Meat Stuffed Apples – Mila Gemista Me Kima

In Greek: Meat Stuffed Apples – Mila Gemista Me Kima – Μήλα γεμιστά με κιμά

The smell of baked apples makes this appetizer almost seem like a dessert. The filling itself has a wonderfully sweet aroma even though it is 90% beef. I’ll tell you  why, when cinnamon meets beef, something wonderful happens. The flavors marry so well that sometimes your brain doesn’t know how to register what you’re eating. Sweet or savory? What is it? Who cares, it’s great and I want more! You can find this interesting mixture in pastitsio, moussaka, and even many middle eastern dishes. A great combination that has been used in many countries for hundreds of years.

I learned something interesting from cooking this dish that I did not expect. After coring the apples to create room for the meat mixture, I was not sure what to do with the flesh. So, I discarded it. Oh, what a shame that turned out to be! After the apples baked, the small bit of flesh that was still inside the apple was so sweet yet gritty – it was soft and reminded me of something wholesome. Wait a minute…it was apple sauce! I could have made a whole bunch of it with the insides that I discarded. So, don’t make the same mistake I did and let that part of your cooking experience go to waste. It truly would be a shame. If I’ve saved the inside of just one apple with this story, it would have all been worth it. 🙂

I must admit that the most tantalizing part of this recipe is the bechamel sauce that sits atop each apple. As you may be able to tell from some other recipes on this site, I go crazy for that sauce. It’s butter, milk and flour….I mean, c’mon! I am not afraid to admit it that’s for sure. I feel less guilty eating it with this recipe though because there is far less of it than there is in other dishes. Phew! In any case, the sweet yet savory meat mixture, the apple sauce oozing from the middle, and the bechamel topping makes this one for the books. καλή όρεξη!