Roasted Sweet Onions Stuffed with Ground Lamb and Apricots
This Moroccan-inspired recipe is one of those dishes where less is more: a big, sweet onion stuffed with cinnamon- and cumin-scented ground lamb and plump apricots. While you may be tempted to put the whole spice cabinet in the lamb filling, the simple duo of cinnamon and cumin does the trick. The fruit plays off the rich gaminess of the lamb and the spices add a subtle background flavor to tie it all together. This stuffed onion is perfect for a weeknight dinner with a green salad and steamed basmati rice, or elegant enough to make as a starter for a dinner party. The best part is that you can do this all ahead of time and just pop the stuffed onions in the oven before dinner. Sweet!
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Without peeling the onions, cut about 1 inch off the top of each and just enough off the bottoms so that the onions stand upright. Reserve the onion tops and discard the bottoms. Remove all but the outer two layers of each onion by scooping out the centers with a spoon or melon baller. Set the onion shells in a baking dish, along with the tops. Set aside. Finely chop the insides.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Step 3
In a small pot, combine the stock, apricots, and zest over medium heat. Gently simmer until the apricots are plump and the liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup, roughly 10 minutes.
Step 4
Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the chopped onions and cook until soft, about 12 minutes. Add the lamb, cinnamon, and cumin to the onions. Raise the heat to medium-high; season with the salt and pepper. Cook, continually stirring with a wooden spoon, until the lamb is crumbly, 7 to 8 minutes. Do not drain the rendered fat; you need it to keep the onions moist. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the apricot mixture with its liquid, hot sauce to taste, the parsley, and mint. Let cool slightly. The lamb filling can easily be prepared a day in advance, covered, and refrigerated.
Step 5
Spoon the lamb mixture into the hollowed-out onions, pressing down with your hands to pack it in, and mound it over the onions. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top and dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for 10 minutes, until the bread crumbs are brown. Serve immediately with a few leaves of arugula on the side.
