Baked Stuffed Onions (Naked Chef)

Today is one of Matt’s days off, and he is coming over for dinner.  Which means Steve wanted to grill a steak.  Steve’s favorite steak is the ribeye, so I grabbed some out of the chest freezer last night.  And then we debated what sides to make with the steaks.

Steve was pretty adamant that he wanted my baked stuffed onions.  Which is kind of funny because they are not really “my” baked stuffed onions.  They are the Naked Chef’s baked stuffed onions.   But I have been making them for over 15 years, so my husband thinks of them as mine.

You might remember that the Naked Chef was Jaime Oliver of Food Network fame.  I was watching him on that channel, I think it must have been around 2001, and I saw him make these stuffed onions.  They looked so amazing on the show that I had to give them a shot.  I don’t remember all the details of the show (it has been some time, after all), but I had to go from memory because either he did not provide exact measurements (which he often didn’t) or I did not write them down.

Well, a lack of precise measurements sure did not seem to hurt the recipe, because they came out FANTASTIC!  And I have made them off and on ever since.

But I hadn’t made them in a while, so when Steve asked for them, I had no trouble getting on board with it.

let’s see what goes into making these baked stuffed onions

Not much to it, as you can see.  But there is something about these specific ingredients combined that will blow your socks off.  Start with the yummy sautéed garlic and onion base.  Add to it the cream, rosemary, and parmesan.  The result comes together so well it’s like they were designed for each other.  I think Jamie Oliver’s genius lies precisely in creating recipes that combine everyday things, turning them into the extraordinary.

Matt is going to be a very happy young man tonight, let me tell you.

Now let’s look at what it takes to make these baked stuffed onions

Remove the flaky skin from the onions and boil them for about 10 to 15 minutes until they just start to become tender.  Allow them to cool, then cut a thin slice off the bottom so that they can sit flat.  Next, cut the top inch or so off, and scoop out a hollow spot in the middle to accommodate the filling.  Don’t cut all the way through or your filling will escape through the opening in the bottom.  Repeat for all the onions.

Then, chop the edible onion parts you cut off or scooped out, and sauté in olive oil with the garlic and rosemary.  Cook until they are tender.

When they have become tender, turn off the flame and add the cream and parmesan.  Stir well and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Next, wrap the onions in bacon, securing with a sprig of rosemary.  You can use a toothpick if you prefer.  I have several pots of rosemary in my yard, so I can spare the sprigs.  And even though they will brown up and shrivel in the 400-degree oven, I prefer them to toothpicks because they fall out easily when eating as opposed to having to yank at a toothpick to get it out.  I just trim the brown parts off before serving.

Then spoon all the mixture into the onions, being sure to fill the centers and then extend the filling across the tops until they all have a little cap of filling.  I’ve made these often enough that I somehow manage to use all the filling.  But you may have some left over.

Then bake them for about 25 minutes at 400° F.

Until they look like this.  If yours don’t get a nice caramelized cap, you can always turn on the broiler for a minute or two.  But be careful!  More than once I have broken my own heart by trying to add some gorgeous color only to realize that the broiler burned my delicious meal to a crisp.  So, keep an eye on it if you use the broiler.

By the way, your bacon likely will not brown.  After all, it is wrapped in such a way that it is perpendicular to the pan, so browning is difficult.  But it will be fully cooked and delicious.  I tried par cooking them in the past to see if they would brown better, but I don’t recommend it.  They shrink so much after partial cooking that they may not be able to wrap all the way around the onions.

I placed them on a serving dish so you could see them more clearly.  Usually, I just serve them onto the plates straight from the oven dish.  Right next to a big juicy steak, or some nice rotisserie chicken.  Add salad on the side, and you are good to go!

Because I made these for our dinner with Matt, I won’t be able to eat one just yet.  But gosh, I wish I could!  You have no idea how good my house smells right now!

Give these baked stuffed onions a try, guys.  You won’t regret it.

Baked Stuffed Onions (Naked Chef)

Lori

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Servings 4 stuffed onions

Ingredients

  

• 4 medium sweet onions
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic diced
• 4 sprigs rosemary for securing bacon plus
• 1 teaspoon fresh leaves chopped
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 4 slices bacon
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions

 

• Remove the papery skin from the onions and boil them for 10-15 minutes until they just start to become tender.
• Remove from the water and allow to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 400° F.
• Cut the root stem off so that the onion can sit flat, and discard the root stem.
• Cut the top inch or so off, and using a spoon, carve out the center of the onion to allow for a tablespoon or so of filling. Do not cut all the way to the bottom or the filling will escape during baking.
• Repeat with all the onions.
• Chop the removed center and tops.
• Sauté the chopped onion, garlic and 1 teaspoon of chopped rosemary with the olive oil until tender.
• Turn off the heat.
• Add the cream and Parmesan to the onions and garlic mixture, stirring to mix well.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Wrap the carved onions around the middle with bacon, securing with a rosemary sprig or a toothpick.
• Set the wrapped onions in an oven pan.
• Divide the filling equally between the onions, filling the centers and covering the tops fully. You may have some filling left over.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops are nicely caramelized. You can use the broiler for a minute or two to add color, if necessary.
• Serve hot.