Best Stuffed Onions With Spiced Lamb And Pomegranate Recipes

STUFFED ONIONS WITH SPICED LAMB AND POMEGRANATE

Steps:

• Boil the onions:
• Fill a medium pot with enough water to cover the onions and bring to a boil. Add whole onions, return to a boil, and cook until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove onions to a colander, drain, and let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut a 1/2-inch wedge from the outside to the core of each onion, then carefully peel 5 outer layers from each onion and reserve; chop the onion wedges and core, and reserve separately.
• Make the stuffing:
• In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the lamb, anchovies, salt, and pepper and cook, breaking meat up with a wooden spoon, until lamb is no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spices and 1 cup broth; cook, stirring, until evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer lamb mixture to a rimmed baking sheet and cool slightly; cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator, transfer to a bowl, and add parsley, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses.
• Stuff and bake the onions:
• Preheat the oven to 250°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining broth and pomegranate molasses with the tomato paste. Wrap one onion layer around about 2 to 3 tablespoons filling and arrange seam-side down in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Repeat with remaining onion layers and filling.
• Pour liquid over stuffed onions, cover with foil, and roast until tender and some of the liquid is absorbed, 2 hours (you can roast for up to 3 additional hours for softer, more savory onions). Remove from oven and uncover. Preheat broiler and broil until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. To serve, drizzle with oil, and garnish with pomegranate seeds, parsley, and cilantro.

BAKED STUFFED ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Trim the ends of the onions, leaving the skins on, and cut them in half horizontally. Put the onions, cut-side up, in a baking dish just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the oil; scatter the thyme sprigs over the top and season with salt and pepper. Add 2 cups of water, cover with foil, and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake, basting with the pan juices until the edges of the onions are browned, about 45 minutes to 1 hour more. (Add more water if pan is running dry.) Remove from the oven and cool.
• Smash the garlic clove with the side of a cook's knife. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat, add the garlic and stir until golden, about 3 minutes. Remove the garlic and discard. Working in batches, add the spinach, stirring to wilt before each addition. When all the spinach has been added, raise the heat to high, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cover and cook until fully wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain the spinach in a colander. When cool enough to handle, squeeze as much liquid from the spinach as possible and coarsely chop.
• Lower the oven heat to 350 degrees F.
• Scoop out the center of each onion, leaving at least half an inch of the outer rings, to make onion "bowls". Coarsely chop half of the onion centers, and reserve the remaining for another use. In a mixing bowl combine the chopped onion, spinach, lemon zest, eggs, cayenne, breadcrumbs, chopped thyme, and feta cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture evenly among the scooped-out onions. Drizzle the tops with the remaining olive oil and bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

STUFFED ONIONS

Steps:

• Trim the very ends of the onions. Make an incision in each, from top to root, then another 0.5cm along, so you can cut out and discard a thin wedge (like you're discarding a segment of orange). Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the onions. Boil for 10 mins, remove from the water and let cool. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• When the onions are cool enough to handle, carefully peel and set aside their outer layers - you want about 12-16 large layers in total, which will become the outer casing for the lamb filling. You can use the smaller, leftover layers in the middle for another recipe.
• Mix all the stuffing ingredients in a bowl and season well. Shape into 12-16 oval meatballs. Put each one on an onion layer and roll it up to create what looks like a small, peeled onion.
• Pour half the olive oil into a large, shallow casserole dish or roasting tin, then arrange all the stuffed onions on top in a tight, single layer. Drizzle over the remaining oil and bake for 45 mins. Brush with the molasses and bake for another 15-20 mins until the casings are really soft and dark golden brown. Serve with the root vegetable rice and the herby yogurt dressing on the side.