Easy Apple Tarte Tatin

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

4 pounds apples, peeled cored and halved (small Fuji or Gala)

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a wide skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add in the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract and salt and whisk to combine. Add the apples to the caramel mixture and gently stir together, coating the apples in the caramel. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are slightly tender, 5 to 8 minutes depending on the size of your apples. Note: If the mixture begins to get too thick, add some water to loosen it up.
3. Transfer the apples to a 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet and arrange them cut-side up, making sure to evenly cover the bottom of the skillet. Drizzle half the caramel sauce over the apples, then return the caramel to the heat and cook until thick and glossy, another 5 minutes. Set aside.
4. Roughly measure and cut the puff pastry sheet to approximately the size of the top of the skillet. Place the puff pastry on top of the apples and gently tuck the sides in ever so slightly. Cut the remaining scraps of puff pastry and evenly spread across the top (this will give the tarte tatin some volume).
5. Bake until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, invert a plate on top and quickly (but carefully) flip onto the plate. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and the remaining caramel sauce.

Apple Cider-Glazed Salmon

• Level: Easy
• Total: 25 min
• Active: 25 min
• Yield: 4 servings

• Ingredients

  2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  1 tablespoon canola oil

  Four 4- to 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin removed, at room temperature

  Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

  1 cup apple cider

  2 teaspoons minced shallots

  2 tablespoons honey

  1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

  1/4 cup creme fraiche

  Apple cider vinegar, as needed

  2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

  2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

  2 tablespoons chopped chives

  1/2 small jalapeño, thinly sliced

• Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Fit a baking sheet with a wire rack.
  2. In a medium saute pan, heat the butter and canola oil over medium heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper on both sides and cook on one side until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets, then add the apple cider and shallots and raise the heat to medium high to bring the liquid to a simmer. Cook the fish another 2 minutes, then gently remove the fillets to the rack and transfer to the oven. Bake 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare.
  3. Meanwhile, continue simmering the pan sauce over medium-low heat, whisking often, until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the honey and mustard and continue to simmer until slightly reduced, 2 to 4 minutes more. Whisk in the creme fraiche and simmer, whisking often, until the sauce is thick and glossy and coats the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding apple cider vinegar as desired.
  4. Transfer the salmon to serving plates and spoon the sauce over the fish. Garnish with the tarragon, mint, chives and jalapeños.