KosherEye.com
Photo: Epicurious.com
By Eileen Goltz, CuisinebyEileen.com, Modified from Gourmet November 2002
This is a great recipe for onion lovers. Onions are a staple in most kitchens; they are diced, sliced, chopped, minced − you name it − and are a basic ingredient in most recipes. But in this recipe, they are a stand-alone star – they are stuffed and baked and totally delicious!
Ingredients:
10 medium red onions
1 lb sliced pastrami or turkey pastrami cut into bite sized pieces
3 stalks of celery cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 lb baby spinach, trimmed and coarsely chopped (4 cups)
1 1/2 cup matzo farfel
2 cups salted cashews coarsely chopped
1 stick margarine, melted
1 1/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Directions:
Make onion shells:
Cut a 1/2-inch-thick slice from tops of onions, discarding tops, and trim just enough from bottoms for onions to stand upright. Scoop out all but outer 2 or 3 layers from each using a small ice cream scoop or spoon (don't worry if you make a hole in the bottom), reserving scooped-out onion and onion shells separately.
Make stuffing: Coarsely chop enough scooped-out onion to measure 3 cups.
Cook pastrami in 2 batches in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp, about 5 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, reserving about 1/3 cup fat in skillet. Add chopped onion, celery, salt, and pepper to skillet and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and stir in spinach, cashews, farfel, 1 cup broth, and pastrami, and then cool completely.
Roast onions: Preheat oven to 425. Arrange onion shells, open sides up, in a 13X9 baking pan, then add 1/2 cup water and cover pan tightly with foil. Roast onions in middle of oven until tender but not falling apart, 25 to 30 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350. Transfer shells to a work surface and pour off water in pan. Fill shells with stuffing, mounding it, and return to pan. Reserve 5 to 7 cups stuffing for turkey cavity, then put remaining stuffing in a buttered shallow 3 1/2-quart baking dish and drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup stock. Bake stuffed onions and stuffing in dish in middle of oven, uncovered, until heated through, about 25 minutes.
Notes:
Yield: Makes 10
Cooks' notes: Stuffing can be prepared and onions can be stuffed 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring stuffed onions to room temperature before baking.
Recipes: Passover, Side Dishes, Onions, Stuffed, Meat, Kosher