Baked Apples with Mushroom Wild Rice

Serves 4 · 30 min prep · 70 min cook

Ingredients

• 4 large baking apples (Honeycrisp or Rome)
• 1 cup dry wild rice blend
• 10 oz cremini mushrooms
• 1 large shallot
• 1 celery stalk
• 2.5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/3 cup toasted pecans
• 1/4 cup apple cider

Instructions

1. 1Rinse the wild rice blend and cook it in the broth according to package timing, usually 40 to 45 minutes, until the grains are tender and most liquid is absorbed. Fluff and set aside.
2. 2Preheat the oven to 375°F. Slice a thin cap off the top of each apple and use a melon baller or small spoon to carefully hollow out the core and some flesh, leaving a sturdy 1/2-inch wall so the apples hold shape.
3. 3Finely chop the mushrooms, shallot, and celery. Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the shallot and celery 3 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook 6 to 8 minutes until deeply browned and any liquid evaporates.
4. 4Stir in the minced garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook 1 minute more. Fold the mushroom mixture into the cooked wild rice along with chopped parsley and roughly chopped pecans.
5. 5Spoon the wild rice-mushroom filling generously into each hollowed apple, mounding it slightly on top. Arrange the stuffed apples in a baking dish just large enough to hold them snugly.
6. 6Pour the apple cider into the bottom of the dish the apples so they steam gently and stay moist. Cover the dish loosely with foil.
7. 7Bake covered for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake another 15 to 20 minutes until the apples are tender when pierced but still hold their shape and the tops are lightly golden.
8. 8Let cool 5 minutes. Transfer the baked apples to a serving platter or individual shallow bowls, spooning any pan juices over the top. Serve as a hearty vegetarian main that looks impressive on a weekend table.