Oculi Lenten Applesauce

History

Oculi marks the middle of the Lenten season and is a Sunday when we are encouraged to turn our eyes toward our Lord, who defends us in all of our trials and temptations. In doing so, we can continue confidently in our walk as Christians, following the way of the Lord.

As previewed in our post centering around this Third Sunday in Lent, the propers for the day largely center around the difficulties and sacrifices that we face as we daily encounter the enemy’s opposition. They connect many of the themes of Lent together, serving as an allusion to other scriptural texts such as our Lord’s temptation in the wilderness and the fall of Adam and Eve.

Lenten Applesauce

These themes have also inspired a myriad of Lenten and fasting foods that have been consumed throughout Christedom over the course of Christian history. One of the most historic and directly scriptural of these recipes was a medieval favorite: applesauce!

This recipe’s apple theme is reminiscent of the temptation of Adam and Eve, connecting us back to the readings of Lent and the themes of Oculi.

It has also historically been an extremely popular Lenten dish, consumed frequently during the time between Shrovetide and Easter. Many different recipes can be found in the cookbooks of the Middle Ages. Depending on the culture and location in which this dish was consumed, there were also many variations, including the addition of fish liver or dried fruit and nuts. It was also often mixed with warm almond milk and spices, poured over oatmeal, and used as a topping for toasted bread.

The recipe that we are sharing with you today can also be easily amended for use within the Lenten season. If you are eating applesauce on Oculi itself and following more relaxed parameters for fasting because it is a Sunday, feel free to pair it with some chicken, pork, or cottage cheese. If you are instead using it as a traditional fasting recipe, try one of the suggestions above!

Ingredients

4 pounds (about 8 to 10 apples, depending on the size) apples, peeled, cored, and quartered

2 strips lemon peel (use a vegetable peeler to strip the zest only, not the pith)

3 tablespoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar (more or less to taste)

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger powder

2 teaspoons ground almonds

1 cup water

½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Place the peeled, cored, and quartered apples into a large pot. Add the strips of lemon peel, the lemon juice (or vinegar), cinnamon, water and salt.
2. Bring to a boil on high heat, then lower the temperature. Cover the pot, and maintain a low simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the apples are completely tender and cooked through.
3. Once the apples are cooked through, remove the pot from the heat. Remove the lemon peels.
4. Use a potato masher to mash the cooked apples in the pot to make a chunky applesauce. For a smoother applesauce, you can either run the cooked apples through a food mill or purée them using an immersion or stand blender.
5. Adjust the seasoning and consistency as needed. If the applesauce is too thick, add more water to thin it out.