You have to make this. A dish from Afghanistan that will make you appreciate how onions are a world food. In the wonderful Onions Etceterea, Kate Winslow and guy Ambrosio do give you a world tour of alliums: onions, scallions, garlic, chives and shallots. The have lovely American recipes, here too, onion rings of course! But it is the world recipes that may intrigue you. This one from Afghanistan, salads from Turkey and Thailand. I’ve posted a Pearl Onion Tarte Tatin. So many wonderful choices in Onions!
The filling here will surely make you think of the famed Silk Road. There’s a hint of cinnamon included to marry with garlic and parsley. In Afghanistan, this dish is traditionally made with ground lamb, but here lentils are substituted. You could, of course, combine lamb and lentils all at the same time. So, buy big onions!
Here’s my review of Onions.
Roasted Onions Stuffed with Lentils, Feta and Prunes
Yield: serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
- 3 large sweet onions
- 2 plump garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups cooked lentils
- 1 cup cooked white rice
- 8 prunes, chopped
- ½ cup finely crumbled feta
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup water
Preparation:
Bring a pot of water to a boil. As you wait for the water to boil, peel the onions and trim the root end. Cut each onion lengthwise to its center -as if you were cutting the onion in half but stopping halfway through. This will make it easier to separate the layers once the onions are boiled. Place the trimmed onions into the gently riling water and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to large bowl filled with cold water. Let the onions cool in the water for a few minutes. To keep from burning your fingertips, work under the water to gentle separate the softened outer layers of each onion about 4 or 5 per onion, until you get to the stiffer middle section. Put the onion layers in a sieve to dry.
When the middle sections are cool enough to handle, remove them from the water and finely chop them (you should have about 1 cup).
Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a casserole dish. Combine the chopped onions, garlic and olive oil in a small skillet over moderate heat and cook, stirring from time to time, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and scrape into a bowl. Add the lentils, rice, prunes, feta and 2 tablespoons parsley. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper and stir everything together. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Take 1 onion layer in the palm of your hand and fill with a heaping spoonful of stuffing. Roll the onion layer around the stuffing into a neat torpedo shape and arrange seam side down in the oiled dish. Continue with the remaining onion layers and filling, arranging them snugly in the dish. Pour ¼ cup water around the stuffed onions, then drizzle the onions with olive oil and season the tops with salt and pepper. Cover the dish with foil and bake until the onions are tender and juicy, about 45 minutes.
Remove the dish from the oven and turn on the broiler. Take off the foil and baste the onions with some of the liquid that has collected in the bottom of the dish. Broil the onions until lightly browned, a matter of a few minutes, then serve hot or at room temperature, garnished with some chopped parsley.
Source: Onions Etcetera by Kate Winslow and Guy Ambrosino [Burgess Lea Press, 2017]