apples are a vegetable

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, pay some attention to the seasons, and don't have your own garden, there's a point in the winter when you're reduced to Washington-sticker apples. This is a vegetarian version of a recipe from New Food of Life, a Persian cookbook. It has the advantage that it's much faster than the original, meat version.

Vegetarian Apple Khoresh
(Sweet-and-sour apple stew)

Peel and thinly slice two large onions. Brown in some oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Add a cup of lentils, stir, then add a tablespoon of tomato paste (optional; I've used spiced carrot paste & nothing, but ketchup might work too), three tablespoons of sugar, three of good vinegar, and half a teaspoon of ground saffron dissolved in a bit of warm water. (Yes, I said half a teaspoon of saffron. This is a Persian recipe!) Cover with a couple of cups of water, and simmer until the lentils are done and most of the water is gone, adding more water as necessary.

Meanwhile, core and peel about five apples, cut them into wedges, and saute them in more oil until they turn a nice golden brown or you die of boredom.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange the apples on top of the lentils in a casserole or cast-iron pan, and bake until you want to eat it. (This step is satisfying, but I think more relevant in the non-vegetarian version.)

This is good with basmati rice and with plain yogurt that has had the whey drained out of it and plain water (and garlic?) stirred in. You can make the lazy man's saffron rice by dissolving more saffron in water and splashing it over the top of your rice.