Slow-cooked onions with nut stuffing
Slow cooking does wonderful things to onions, turning them sweet, succulent and mellow. Onions have anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting and anti-carcinogenic properties – they are also easier to digest when cooked slowly if you have a sensitive gut.
Ingredients
Serves 4
Low: 5–6 hours
High: 4–5 hours
8 medium-sized onions, peeled
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp chopped walnuts
70 g/21/2 oz./11/3 cups day-old spelt breadcrumbs
70 g/21/2 oz. sun-dried tomatoes in oil, finely chopped, plus 2 tsp oil for brushing
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
sea salt and cracked black pepper
1 handful chopped parsley leaves
Trim the root end of each onion to make a flat base. Using a small sharp knife, slice the top off each onion then cut out a deep hollow, leaving a 1.5 cm/3/4 inch thick onion shell. Reserve half of the scooped-out onion (save the rest for another recipe) and finely chop.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan/skillet, add the chopped onion and fry for 8 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, thyme, pumpkin seeds and chopped walnuts and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the breadcrumbs, sun-dried tomatoes and lemon zest until combined. Season the stuffing mixture with salt and pepper.
Brush the outside of each onion with the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes. Generously fill each onion with the stuffing, pressing it down as you go and mounding the top.
Arrange the stuffed onions in the slow cooker pot – they should fit snugly. Cover and cook on low for 5–6 hours, or high for 4–5 hours. The onions should be beautifully tender but still keep their shape. Serve sprinkled with parsley.
