SAUSAGE-STUFFED RED ONIONS

SAUSAGE-STUFFED RED ONIONS image

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 9

8 small-to-medium red onions
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage
1/3 cup grated tart green apple (e.g. Granny Smith)
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 cup plain dried bread crumbs
1 tablespoon fine chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese (3 ounces)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice off tops and bottoms of onions, leaving at least a 2-inch diameter exposed at the top. Scoop out the inside of each onion (about halfway down) using a melon baller or spoon. Season insides with salt. Transfer onions to a baking dish, and cover with parchment, then foil. Bake until just starting to soften, about 1 hour. 2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Crumble sausage into skillet, and cook, stirring, until almost cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add apple and fennel seeds, and cook until sausage is not longer pink, about 2 minutes. 3. Drain sausage mixture, reserving juices in a medium bowl. Finely chop sausage mixture, and add to bowl. Stir in breadcrumbs, parsley, sage, and 1/4 cup Gruyere. Let cool. 4. Fill onions with stuffing (about 3 tablespoons each), then top with remaining 1/2 cup Gruyere. Bake until tops are crisp and brown, about 20 minutes more.