 hrs.
• When the pork is ready, leave to cool a bit, then remove the pork from the braise and chill. Strain the sauce into a jug and chill. Fish out the bay leaves and blitz the veg to a purée in a food processor. Tip into a bowl and chill.
• On the day, heat oven to 220C/ 200C fan/gas 8. Cut the pork into six rounds. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the pork, then put in the oven for 20 mins, turning halfway through, until crispy. Meanwhile, remove the solidified fat from the top of the braising juices, simmer until syrupy and reheat the purée. Serve everything in the middle of the table or smear some of the purée across plate, sit a piece of pork on top next to a burnt butter cabbage wedge, a piece of potato cake and some crackling (see 'Goes well with', right). Pour over some of the sauce and serve.

CIDER SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix sugar, corn starch, cinnamom and nut meg.
• In sauce pan cook cider and lemon juice until boiling.
• Add dry ingredients.
• Boil and stir 2 minutes until thick.
• Remove from heat and stir in butter.
• Stir until melted.

CIDER GRAVY

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Whisk the flour into the butter until the flour has dissolved, making a roux. Let cook 2 to 3 minutes, and then reduce the heat to medium-low.
• In a liquid measuring cup, combine the cider and broth together. Slowly pour in over the roux and whisk constantly until all liquid has been incorporated into the mixture. Stir in the mustard. (If there are any pan drippings from the roasted turkey you can add them at this point). Add fresh thyme and let simmer until the gravy is thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.

APPLE CIDER SAUCE

Steps:

• Reduce the apple cider in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it's thick and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the cream and salt and cook until it reaches the desired consistency, an additional 2 to 3 minutes.

APPLE-CIDER APPLESAUCE

Steps:

• Bring apples and cider to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover pan; reduce heat. Simmer until apples are very soft, about 12 minutes. Remove lid; stir in sugar and salt.
• Cook over medium-low heat until apples are broken up and most of the liquid is evaporated, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly. Blend in a food processor until smooth. Add more sugar if desired.

CIDER SAUCE

Steps:

• Scrape seeds from vanilla bean with a sharp knife into a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan. Quarter apples (do not peel or core) and add to vanilla seeds along with pod and remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, 1 hour.
• Pour sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a blender (do not press on solids) and blend until emulsified (use caution when blending hot liquids). Serve immediately.

APPLE CIDER CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cider to a boil and let boil until it's reduced down to 1/2 cup.
• Now whisk in the mustard and cream; season with cayenne, salt, and pepper.
• Continue boiling until this mixture reduces down to 1/2 cup.
• Remove from heat and keep warm until ready to serve.
• You could prepare this in advance and reheat gently when it's needed.
• I have made this sauce only once--I don't know why I haven't made it since--and I was impatient and did not let it reduce the second time all the way down to 1/2 cup; it was still rich, luscious and very, very yummy.

HAM IN CIDER SAUCE

Steps:

• Insert cloves into edges of ham steaks; rub steaks with brown sugar. Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish., Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in apple cider and raisins. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Pour over ham steaks. Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through. Discard cloves before serving.