Drunken Apples

This apple-and-sausage combination makes a wonderful, unusual breakfast. It’s got brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, bourbon and raisins. Include coffee, the best muffins you can get and the Sunday newspaper, and learn to enjoy breakfast.

SAUSAGE-STUFFED APPLES

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1 tablespoon minced ginger root

2 to 3 tablespoons minced onion or shallot

3/4 pound mild bulk pork sausage

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash nutmeg

1 teaspoon brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup bourbon

2 tablespoons raisins

Salt

Freshly ground white pepper

2 very large Rome Beauty apples

1/2 cup apple juice

Heat olive oil in skillet over low heat. Saute ginger root and onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Add sausage and brown over medium heat. Pour off all fat. Add lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon bourbon and raisins. Stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Hollow out apples with sharp paring knife, leaving bottoms and 1/4-inch wall on sides intact. Pack sausage mixture into apples. Place in small shallow baking dish. Pour in remaining 1/4 cup bourbon and apple juice.

Bake at 350 degrees 40 to 45 minutes, basting occasionally with pan juices, until apples are tender. If filling gets too brown before apples are done, cover with foil and continue baking. Makes 2 servings.