What to do with.... Cider
Fiona Smith
In the little village of Wedmore in Somerset, England, Roger Wilkins is a hero. He makes Farmhouse Cider and sells it from barrels in a shed on his farm. Roger produces a dry and a sweet (for the ladies) but regulars know to buy ‘half of ’im and half of he’ – a 50/50 mix which makes for the best drinking. This is real cider – potent (about 8 per cent alcohol), darkly golden, with no bubbles and a strong smell of fermented apples.
Delicious farmhouse cider is made locally – at Camla Farm in Dunsandel, Canterbury, among other places. You can drink it and cook with it – cider makes a fruity replacement for wine and beer in many dishes.
Cider is traditionally accompanied by a good cheddar. Try this combination in Welsh rarebit style. Place 160ml cider in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. In a bowl toss 250g grated cheddar with 1⁄2 a teaspoon of dry mustard and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Using a wooden spoon, stir cheese mix into the cider followed by 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter. In a small bowl whisk an egg with a little of the hot cheese mix then stir this back into the cheese mix with 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. Serve over toasted English muffins. Serves 4.
Excellent for deglazing the pan after roasting pork, chicken or duck, cider also makes a great base for glazing ham. Place a scored, cooked ham in a large baking dish. In a bowl mix 1 cup dark cane or brown sugar and 2 tablespoons whole-seed mustard with just enough of a 330ml bottle of cider to form a thick paste and set aside. Pour the remaining cider over the ham. Bake in a 180°C oven for 40 minutes, basting with the cider halfway through. Remove from the oven, carefully smear the scored fat all over with the sugar paste and dot with cloves. Bake for a further 30 minutes or until golden, basting halfway through.
Cider onions make a great sauce for grilled pork sausages. Fry 2 large sliced onions slowly in butter or olive oil for 30 minutes or until very soft. Stir in 1 tablespoon brown sugar then 1⁄2 a cup of cider. Bring to the boil. Cook for a few minutes until reduced and thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
CAMLA FARM’S CIDER CHICKEN
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
flour for dusting
olive oil and butter for panfrying
1 large onion, sliced
1 stick celery, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 stem rosemary
6 sage leaves
500ml Camla Farm Blend cider
chicken stock (if needed)
2 Cox’s Orange apples, peeled, cored and quartered
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust with flour. Heat olive oil and butter in a large frying pan or casserole dish and panfry the chicken without browning. Remove from the pan.
Add the onion, celery and herbs and sweat until soft but pale. Add the cider and chicken. The cider should just cover the chicken (if not add water or chicken stock). Simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the apples and simmer for 15 minutes. If the sauce is sloppy remove the chicken, bring back to the boil and cook until further reduced. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste and serve with mashed potatoes. Serves 4.
Photography by Aaron McLean
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