Baked Apples with Candied Fennel and Pistachios

Name: Baked Apples with Candied Fennel and Pistachios
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 2 hr
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 1/2 fennel bulb, cut into 1/4-inch pieces; 3/4 cup sugar; 3/4 cup water; 3 (3-inch-long) strips lemon zest; 1 teaspoon fennel seeds; 4 Gala apples; 1/3 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped; 3 tablespoons golden raisins; 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

By Maggie Ruggiero

March 10, 2010

Image may contain Plant Food Produce and Fruit

Baked Apples with Candied Fennel and PistachiosStephanie Foley

In our Egg Salad with Lemon and Fennel , fennel contributes juicy crunch and a nice hit of bright flavor. Here, the leftover fennel goes in a decidedly different direction: Candied in a sugar syrup, it has a softer snap and becomes more mellow. Along with pistachios, golden raisins, and fennel seeds, it makes a sophisticated filling for baked Gala apples. Many baked–apple recipes are too homey for company, but this version, with its spectrum of greens and golds, would be the highlight of any dinner party menu.

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