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.

Recipe notes

Classic French Bouillabaisse With Rouille

This flexible recipe is all you need to bring this iconic Provençal seafood stew to your table.

Salmon With Sizzled Nut Salsa

A savory-hot salsa made with mixed nuts (like the kind dubbed cocktail nuts meant for snacking) gives roast salmon a kaleidoscope of textures and flavors.

Smothered Italian Sausage

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Dulce de Leche

Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.

One-Pot Chicken Thighs With Cilantro Rice and Beans

This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.