Here are some of our favourite recipes to bring out the best flavours of apple cider in a tasty dinner or lunch dish. All of these will pair well with a glass of sparkling cider. For cooking purposes always use naturally fermented cider!

Cider & Cheddar mac & cheese

Ingredients:

400g pasta;

200g of bacon;

3 tablespoons of flour;

160 ml Gardener's apple cider;

250 ml of milk;

450g of cheddar cheese;

Salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:

Cook the pasta in salted water until it’s al dente.

Chop up the bacon and fry in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the bacon is crispy and the fat has rendered. Remove the bacon from the pot. Add 3 tablespoons of flour to the bacon fat, stir for about a minute until incorporated. Slowly pour Gardener's apple cider into the pot, stirring constantly. When the mass has fully mixed, gradually add the milk and mix thoroughly. Cook the sauce over medium-low heat for about 5-10 minutes until it thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in grated Cheddar cheese. Stir the sauce until the cheese has completely melted. Add half of the fried bacon to the sauce.

Add the cooked pasta to the pan and fold in with the sauce until fully covered.

Serve topped with the remaining bacon bits, paired with a glass of dry cider!

Try this easy and delicious recipe and enjoy!

Brunch apple & cider pancakes

Ingredients

For the pancake batter:

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup Gardener's dry apple cider

1 tablespoon of melted butter or oil

160g of flour

2 tablespoons of sugar

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 medium apple, grated

Butter or oil to grease the pan

For the apple & cinnamon topping:

1 apple, cut into slices

1 tablespoon of butter

1 teaspoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Maple syrup for serving, optional

Preparation method:

To prepare the batter, mix the dry ingredients - flour, sugar, baking powder and salt - in a clean bowl. Then, crack the egg and whisk in another bowl with the milk and melted butter (or oil). Gradually add the dry ingredients mixture to the liquid ingredients, stirring constantly so that they are evenly mixed.  Grate a peeled and cored apple. Then mix the cider and grated apples evenly into the batter. You can leave the batter to rise for a bit.

Grease a medium-hot pan with butter or oil and fry small pancakes (if the size of the pan allows - you can fry 2-3 pancakes at the same time). When the bottom of the pancake is golden brown and small air bubbles start to form on the top, flip the pancake to the other side.

To make the apple and cinnamon garnish, melt the butter in a pan and fry the apple slices over moderate heat, adding sugar after a few minutes. Stir in the pan until golden brown, then sprinkle with cinnamon.

Serve the pancakes are served with apple and cinnamon garnish and maple syrup. Have a delicious holiday brunch!

Grilled veggies in cider vinaigrette

*photo is illustrative

Veggies for grilling:

• 1 zucchini;
• 1 aubergine;
• 4 shallots;
• 250g champignons or button mushrooms;
• 2 red or yellow bell peppers;

For the vinaigrette:

• 4 garlic wedges;
• ½ chili pepper;
• a small parsley bunch;
• olive oil;
• balsamic vinegar;
• Gardener’s dry apple cider;
• salt, pepper, sugar.

Preparation:

Wash all veggies, dab them dry and cut up in slices fit for grilling. Put a grill pan (alternatively - a regular non-stick pan) on medium-high heat and when it's hot, cook the veggies from both sides for a short period of time without oil or grease. The veggies should be browned from the outside but still fresh/raw on the inside. Place in a large dish or bowl. Separately, prepare the vinaigrette in a small bowl. Finely chop the garlic, chili and parsley, add to the bowl. Then add olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Gardener's dry apple cider. Season to taste with salt, pepper and sugar. Using a fork, whisk the vinaigrette until evenly mixed. Pour the vinaigrette on the vegetables and toss together until evenly coated. This side dish can be served fresh while hot, or left to marinate for a few hours. Serve paired with a glass of chilled Gardener's dry apple cider.

Gardener's Pork and Cider Pot

*photo is illustrative

Recipe for 4 servings.

Warming cider cupcakes

Chicken breast with apple-cider sauce and roast apples

• 2 chicken fillets,
• oil for cooking,

Marinade:

• 1 garlic clove (use garlic press),
• ½ tsp salt,
• pinch of pepper,
• 1 tbsp veggie oil,
• ½ tsp thyme,

Sauce:

• ½ apple,
• ½ onion,
• 100 ml cider,
• 100 ml strong chicken stock,
• 50 g single or double cream,
• oil for cooking,
• salt, pepper to taste,

Sides:

• 1 apple,
• a handful of berries, like cranberries or lingonberries,
• butter,
• salt to taste.

Instructions:

Marinate the chicken breasts - mix all marinade ingredients and rub the meat with the mixture until covered. Leave to rest for ca. 20 minutes. Lightly fry the breasts on a frying pan, then set on a baking tray on top of a sheet of aluminium foil. Set the oven on 180°C and roast for 8 minutes. When the chicken is done roasting, wrap the breasts in the foil, cover with a tea towel and leave to rest on the table. 

To make the sauce, finely dice the apples and onions and place on a cold oiled pan. Fry on medium heat until the onions are golden and apples are starting to fall apart. Add cider, stock, salt, pepper to the pan and sauté. Add cream and reduce until the sauce is thick and creamy. Use a processor or hand blender to blend the sauce to a smooth texture.

Cut the apple into wedges and sprinkle with salt. Fry on a buttered pan until golden. Then add berries and fry for a couple minutes. Cut the fillet in thick slices and serve with sauce and apples.

Salmon in beetroot and soy sauce marinade, with zucchini salad and lime cream

*illustrative photo

• 500 g salmon fillet,

Marinade:

• 1 boiled beetroot,
• 50 ml light soy sauce,
• 1 tsp cumin,
• 1 tbsp sugar,
• 1 tbsp salt,

Lime cream:

• 200ml double cream,
• zest of ½ lime,
• juice of ½ lime,
• ½ tsp salt,
• 1 tsp sugar,

Zucchini salad:

• 1 small zucchini,
• salt,
• lemon or lime juice.

Instructions:

Use tweezers to remove fish bones from the salmon. Blend all the ingredients for the marinade in a blender. Pour ½  of the marinade in a Tupperware box, then place the salmon in the box and pour over the rest of the marinade and make sure the salmon is completely covered in the mix. Leave in fridge overnight. Before serving, remove the salmon from the marinade, dry off with a paper towel and use a sharp knife to cut into thin slices.

For the lime cream, pour the double cream, salt and sugar in a bowl and whip into firm foam, then add lime juice and zest. For the salad - cut the zucchini into spaghetti-like strips, sprinkle with salt and lemon or lime juice. Serve with a slice of toast or other bread, and a glass of our Sidrella or an Aperol Spritz.

Gardener's white sauce

Ingredients:

• 70 ml Gardener’s dry apple cider,
• 30 ml apple cider vinegar,
• 2 pcs shallots,
• 20 ml water,
• 200 g butter,
• 1 tsp honey,
• salt and white pepper to taste.

Preparation:

Pour cider, honey, vinegar and finely chopped shallots in a pan. Simmer until volume is reduced by a half. Add cold water and keep simmering over low heat. Gradually add butter in small chunks, while you continue to stir the sauce. Be careful not to overheat the sauce. Lower the heat and keep adding butter until the sauce gains a creamy consistency. Finally, add salt and pepper.

*Photo used illustratively.

"Sabile Cider House" signature sauce

 *illustrative photo

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized onion,
• 1 apple,
• 1  cube chicken stock,
• 1 tbsp butter or plant-based oil,
• 150 ml cider (Gardener’s dry apple cider or Sabiles Sidrs semi-dry apple cider),
• 100 ml cream.

Preparation:

Finely chop onions and apples. Put on a cold pan and slowly fry in butter or oil until the apples and onions become soft and translucent. Add cider and cube of stock. Simmer until apples dissove and the cider is reduced by about a third of the volume. Add cream and stir the sauce on heat until it becomes a thicker, creamy consistency. If you'd like the sauce to have a very even texture, you can use a blender. 

The sauce makes a great addition to chicken and other poultry dishes, but we recommend experimenting with other combinations too! 

Hearty onion soup

 *illustrative photo

Ingredients:

• 100 g butter,
• 6 onions,
• 2 garlic cloves,
• 1 l veggie or chicken stock,
• 1 tbsp wheat flour,
• 0,6 l Gardener’s dry apple cider,
• 2 bay leaves,
• 6 slices white bread,
• 150 g intensive cheese, e.g. Cheddar,
• salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:

Slice the onions and put them in a bowl with finely diced garlic cloves, and douse with flour. Melt butter into a soup pot and add the onions, shaking off excess flour beforehand. Fry on low heat until soft and golden - don't let the onions overcook! Pour stock and cider into the pot, and add bay leaves. Depending on the intensity of the stock, add salt and pepper as you see fit. Boil for ca. 15 minutes, until onions are well cooked. As the soup boils, cover the bread slices with cheese, lay them on a pan and bake in the oven until cheese is molten and starts to brown. Pour the soup in bowls and place a slice of cheese toast in each.

Alternatively - if clay stew pots are available, pour soup in those. Toast the bread and grate the cheese. Each pot of soup is "closed" with a layer of toast and shredded cheese. Place the pots in the oven and bake until the cheese melts and forms a golden crust. 

Serve with dry cider or white wine.

Speciality skewered meat marinade with cider (for grilling)

 *illustrative photo

Ingredients:

• 300 ml Gardener’s dry apple cider,
• 100 ml sparkling water,
• 1 tbsp sugar,
• freshly ground black pepper,
• salt,
• thyme,
• 4 onions,
• 1 kg meat (chicken or pork).

Preparation:

The meat is cut into slices or cubes and soaked in a mixture of cider, sparkling water, spices and onions, thoroughly stirred, and left to draw for 3-5 hours. Marinated meat is then drawn onto skewers and roasted on a grill. If no grill is available, a pan will also do the trick.

White fish in cider sauce

*illustrative photo

Ingredients:

• 4 x 150 g white fish,
• 1 onion,
• 1 tbsp butter or plant-based oil,
• 100 g Gardener’s dry apple cider,
• 100 g cream,
• salt and pepper to taste,
• a handful of greens (dills, parsley, chives by preference).

Preparation:

Sprinkle your pieces of white fish (hake, zander, or other) fillets with salt and pepper. Finely chop onions, place them on a cold pan and fry on a low heat until they become transparent, but not yet brown. Douse the onions in cider, wait until it heats up, then place the fish fillets in the pan. Again, wait for it to thoroughly heat up, then pour the cream over the fish. Cook until the cream thickens. 

Sprinkle with greens and serve with steamed rice.

Gold-crusted apple and quince pie

*illustrative photo

Ingredients

Dough:

• 125 g butter at room temperature,
• 70 g confectioner's sugar,
• 1 tsp vanilla extract,
• 1 egg,
• 150 g flour,
• 100 g almond flour,
• 2 tbsp quince jam.

Filling:

• 400 ml milk,
• 100 ml Gardener’s sweet apple-quince cider,
• 3 egg yolks,
• 1 tsp vanilla extract,
• 2 tbsp quince jam,
• 6 tbsp sugar,
• 4 tbsp flour,
• 6 apples.

To cover the apple slices with:

• sugar,
• cinnamon,
• butter (as much as you think you need).

Preparation:

Heat oven up to 180°C. Grease the inside of a cake form (optimally Ø 22/24 cm), sprinkle it with flour and place in the refrigerator to chill.

Put the butter, confectioner's sugar, vanilla extract and quince jam in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the egg and almond flour, and mix together. Then gradually stir in the regular flour to make a soft and homogeneous dough.

Prepare the filling - pour flour in a boiling pot, add vanilla extract and quince jam. Then add the egg yolks and a small portion of the required milk. Mix ingredients until the flour and sugar are well dissolved into the mixture. Add the rest of the milk and the cider. Let the mixture simmer on the stove, simultaneously stirring it, until the mass lightly thickens. Take the mix of the heat and allow to cool.

Take the greased cake form and spread its base and walls with the dough. Pour the filling mix onto the lined dough. Arrange sliced apples on top of the pie. Sprinkle the apples with a mix of sugar and cinnamon. Add a few small lumps of butter on top.

Put the apple pie in the oven and bake for about an hour, until the crust lining turns golden, and the apples become soft and lightly brown.