Baked Onions With Black Walnut And Sausage Stuffing

This dish combines classic stuffing flavors with the unique taste of black walnuts. The onions take on a robust sweetness after a long baking time and provide the perfect vessel for the savory stuffing. The stuffing can be made in advance; just leave out the egg until it’s time to bake. No need to throw the onion scraps away—keep them in the fridge for future meals.

By Ashley Swartzendruber / Photography By Ashley Swartzendruber | November 15, 2021

Ingredients

6 medium red onions
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage
2 celery stalks, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pear, cored and finely diced
¾ cup black walnuts, roughly chopped
¾ cup dried bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
2 eggs, lightly whisked
4 ounces grated Gruyère cheese, divided
¾ cup chicken broth

Instructions

Serves 6

Preheat the oven to 400°. Cut the top and roots off each onion and then slice in half from top to bottom. Remove the outermost layer from each onion half. Using a paring knife, carve out the inner layers of each onion half until you have 3 layers remaining.

Place the onions, hollow side facing up, in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or baking dish. Use a pastry brush to evenly coat the onions with olive oil. Sprinkle the salt and ground pepper evenly over the onions and cover the pan with foil. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the onions are easily pierced with a fork. Set aside and leave the oven on.

Cook the sausage in a small skillet over medium heat until no pink remains. Add the celery and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Let the mixture cool slightly.

Place the sausage mixture, diced pear, black walnuts, bread crumbs, parsley, sage, eggs and half of the grated cheese in a large bowl. Stir until combined.

Spoon the stuffing into each onion and place any extra filling between the onions. Pour the chicken broth evenly over everything. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes. Scatter the remaining cheese on top of the onions for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Let cool slightly before serving and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.

Edible Michiana original recipe