Onions Roasted with Cornbread and Pecan Stuffing

Onions Roasted with Cornbread and Pecan Stuffing

Spiced-Up Holiday Onions

Want to elevate your holiday feast? Give these stuffed onions a try! First, bake hollowed-out onions with stock until tender. While that cooks, make a zesty stuffing using salt pork, jalapenos, toasted pecans, and crumbled cornbread. Stuff the roasted onions and bake until the filling is heated through. Keep in mind, large onions of a consistent size are a must, and make a batch of our Basic Skillet Cornbread up to two days in advance.

For more unforgettable sides, explore our Roasted Onions Agrodolce, Easy Roasted Acorn Squash, and Baked Sweet Potato with Molasses-Clove Butter.

• Servings: 12
• Difficulty: Medium
• Total: 1 hr 15 mins
• Active: 30 mins

Ingredients (9)

• 6 large yellow onions
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• A pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 12 ounces salt pork or bacon, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic (from about 3 medium cloves)
• 2 tablespoons minced jalapenos
• 2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
• 9 cups cornbread, coarsely crumbled

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Trim the bottoms of the onions, leaving them stable, without cutting through the base. Slice off the top third and discard. Peel the onions, then hollow them out using a teaspoon, removing about three-quarters of the inside, leaving two to three outer layers intact. Scrape the inside to make the shells an even thickness. Reserve the leftover onion centers for another use.
2. Place the onion shells in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, dot with butter, and season with black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add half a cup of the chicken broth and braise in the oven, basting occasionally, until tender, around 40 minutes. You can refrigerate the braised onions, draining the liquid, when making ahead. Set aside.
3. While the onions bake, prepare the stuffing. Cook the salt pork in a large pot over medium heat until golden brown, which takes about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and jalapenos and cook for 3 more minutes. Add pecans and toast until browned. Stir in the crumbled cornbread and cook until warm, which takes another 5 minutes. Season with black pepper, add the remaining chicken broth, stir well, and remove from heat.
4. Stuff the braised onions with the mixture and bake until heated through, around 10 minutes. Reserve any remaining stuffing in a buttered loaf pan to bake while the onions cook.

Enrichment Data:

This dish is a creative take on traditional onion stuffing recipes. Here's a recipe to make baked onions stuffed with a cornbread and pecan filling:

Ingredients:

• 2 large onions (sweet yellow or any variety)
• 1 cup cornbread crumbs (homemade or store-bought)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh herbs (optional), such as thyme or sage

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare Onions

1. Hollow Out Onions: Cut the tops off each onion, creating a lid. Scoop out the inside of the onion, leaving about a 1-inch thick shell. Set aside the hollowed onions and save the scooped-out onion for another use.

Step 2: Prepare Cornbread Filling

1. Toast Pecans: Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast in a 350°F (175°C) oven for around 5 minutes, until fragrant.
2. Combine Filling: In a bowl, mix together cornbread crumbs, toasted pecans, and melted butter.
3. Add Flavor: Season the mixture with salt, pepper, and any desired fresh herbs.

Step 3: Assemble and Bake

1. Stuff Onions: Fill each hollowed onion with the cornbread mixture, pressing it into the onion carefully.
2. Moisten with Broth: Drizzle a tablespoon of chicken broth over the stuffing.
3. Brush with Olive Oil: Brush the outside of the onions with olive oil.
4. Cover and Bake: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes.
5. Uncover and Continue Baking: Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes, until the onions are tender and the tops are lightly browned.

Step 4: Serve

1. Serve Warm: Serve the baked onions warm, garnished with additional pecans if desired.

This tasty side dish combines sweet onions with the savory goodness of cornbread and the crunch of pecans for an unforgettable flavor.

• Use the leftover crumbled cornbread from the spiced-up holiday onions recipe to make baked onions with a cornbread and pecan filling.
• Ensure your baked onions have a balance of nutrition by including ingredients like pecans and cornbread in the filling.
• Follow the given instructions for the baked onions with cornbread and pecan filling, and you'll have a delicious, crunchy side dish for your holiday feast.

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