Amped-up applesauce

<b>PURPLE POWER </b> Grapes add a flavor punch -- not to mention amazing color -- to the original.Photographs by Jim Scherer / Styling by Catrine Kelty

I believe strongly in appreciating life’s simple pleasures, and one of these, come autumn in New England, is homemade applesauce.

Utterly simple to prepare and a thousand percent better than the store-bought stuff, the homemade version is fresh, bright, and fantastic both straight up and combined with other flavors of the season.

For any applesauce, I recommend a combination of local apples for a complex and well-rounded flavor – Jonagold, Pink Lady, Ginger Gold, Jonathan, Cameo, Macoun, Cortland, Empire, McIntosh, and Fuji are among my favorites.

Another preference: I like applesauce with a rough texture, so I mash it by hand.

If you prefer it smoother, pass the cooked apples though a food mill (in which case there’s no need to peel them before cooking – the mill separates and traps the skin).

GRAPE APPLESAUCE

MAKES ABOUT 5 CUPS

4½ pounds apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1½-inch chunks

3 tablespoons granulated sugar, or more, to taste

Salt

5 tablespoons thawed frozen grape juice concentrate

In a large, heavy saucepan, toss apples, sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, grape juice concentrate, and ½ cup water. Set over medium heat, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until apples break down, about 20 minutes. With a wooden spoon, crush apple chunks against the side of the pot (or process the mixture through a food mill). Taste and adjust the seasoning and texture with sugar or water, if necessary. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. (Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.)

Photographs by Jim Scherer / Styling by Catrine Kelty

BUTTER AND SPICE APPLESAUCE

MAKES ABOUT 5 CUPS

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

¾ teaspoon ground ginger

½teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

4½ pounds apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1½-inch chunks

3 tablespoons light brown sugar, or more, to taste

Salt

In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the spices and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Stir in the apples, brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¾ cup water, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until apples break down, about 20 minutes. With a wooden spoon, crush apple chunks against the side of the pot (or process the mixture through a food mill). Taste and adjust the seasoning and texture with brown sugar or water, if necessary. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. (Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.)

CRANBERRY APPLESAUCE

MAKES ABOUT 5 CUPS

4½ pounds apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1½-inch chunks

¼ cup dark brown sugar, or more, to taste

Salt

1¼ cups cranberries

In a large, heavy saucepan, toss apples, brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, cranberries, and ¾ cup water. Set over medium heat, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until apples and cranberries break down, about 20 minutes. With a wooden spoon, crush apple chunks and cranberries against the side of the pot (or process the mixture through a food mill). Taste and adjust the seasoning and texture with brown sugar or water, if necessary. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. (Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.)

CHESTNUT APPLESAUCE WITH COGNAC AND VANILLA

MAKES ABOUT 5 CUPS

4½ pounds apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1½-inch chunks

¼ cup light brown sugar, or more, to taste

Salt

1¼ cups unsweetened chestnut puree, broken into chunks

¼ cup cognac

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large, heavy saucepan, toss apples, brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, chestnut puree, and 1/3 cup water. Set over medium heat, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until apples and chestnut puree break down, about 20 minutes. With a wooden spoon, crush apple chunks and chestnut puree chunks against the side of the pot (or process the mixture through a food mill). Stir in the cognac and vanilla. Taste and adjust the seasoning and texture with brown sugar or water, if necessary. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. (Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.)

ROASTED PUMPKIN APPLESAUCE

MAKES ABOUT 7 CUPS

1 small sugar pie pumpkin, about 2½ pounds, peeled and cut into 1½-inch chunks

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Salt

3 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1½-inch chunks

¼ cup pumpkin butter, or more, to taste (available seasonally at local markets)

¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

Adjust oven rack to the center position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a shallow baking dish, toss the pumpkin, butter, and a pinch of salt. Cover with foil and bake until pumpkin starts to become tender, about 40 minutes. Remove foil, stir, and bake until tender, anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes longer.

In a large, heavy saucepan, toss apples, ¼ teaspoon salt, roasted pumpkin, and ¾ cup water. Set over medium heat, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until apples and pumpkin break down, about 20 minutes. With a wooden spoon, crush apple and pumpkin chunks against the side of the pot (or process the mixture through a food mill). Stir in pumpkin butter and nutmeg. Taste and adjust the seasoning and texture with additional pumpkin butter or water, if necessary. Serve warm or at room temperature. (Can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.)

Send comments or suggestions to Adam Ried at cooking@globe.com.

Easy additions to a fall classic.