This is the fourth day of Meat & Potatoes. Which is a lot of these hearty starchy partners, I know. But I have promised a week of these satisfying meals– so plod on I must!

We started with a traditional Pot Roast. Well, not that traditional, because I roasted my veggies separate and gave the sauce a big swig of vinegar. Thus improving both the taste and texture of this one-dish-wonder.

Speaking of traditions. The French have a Lamb & Potatoes gratin of sorts that they call Lamb Champvallon. In Day 2 I tweeked tradition, re-wrote history and updated my version with a bold new spice and boneless chunks of succulent lamb.

So as not to appear ready to re-write the culinary history of just one country. I also let loose my imagination on the Scots. They have a traditional side dish made with Turnips & Potatoes that they call Neeps & Tatties. Well, Sippity Sup was named after a nursery rhyme afterall, so it just made sense to translate the lyrical nature in that phrase for my selfish purposes. So I came up with Neeps & Tattie-Cakes, making my version reminiscent of another great bit a children's verse. I chose to serve these Tattie-Cakes with Zinfandel Braised Short Ribs.

For today’s Market Matters at the Hollywood Farmers Market I brought home adorable little mini-sized apples. This is the 5th recipe in my An Apple A Day series and it is an entirely original recipe. I am calling it Pecan Stuffed Tempura Apples.

The thing about making up a recipe and posting it on a blog all in one day is that you have to realize it is a work in progress. I had to make this recipe one apple at a time, changing my method slightly each time until I got something I was happy with.

There may still be room for improvement here and I am open to your suggestions.

Although this recipe was delicious and I am very happy with the flavor combination. I will admit I had some trouble with the texture. My first attempt I stuffed a raw apple then battered and fried it. But the apple did not quite get cooked enough. As I had hoped, the interior stuffing got hot enough so that when I cut into the apple the pecan stuffing oozed out in a very satisfying manner. But there was just too much crunch left in my apple.

Well, I don’t really know where to start.

You probably know this is day 4 in my An Apple A Day series. I mean that’s why you are here right? You certainly could not have googled your way on over, because today’s post is just too odd, too random.

Because I have a recipe for an easy but elegant pâté served with sautéed maple-glazed apples, and this recipe is sharing the stage with a pie-eating contest. See what I mean, you never would have googled that!

Which leaves me with the same question. Where to start?

I guess I will start with the pâté. Don’t let the term pâté scare you off. It’s not a difficult preparation. I based this recipe on Michel Richard’s Chicken Faux Gras. I simplified it, though his version is not too difficult either. He serves it with a Parsley Gelée that is every bit as ingenious as the cleverly named faux gras. But this is apple week… so no parsley for Sup!

Instead I paired my pâté with some maple glazed apple slices. It’s a natural pairing of flavors and really works well with the earthy richness of this chicken liver spread. I am pretty happy with my concoction.