Stuffed Greek Onions Recipes

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, slice about one-third off the top of each onion, leaving a flat crown. Then remove a small slice from the bottom so it will remain upright in the slow cooker. Using a grapefruit knife or melon baller, carefully scrape out as much of the onion's core as you can without ruining the onion. Place the onions in the slow cooker insert, pour in the water, cover, and cook on low for about 3 hours, or until the onions are somewhat tender when pierced with a paring knife.
• While the onions are cooking, combine the cheeses, olive oil, currants, chopped mint, and pine nuts in a bowl, mix together with a fork, and add a pinch of freshly ground pepper. Remove the cover of the slow cooker and fill each onion with 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture.
• Re-cover and continue cooking for about 1 hour longer, or until the cheeses are melted and the onions are very tender and getting brown about the edges. Spoon any liquid in the bottom of the cooker over the onions. Garnish each onion with a sprig of fresh mint and serve either hot or at room temperature.

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.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Make a lengthwise cut into each onion from the top to root end, slicing only halfway through to the middle of the onion. (This will make it easier to separate the layers.) Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer briskly until the onions are softened through the middle and the layers separate easily, about 25 minutes. Transfer onions to a cutting board and let cool.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden, 6 to 7 minutes; transfer to a plate to cool. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.
• In a small bowl, combine saffron and lemon juice, and let sit.
• Separate the onion layers until just the centers remain. (You may have to trim the root ends a bit more if the layers don't completely separate.) Cut the 2 largest outer layers from each onion in half for 12 equal pieces, then count out more of the inner layers for a total of 20 to 24 stuffed onions. (The number will vary depending on the size of onions.) Finely chop the remaining onion centers and any remaining onion layers to make 1 cup; a little less or more is OK.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a high-sided, 12-inch ovenproof skillet with a lid over medium. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 minutes. Stir in rice and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, and stir until evenly coated. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, the pepper, saffron-lemon juice, cinnamon stick, cumin, cardamom and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil over high, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until the liquid is just absorbed, about 3 minutes (rice will still be undercooked). Stir in toasted almonds, pistachios, raisins, cherries and parsley.
• Spoon 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture in the center of each onion layer so that the onion loosely covers the filling. (Rice will expand; bundles should be partly open.) Scrape out and discard any remaining rice (or reserve for future use) and clean out the skillet.
• Coat the bottom of the skillet with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and arrange onions seam side up in a single layer. Add 1 cup of water to the pan, season onions with salt and pepper, and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bring to a boil over high, cover tightly and transfer to the oven to bake until all the liquid has been absorbed, rice is cooked through and onions are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
• Garnish with parsley and drizzle with oil. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a Dutch oven, bring a small amount of water to a boil. Peel onions; using a slotted spoon, place onions in boiling water. Cook for 4-6 minutes more until softened; remove and let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut a 1/4-in. slice off the top of each onion. Remove center, leaving a 1/2-in shell. Chop centers and tops of onions; set aside. In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp; remove to paper towel to drain. In the drippings, saute chopped onion until tender. Stir in bread crumbs and parsley. Add the butter and mushrooms; cook until mushrooms are tender. Add bacon, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stuff onion shells; place in an ungreased shallow 1-qt. baking dish. Pour broth around onions. Bake, uncovered, until tender, 45 minutes, basting frequently during the first 15 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.

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.

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, slice about one-third off the top of each onion, leaving a flat crown. Then remove a small slice from the bottom so it will remain upright in the slow cooker. Using a grapefruit knife or melon baller, carefully scrape out as much of the onion's core as you can without ruining the onion. Place the onions in the slow cooker insert, pour in the water, cover, and cook on low for about 3 hours, or until the onions are somewhat tender when pierced with a paring knife.
• While the onions are cooking, combine the cheeses, olive oil, currants, chopped mint, and pine nuts in a bowl, mix together with a fork, and add a pinch of freshly ground pepper. Remove the cover of the slow cooker and fill each onion with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mixture.
• Recover and continue cooking for about 1 hour longer, or until the cheeses are melted and the onions are very tender and getting brown around the edges. Spoon any liquid in the bottom of the cooker over the onions.
• Garnish each onion with a sprig of fresh mint and serve either hot or at room temperature.
• Suggested Beverage
• Okay, I can't resist. I'd like to suggest a wellchilled glass of retsina with this dish. Even the cheap, generic stuff would do, and probably bring back fond memories of the Greek islands. But several of Greece's new generation of winemakers have experimented with making artisanal retsina, and I'd like to suggest that if you can find one, you buy it and drink it. Gaia Estates' Thalassitis is one I can happily recommend.