A few years ago I received a shipment of SweeTango apples courtesy of the growers and used them to make an individual apple crisp. This year, I was contacted to be a SweetTango blog ambassador, and was also hired to create a couple of extra crunchy recipes using raw apples. One of the recipes I suggested wasn’t chosen, but I was eager to make it anyway and it turned out to be a real keeper.
The SweeTango was developed at the University of Minnesota and is cross between a sweet Honeycrisp and a tangier Zestar! apple. It’s grown in New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington, and Nova Scotia, Canada. While it’s fine to bake SweeTango apples, they are particularly good raw. In addition to being juicy and sweet with a complex flavor that’s sweet, spicy and tangy, these apples are really known for their crunch. And there’s a reason for that. The apples have cells twice the size of most other apples. How crunchy is the SweeTango? It's acutally the Guinness Book of World record holder for “loudest crunch of an apple.”
My recipe combines three classic flavors, apples, cheese and beer. You can use whatever blend of cheese you like although cheddar is traditional. Just make sure whichever cheeses you use are very good melting cheeses. Many recipes place the toast and cheese sauce under the broiler, but I didn’t find it necessary. The combination of the gooey cheese with the terrifically crunchy, juicy and sweet apples is what it’s all about. Since the recipe uses just a little bit of beer, I recommend drinking the rest of the beer with the dish. More tips, recipes and photos are available on the SweeTango Facebook page.
Note: A serving is one piece of toast, but in my experience, some diners may want to eat more! This dish can be served with simple green salad.
Note: A serving is one piece of toast, but in my experience, some diners may want to eat more! This dish can be served with simple green salad.
Apple Welsh Rarebit
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
4 slices French bread, lightly toasted
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons flour
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup beer, I used Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest, a malty brown lager
2 cups grated cheese—combination of cheddar and gruyere
1 thinly sliced apple
Instructions
Put butter in a saucepan over medium heat and when it melts, stir in flour. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and bubbly. Stir in mustard, Worcestershire sauce and beer and whisk until smooth. Simmer until it begins to thicken, whisking constantly, then turn heat to low, add the cheese and continue stirring just until smooth.
Places slices of apple on the toast then put the cheese mixture on top of the apples and serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I received the apples as part of the SweeTango blog ambassador program. I was not monetarily compensated for this blog post.
Disclaimer: I received the apples as part of the SweeTango blog ambassador program. I was not monetarily compensated for this blog post.
