LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Each month, the Colorado Department of Agriculture features a different commodity to highlight the variety and quality of products grown, raised or processed in the state. This month, Colorado apples are featured in our Tomato Apple Gastrique recipe.

Available Now…Apples

Colorado’s high altitude orchards feature warm days with intense sunlight and cool nights with mountain fresh air. This climate helps produce apples desired by consumers around the nation. In 2009 Colorado produced 16 million pounds of apples valued at $5.1 million. Select apples that have a fresh smell and are firm, shiny and smooth-skinned. Apples are sodium free, fat free and are a good source of fiber.

Look for fresh Colorado apples at your local grocery store, farmers’ market or on the menu at restaurants across the state.

Tomato Apple Gastrique
Chef Jason K. Morse, C.E.C., Valley Country Club, Aurora, Colo.

Olive Oil   
2 cups Grape Tomatoes, whole  
4 ea. Fuji Apples, peeled and diced
1 tsp. Shallot, minced  
2 tsp. Garlic, minced
2-1/4 cups Sugar  
2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon  
1-1/2 cups White Balsam Vinegar
3-1/2 cups Chicken Stock  
3-1/2 cups Veal Stock
1 tbsp. Butter
Kosher Salt
White Pepper

Sauté tomatoes, apples, shallot and garlic in olive oil. Add sugar and cook until caramelized. Add wine and vinegar and reduce by half. Add both stocks and reduce until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, strain through chinoise and return to heat in new pan. Reduce stock until it coats the back of a spoon. Top with butter prior to serving. Adjust seasoning according to taste and serve with Colorado lamb loin.

Enjoy with a Colorado wine, such as a glass of Pinot Noir, from Alfred Eames Cellars, located in Paonia, Colorado.  Visit www.coloradoagriculture.com for a complete list of recipes.