RCP: Baked Apple "Osso Buco"

I was doing some recipe testing at work yesterday getting ready for our fall/holiday season later this year. I came up with two keepers: Apple Osso Buco and Yeasted Fennel Upside Down Cake with Orange and EVOO.

I am still tweaking the cake a little but only in terms of fennel flavor. I'll post pictures of both soon.

The apple was done in the style of osso buco. I cut the apple in such a way that it resembled a shank. After it was baked I stuffed the center with a "marrow" made from ground walnuts, blue cheese, and chopped dried cherries. It was finished with a "demi glace" of port wine reduction and dried cherries.

I used both Braeburn and Pink Lady apples. The response was greatly in favor of the Pink Lady apple. Tasters, including myself, thought that it had a good apple flavor that was not overwhelmed by the strong cheese. The Pink Lady also had a better "al dente" texture after baking while the Braeburn became slightly mushy.


6 Pink Lady Apples, cut at both ends and cored
Sugar
3 Tbsp. Butter
1/2 # Blue Cheese (I used Cabrales from Spain)
1/2 cup Walnuts, toasted and ground fine
1/4 cup Dried Cherries, chopped
2 cups Dried Cherries, whole
2 cups or more Port Wine
1/2 cup Sugar

Preheat oven to 400*.

For the "Shanks":
Cut both ends from the apples so that they resemble shanks and will stand upright. Then core the apples leaving a hole in the center. Arrange the cut apples in a baking dish, sprinkle them with sugar, put 1/2 Tbsp of butter on top of each apple and bake them for 30 - 35 minutes or until tender but not mushy.

For the "Marrow":
Toast the walnuts in the oven until fragrant. Allow them to cool and grind them in a food processor until they resemble coarse meal.

Chop 1/4 cup of dried cherries.

Mix the walnuts, cherries, and cheese in a bowl until well blended.

For the "Demi Glace":
Put the whole dried cherries in a small saucepan with the port and 1/2 cup of sugar. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high (a strong simmer) and allow the sauce to thicken. When the sauce is thick (I look for napé) remove from heat and cool.

To assemble the dish put one apple in the center of a dessert plate. Pinch off enough of the marrow to shape into a log that will fit snugly in the center of the apple and gently insert it in the hole. Top the marrow with a few whole cherries from the sauce. Spoon some of the sauce over the top of the apple and around the plate, scattering some of the cherries around the plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

rwj

Wow - sounds quite rich and decadent, Robert! Have you tried matching any wines with this?

Wow - sounds quite rich and decadent, Robert! Have you tried matching any wines with this?

No, I haven't. The whole idea of the dessert, though, is based on after dinner accompaniments with port: walnuts, blue cheese, dried fruit, etc. So in that light I think any quality port would fare nicely.

rwj

[Jenise]

I was doing some recipe testing at work yesterday getting ready for our fall/holiday season later this year. I came up with two keepers: Apple Osso Buco and Yeasted Fennel Upside Down Cake with Orange and EVOO.

I am still tweaking the cake a little but only in terms of fennel flavor. I'll post pictures of both soon.

The apple was done in the style of osso buco. I cut the apple in such a way that it resembled a shank. After it was baked I stuffed the center with a "marrow" made from ground walnuts, blue cheese, and chopped dried cherries. It was finished with a "demi glace" of port wine reduction and dried cherries.

I used both Braeburn and Pink Lady apples. The response was greatly in favor of the Pink Lady apple. Tasters, including myself, thought that it had a good apple flavor that was not overwhelmed by the strong cheese. The Pink Lady also had a better "al dente" texture after baking while the Braeburn became slightly mushy.


6 Pink Lady Apples, cut at both ends and cored
Sugar
3 Tbsp. Butter
1/2 # Blue Cheese (I used Cabrales from Spain)
1/2 cup Walnuts, toasted and ground fine
1/4 cup Dried Cherries, chopped
2 cups Dried Cherries, whole
2 cups or more Port Wine
1/2 cup Sugar

Preheat oven to 400*.

For the "Shanks":
Cut both ends from the apples so that they resemble shanks and will stand upright. Then core the apples leaving a hole in the center. Arrange the cut apples in a baking dish, sprinkle them with sugar, put 1/2 Tbsp of butter on top of each apple and bake them for 30 - 35 minutes or until tender but not mushy.

For the "Marrow":
Toast the walnuts in the oven until fragrant. Allow them to cool and grind them in a food processor until they resemble coarse meal.

Chop 1/4 cup of dried cherries.

Mix the walnuts, cherries, and cheese in a bowl until well blended.

For the "Demi Glace":
Put the whole dried cherries in a small saucepan with the port and 1/2 cup of sugar. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high (a strong simmer) and allow the sauce to thicken. When the sauce is thick (I look for napé) remove from heat and cool.

To assemble the dish put one apple in the center of a dessert plate. Pinch off enough of the marrow to shape into a log that will fit snugly in the center of the apple and gently insert it in the hole. Top the marrow with a few whole cherries from the sauce. Spoon some of the sauce over the top of the apple and around the plate, scattering some of the cherries around the plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

rwj

That's a beautiful riff on the traditional baked apple, RJ. I find myself wanting your shank to have a bone, though. What about a length of sugar cane?

I know what you mean, Jenise. I think that a length of sugar cane would get in the way, though. I kind of want the whole thing to be edible. The idea that I am toying with right now is rolling the segment of "marrow" in a course coating of caramelized walnuts. That way you would have some crunch contrasting with all of that softness.

Thanks for your comments and input, too. I really appreciate it.

rwj

I added caramelized Spanish walnuts.
Here are the pics:

Presentation:


Cross section:


rwj

Food porn alert!