Give brunch a boost with sausage stuffed apples
’Tis the season for family and friends to visit. You’ve made the beds, cleaned the house and shopped for the big dinner you’ll share, but don’t forget about breakfast the next morning. Show off your brunch skills with this simple and seasonal recipe for Sausage Stuffed Apples. This savory and sweet dish celebrates the fall apple harvest and can be prepared up to three days ahead of time then reheated in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes. Pair them with fried eggs, toast and store-bought pastries for a morning spread that’ll impress any discerning house guest.
SAUSAGE STUFFED APPLES
2 T. butter 1 stalk celery, cut into small dice (about A c.) A onion, cut into small dice 1 clove garlic, minced A lb. Italian sausage, casing removed 1A t. minced sage 2 t. panko breadcrumbs
D t. salt Pinch black pepper 4 Honeycrisp or Fuji apples
E c. apple cider
Heat the butter in a large saute pan over mediumlow heat. Add the diced celery and onion to the pan and sweat them until they are softened and translucent. Sprinkle in the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, then transfer this vegetable mixture to a bowl.
Set the saute pan over medium-high heat and add the sausage, breaking up large chunks with the back of a wooden spoon or potato masher. Cook for 5 minutes, or until some pieces are caramelized but still have a pink hue of undercooked parts. Add the par-cooked sausage, minced sage and panko breadcrumbs to the bowl with the vegetables, and mix well to combine.
Heat an oven to 350 degrees.
Use a melon baller to create a cavity in the apples, starting at the stem and working your way down and around the interior to leave a A- inchthick wall of fruit on all sides. Stuff each apple cavity with one-quarter of the sausage mixture then place the apples, open-side-up, in a square baking dish. Once all apples are stuffed and nestled in the baking dish, pour the apple cider over the top and around the apples.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the apples are tender when pierced with a skewer or toothpick but not droopy.