Roasted Chestnut Crabapples and Kabocha Squash
Part of my apple picking adventure this year was a stop by the farm stand at the orchard. There they sell more apples than they let you pick off the trees (a feature which I normally ignore and head straight to the cider). But this year I had to wait a little, and I discovered a new favorite apple of mine- chestnut crabapples. Chestnut crabapples are tiny rays of apple delight- adorably small, bursting with flavor, and perfect for baking. I only took about 15 tiny apples home, but that was just enough to make a couple batches of this roasted chestnut crabapple and kabocha squash side dish. Filled with sweet and nutty crabapples, rich and smooth kabocha squash, and onions, garlic, and fresh herbs, it highlights the simple beauty in forgotten varieties and of Fall.
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Exploring Apple Varieties
These days there are 15 types of apples that make up 90% of the apples grown in the United States- ones like Red Delicious, McIntosh, Fuji, and Gala. Despite the popularity of a select few, there are actually over a hundred varieties of apples being grown commercially across the United States- and that’s just a drop in the historical bucket. In 1905 a U.S. Department of Agriculture employee set out to catalog the different apple varieties that had been grown for the last hundred years. Want to guess how many different varieties he documented (excluding some that were likely duplicates)? 14,000- some are soft, hard, sweet, tart, good in pies, best raw, right for cider, colorful or plain. 14,000 different fruits, growing in orchards across the country. That means that roughly 13,900 different apples have been lost to the American palate.
About Chestnut Crabapples
This recipe features one of the less commonly eaten apples, the chestnut crabapple. The chestnut crabapple was developed after the U.S.D.A. apple census- it was first planted in 1946 by the University of Minnesota, and was crossed to be a cold-hearty tree. It wasn’t actually developed for its fruit though, it was bred as a pollinator. While some apple trees are self-pollinating, many require pollen from a different tree. Now you could just pollenate a Honeycrisp with a Honeycrisp, but you actually will achieve a higher yield of fruit if you cross pollinate. So these small, cold hearty apple trees were brought in to help raise the trees yield.
But they’re good for much more than just their pollination abilities. Chestnut crabapples are both sweet and tart, as well as a little nutty. They’re large for a crabapple, and nice and crisp. They also cook well, holding their shape even after 45 minutes in the oven. If you have an orchard, consider planting a chestnut crabapple– they’re delicious! If not, call your local apple orchards and see if anyone has a tree. If you do really want to make this recipe and don’t have access to chestnut crabapples, try using half a pound of Crispin apples instead.
Is a Crabapple different from an Apple?
Because wild crabapple varieties are often sour without much flesh (and perhaps because of their name), a lot of people think of crabapples as being a lesser form of apple. But what’s the actual difference between a crabapple and an apple? The main difference is crab apple has fruit that is 2-inches in diameter or smaller. But smaller doesn’t mean worse, and these chestnut crabapples are a great example of how a small but mighty fruit is better and more flavorful than most of the supermarket varieties.
Crazy About Apples? Try one of these Apple Recipes
- Fennel and Apple Salad in Belgian Endive Cups
- Almond, Oat and Apple Cookies (Vegan)
- Vegan German Apple Cake
- Vegan Scones with Raspberry Apple Compote
- Easy 4-Ingredient Filo Maple Vegan Apple Tart
Making Roasted Chestnut Crabapples and Kabocha Squash
This is one of those recipes where you throw it all in a pan, let it bake, and voilà, you’re done, so I don’t have all that many tips on making it. Probably the most difficult part of this recipe is preparing your squash. Once you’ve sliced it in half and removed all the guts and seeds (I like to use a grapefruit spoon here), you’re left with the task of removing the peel from the squash. Since winter squash like kabocha squash have very hard, tough skins, they’re not easy to peel with a vegetable peeler- give it a shot if you want, but if your vegetable peeler is anything like mine you’ll be giving up pretty quick. Use a pairing knife instead- it’s a little bit of work, but I see it as a chance to work a little on my knife skills. Just stay in control of your knife, and take it a little slow. Once your squash is peeled, prepping the rest of the dish will take no time at all. And after a little roasting time, you’re ready to eat!
Herb-Roasted Chestnut Crabapples and Kabocha Squash
Ingredients
- 1 small kabocha squash (about 1 lb.)
- 6 chestnut crabapples (about ½ lb.)
- ½ onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- A few springs of fresh herbs (such as rosemary, thyme, tarragon, or sage)
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Chop the squash in half and remove the seeds and guts. Use a paring knife to peel the skin of the squash, the chop the flesh into bite-sized pieces. Chop the apples in half, and remove the seeds in core in the center. Chop each half into 4 pieces and set aside. Smash the garlic cloves. Cut the onions into squares about 1 inch in each direction.
- Add all the vegetables in a baking pan or a cast-iron skillet. Add the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs and toss to combine. Cook in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, stirring the vegetables up a couple times while they’re cooking. Once the squash are cooked and browning a little, they’re ready to eat.
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