BAKED ONIONS STUFFED w/SQUASH

By BobD

Ingredients

• For the sauce:
• Cipolle Ripiene di Magro
• Makes 6 servings
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons salt, plus more for seasoning the filling
• 6 medium-size (about 3-1/2 inches in diameter) onions, either yellow or red or a sweet variety, such as Vidalia or Maui Sweet
• 1 pound peeled, seeded and diced (1/2-inch) butternut squash (about 3-1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup finely diced mostarda di Cremona, (see note below) with syrup
• 1/4 cup fine plain dry bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Freshly ground white pepper
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 6 amaretti cookies, finely crumbled (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
• Note: Mostarda di Cremona are candied fruits, whole or cut into piece, that are preserved in a white wine and honey syrup highly flavored with spices and mustard. It is produced and widely used around

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from lidiasitaly.com

Preparation

Step 1

Fill a large (4- to 5-quart) pot halfway full with water. Add the vinegar and the 2 tablespoons of salt and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, peel the onions, leaving them whole and the root ends completely intact.

Add the onions to the water, cover the pot, and cook until the onions are half-cooked– a paring knife inserted into the onions should meet only a little resistance– about 25 minutes. Don’t cook the onions until they are completely tender, or they will fall apart during stuffing and further cooking. Drain the onions and let stand until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan boiling salted water, cook the squash until completely tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the squash thoroughly.

Pass the squash through a food mill fitted with the fine disc into a large mixing bowl. (Alternatively, force the squash through a coarse sieve using the back of a large spoon or a ladle.) You should have about 2 cups puree. Measure out one third of the squash and set aside. Add the mostarda and syrup , the bread crumbs, egg, and nutmeg to the remaining squash, mix together well, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Cut off about 1/2-inch of the top- opposite the root end- of each onion. Carefully remove the center of each onion, leaving two or three outer layers intact for filling. (This will be easiest if you hold the onion securely in one hand and scoop underneath the sections you want to remove with a soup spoon. Rotate the inner sections to free them.) Spoon the seasoned squash mixture into the onions, dividing it evenly.

In a small bowl, stir 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and the crumbled cooking together until blended, and spoon the mixture over the onions. Brush and 11 x 8-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter and place the onions in the dish. Spoon the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over the top of the onions. Bake until the onions and filling are browned, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium-size saucepan, combine the reserved squash puree, the cream, and the chicken stock. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Adjust the heat to a gentle boil and boil until the sauce is syrupy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the grated cheese and bring back to a boil. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve and keep warm.

To serve, divide the sauce among serving plates. Place the onions over the sauce and sprinkle the onions and sauce with the chives. Serve immediately.