All About Cider

Cider Sangria

Ingredients

240mm ice cider
120mm Grand Marnier
1 apple, cored and sliced
1 orange, peeled, seeded and sliced
2 cups sliced cantaloupe
2 cups sliced honeydew
1/2 inch ginger root, peeled but not sliced
1 750ml bottle semi-dry cider

Method

This one's a cidery twist on white sangria, with a sparkling semidry cider and fruit infused with ice cider to add tons of rich fruit flavor. Feel free to substitute whatever local fruit is in season.

Posted by Chris Lehault

For more details please see http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/06/cider-sangria-recipe.html

Cider Vinegar Apple Chutney

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
Thumb size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Large pinch of saffron strands
100g caster sugar
5 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 dessert apples, peeled, cored and diced

Method

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the shallots, ginger and good pinch of sea salt, fry for 3 minutes. Crumble in the saffron, add the sugar and carry on cooking for a few minutes until the sugar melts and starts to caramelise, stirring all the time. Add the vinegar and apples, and cook for 5 minutes or until the apples are just softened and coated in a syrupy sauce. Cool and serve. Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. By Franco Taruschio

For more details please see 

Creamy pea and ham soup with Cider

Ingredients

For the soup

600 ml apple juice
600 ml cider
1 leek, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 bay leaf
450 g gammon
275 g yellow split peas
150 ml double cream

For the garnish

100 g streakylardons of bacon
25 g butter
2 apples
3-4 tbsp double cream

Method

1. Pour the apple juice and cider into a large saucepan. Tip in the leek, celery and bay leaf. 2. Put in the gammon and bring to the boil. Simmer for 1 hour, or until the gammon is tender. Remove the ham and keep warm. 3. Add the peas to the stock and cook for 20 minutes. 4. Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the mixture to a blender and whiz until smooth. 5. Slice the gammon into small pieces and the meat and double cream to the soup. Season with black pepper. 6. Heat a frying pan and cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon, retaining the bacon fat in the pan. 7. Add the butter to the bacon fat in the pan and fry the apples until brown. 8. Serve the soup in bowls, topped with a couple of apple slices and the crisp-fried bacon, and drizzled with a little extra cream. Note: Twisted Cider recomend cooking this recipe with Orchard Gold, a nice medium cider with an oak finish made from a varity of cider apples. The Sweetness of the cider will compliment the ham perfectly.

For more details please see http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/536829

Duck with Blueberries

Ingredients

4 x large Duck Breast Fillets

2 tbsp Freshly Chopped Thyme

1 tbsp Olive Oil

25g/1oz Butter

1 Large Onion, sliced

1 tbsp Plain Flour

450ml/15fl.oz. Cider

200g/7oz Fresh Blueberries

180ml/6fl.oz. Chicken Stock

Method

1. Rub duck pieces with the thyme, and salt and pepper. 2. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, add the duck breasts skin side down, and brown well. Remove from the pan and set aside. 3. Wipe the frying pan out with kitchen paper then return to the heat and melt the butter. Add the onions and fry until softened. 4. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and saut for a further 2 minutes, stirring constantly. 5. Gradually add the cider, stirring all the time, bring to the boil then stir in the blueberries and stock. 6. Bring back to the boil, reduce the heat and add the duck. Simmer 15-20 minutes stirring from time to time. Serve hot.

For more details please see http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/Poultry%20and%20Game/Duck%20with%20Blueberries%20HT%20MC%2040mins.htm

Lillet of the Valley

Ingredients

60mm chilled Lillet Blanc
30mm Solerno Blood Orange Liquor
3 dashes orange bitters, such as Bitter Truth
3 dashes grapefruit bitters
1 teaspoon Gran Classico Bitter
90mm chilled semi-dry cider
1 thick twist orange twist

Method

Lillet of the Valley is a variation of the Col du Sabion, a drink encountered at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. It features blood orange liqueur and Gran Classico. The lightness of cider combined with the tart and earthy citrus flavors make this drink an excellent companion while watching the sunset from your rooftop. Posted by Chris Lehault

For more details please see http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/06/lillet-of-the-valley-lillet-cocktail-recipe.html

Orchard Mimosa

Ingredients

90mm of fresh squeeze orange juice
90mm of extra-dry sparking cider
1 teaspoon Canton Ginger Liqueur (optional)
1 small wedge of orange for garnish

Method

This take on the timeless brunch cocktail substitutes extra-dry cider for the traditional champagne. The spice from a splash of ginger liqueur adds depth to the cocktail without weighing it down. Feel free to substitute your favorite juice the variations are endless. Posted by Chris Lehault

For more details please see http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/06/orchard-mimosa-cider-cocktail-recipe.html

Riverside Cottage West Country Cider Mussels

Ingredients

50g unsalted butter
1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
1 tsp thyme leaves, or 2 tsp Wild Thyme (if you can find any!)
1 1/2 tsp cider vinegar (optional)
1/2 glass of medium cider
1kg Mussels, purged,scrubbed and debearded
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp double cream (optional)

Method

Prep time: 5 mins Cook Time: 5 mins Servings: Serves 2 as a main course Heat the butter in a deep, wide pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic,then cover and sweat for 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until softened but not coloured. Increase the heat and add the thyme. When it releases its scent, add the cider vinegar,if using, and cider, then the Mussels and some salt and pepper. Give them a quick stir and a shake, then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan a couple of times, until the Mussels are open (discard any that remain closed). Add the cream, if you like, to the juices in the pan. Spoon the Mussels into warmed bowls, pour the juices over and around them, and serve with good bread and a glass of cider.

For more details please see http://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/west-country-cider-mussels/

Twisted Cider Pancakes

Ingredients

75g/3oz plain flour
pinch of salt
2 large fresh eggs
100ml/4floz Medium Cider
2.5ml/1/2tsp ground cinnamon
Butter for frying

Filling:
40g/2oz butter
50g/2oz caster sugar
1tsp of Sweet Stem Ginger and 3 desert apples.
Coco powder to dust
Vanilla icecream to serve on the side

Method

Add the flour, salt and eggs in a large bowl along with half of the cider and whisk (or blend) until the mixture is smooth. Add the remaining cider along with the cinnamon and whisk (or blend) again. After you're happy with the batter mix pour it into a jug. Heat a non-stick frying pan until hot and add a little butter covering the centre and swirl or wipe around the pan with a piece of kitchen paper (not burning yourself!). Pour a little of the batter into the pan and immediately turn in a circle movement whilst tilting the pan to spread the batter; thinly for UK style or thick for American. Cook for 2 mins on each side or flip when the base is golden then transfer to a plate. Repeat this until the batter is gone. For the filling add one table spoon of sweet stem ginger and three desert apples (cored & pipped) into a blender and blend: melt the butter in the frying pan, add the sugar and cook over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves and begins to caramelise. Add the blended mixture and stir until the mixture is coated in caramel sauce. Transfer into a bowl and allow to cool. To serve simple spread the mix over the pancake and roll, then dust with coco powder. Add a good spoon of vanilla icecream and serve.

For more details please see 

Twisted Cider Pie

Ingredients

Recipe feeds 4 hungry Cider drinkers

Meat for 4 persons (we used a combination of Sausages and Lamb but would work well with Pork or beef)
2x onions
3x Cloves of Garlic
2x Carrots
Mushrooms
Peas
1x Pepper
Celery
1x bottle of Twisted Cider

1x stock cube
1x tbs Basil
1x tbs Oregano
2x tsp Chilli Flakes (optional)
1x tsp Sea Salt
1x tsp Black Pepper
2x tbs Corn Flower
1x Just roll Pastry (or make your own if you have time)
1x egg

Method

Brown meat off in a sauce pan, no need to cook the hell out of it but if you cook on a high heat you will get a nice bit of colour. Add Stock cube (we used Knorr Chicken stock pot) Add Garlic Add Onions Add Celery Add Twisted Cider Reduce Season: A quick note about seasoning from our distinguished chef, Tom Henry: For this Reciepe we are using: Basil Origano Chilli Flakes Sea Salt 1# As you add ingredience to the pan taste see what has changed, if you like it add more, try to feel what is happening in the pan as you season, once you have added a bit of everything taste after five minutes, has the taste changed? Could it taste better? Add a little more? 2#Always be careful with salt, think of it as an taste activator, it brings out the flavours of everything in the pan. A good sea salt is always more forgiving than rock or table, I personally use Malden Sea Salt. Apply this knowledge every time you cook and you will be great cook turning out great food in no time! Finaly add the carrots Add Carrots mushrooms peas and pepper. Reduce Mix the cornflower with a little cold water and add a bit at a time to thicken the Cider Sause. Depending on how thick you like it, keep adding the cornflower then give time to reduce before adding more. Transfer to Pie dish and let the filling cool for 10-15 mins whilst you roll out pastry. Cover Pie with Pastery, beat the egg and drissle all over the pastry. Bake for aprox 20 mins until pastry is golden brown. Enjoy! Tom Henry.

For more details please see 

Twisted Cider's Mulled Cider Recipe

Ingredients

.Gallon of Cider
.Whole cloves
.Cinnamon sticks
.Whole allspice
.Cheesecloth
.Large stock pot
.Brown sugar
.Ladle
.Mugs

Method

1. Pour one gallon (4.5 litres) of cider into a pot on the stove, we like to use Thistly Cross 7.2% Traditional Cider. 2. Taste for sweetness and add up to half a cup of brown sugar if required. 3. Place 1 teaspoon of whole cloves, 1 teaspoon of whole allspice, and 3 cinnamon sticks on a square of cheesecloth and tie up. A muslin bag can be used if cheesecloth if unavailable. Add to the pot. 4. Heat the cider to a boil, stirring regularly. Leave the pot uncovered and fill the air with the delicious aroma for all to enjoy. 5. When the cider starts to boil lower the setting and simmer for at least another 15 minutes to allow complete infusion of the spices, whilst stirring occasionally. 6. Before serving remove the spices from the pot and ladle hot mulled cider into mugs or other glasses designed for hot beverages. Extras: 1. For an extra spice use Thistly Cross Ginger Cider instead. 2. Add a splash of rum or brandy for those extra cold days. 3. For a decorative touch, you can stud an apple or orange with cloves and allow that to float in your cider pot instead of adding cloves to your spice bag. 4. Add orange or lemon peel for an extra zing to your mulled cider Note: This is a basic recipe for mulled cider with our recommendation on which Cider's we believe taste best when heated though you can use any cider. For quantities adjust accordingly if you do not have 1 gallon of cider (4.5 litres) They are many other recipes available online and feel free to experiment with other spices and fruit which you think might work well.

For more details please see www.twistedcider.co.uk