Orkan Apfelkuchen: Hurricane Apple Cake

mmm....Apfelkuchen

Back in 2007, a group of us went to Germany. My cousin Jason and I probably spent as much money on Apfelkuchen (German Apple Cake) as we did on beer. Off and on I have tried to make it, but never got it right. The key I think is the springform.

Well, Irene was supposed to give us a terrible storm that would require me to stay inside. And by the looks of outside when I went for my run, that was a good idea last night. Today, I had planned to stay inside.

So, I bought a springform and was going to make an Americanized** version of Apfelkuchen.

2/3 cup margarine
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 crank (a new BIPM measurement equal to 1.41 dashes) sea salt
1/2 capfull (a new BIPM measurment equal to 2.82 dashes) almond extract
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp all spice
7 small to mid-sized apples (I used ginger golds)

---
lemon drizzle
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

----
1 tbsp of confectioners sugar (to coat after baking)

1. peel, core and slice apples. I just used an apple slicer after peeling but you can slice them even thinner.
set aside
2. pre-heat oven to 350F
3. beat margarine in a mixing bowl
4. Slowly add sugars, vanilla, salt, almond extract and 2 eggs
5. Sift in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice
6. Mix in the sifted goods
7. Pour batter into greased springform. level off the batter.
8. stack apples atop batter. I did this core side down. I have seen them place on their side.
9. Mix lemon drizzle
10. brush or drizzle over apples
11. bake for 75 minutes
12. cool and then dust with confectioners sugar. (You'll notice in the picture I forgot to buy confectioners sugar.)

**For a more traditional apfelkuchen, don't use the cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice and use all white sugar instead of white and brown.

Apple Pie Leg of Lamb: As American as Leg of Lamb?

So, it's Fourth of July weekend. Cookouts galore and it's time for me to bring my dish. Most people will bring burgers and dogs. Maybe some will go as far a field as brats. These are, of course, key to any Fourth of July cookout. Once the keys are in place, we should have some fun.

At the Co-op, I found a nice 1.5 lb piece of leg of lamb, with the bone in. Then it became a question of how to prepare the piece. I could go the "traditional" mint jelly route. But, I remembered the Moroccan Lamb, I had had at the place in Philadelphia a number of years ago. Central to the Moroccan flavor was cinnamon and nutmeg. And then it hit me.

With cinnamon and nutmeg all you need is allspice and wham! you have apple pie spices. And on the Fourth nothing is as American as Apple pie right?

Apple Pie Leg of Lamb

1.5 lbs piece of leg of lamb
1 Tablespoon of Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon of Nutmeg
1 Tablespoon of Allspice
(now, the Co-op had in bulk "apple pie spice" I bought this instead)
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
3 ozs of prosciutto de Parma - sliced
2 Granny Smith Apples - cored and chopped

1. Mix together Cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice into apple pie spice
2. Slice open the leg of lamb
3. stuff with 1/2 of a chopped granny smith
4. fold back closed
5. Rub lamb with half of the apple pie spice
6. Wrap Prosciutto slices around lamb
7. Rub remainder of apple pie spice.
8. Place on large piece of tin foil
9. cover in 1 chopped apple
10. (Eat remainder of apple)
11. pour balsamic on the apple (The acid will draw out some of the apple juice)
12. Wrap tin foil around Lamb and apples
13. Place on the edges of the grill, let slow cook 45-1, flipping occasionally.