Fall is prime season for apples, and those chestnut crabapples are stealing the show.
This pingpong-ball-sized fruit packs a lot of flavor into just a few crunchy bites. Sweet as a Honeycrisp, sharp as a Harlason, its flavors are reminiscent of chestnuts, raspberries and rose. When cooked, its notes become more subtle, almost buttery, brown-sugary and lush.
The fist-sized fruit (2 to 4 inches in diameter) fits nicely into a lunchbox, makes a pretty stuffed sweet or savory baked apple and serves as a lovely edible centerpiece when piled into a glass bowl. The chestnut crabapple, indeed, strikes a happy mix of flavor, versatility and beauty.
The apple, bred by the University of Minnesota in the 1940s, is a cross between a crabapple and the Vermont Malinda, an heirloom apple that dates back to the early 1800s and is an ancestor of the Honeycrisp.
You can find these apples at farmers markets and local food co-ops through Thanksgiving. Look for chestnut crabs (or any apples) that are plump and firm, not at all shriveled or soft, or with dents. Store them in perforated plastic bags in the refrigerator. This allows the air to circulate so that the apples don't become too moist, which will make them soften. Keep apples away from carrots (apples release a natural ethylene gas that expedites the carrots' spoilage).
Chestnut crabapples' small size makes them perfect for coring and slicing into wheels: arrange them in patterns on top of a pound cake or bar cookies. Toss them into a pan of roasting chicken or pork with a few sprigs of rosemary; roast a few slices with Brussels sprouts; slice and layer into grilled cheese.
They are also delicious halved, cored and then grilled or broiled, cut-side down, to garnish a dessert plate or main dish. Because they oxidize quickly, dip apple slices in acidified water (1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup water).
Baked apples are often served in Northern kitchens. As perfectly proportioned containers, their chiseled hollows may be stuffed with crushed oats and maple syrup or breadcrumbs and soft cheese. Wrapped in pastry, they're called dumplings.
