Recipe: Roasted Stuffed Onions (using bread, sausage, figs and pine nuts)

ROASTED STUFFED ONIONS
"Stuffing isn't just for turkeys! Filled baked onions with savory sausage dressing make a colorful and unique side dish!"



6 to 8 yellow and/or red onions, similar in size
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
1/2 pound link pork sausage, chopped or ground pork
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh fennel bulb
1 tablespoon Spice Islands Garlic Powder
8 cups cubed Italian bread
1/2 cup snipped figs
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon Spice Islands Poultry Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands Fennel Seed
1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chicken broth
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon Spice Islands Italian Herb Seasoning
1/4 cup shredded Romano cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel outer layer of onions. Cut and discard a 1/2-inch slice from onion tops. Trim onion bottoms just enough to enable onions to stand up. Hollow out onions, leaving a 1/4-inch shell. Reserve 1 cup of onion centers; chop. Place onion shells on baking sheet; drizzle outside surface with olive oil.

Roast for 20 minutes, or until slightly browned and tender. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Brown sausage in skillet over medium-high heat. Remove sausage and reserve 2 tablespoons of dripping. Saute reserved chopped onions, fennel and 1 tablespoon garlic powder in pan drippings for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired.

Combine sausage mixture with bread cubes, figs and pine nuts in a large bowl. Stir poultry seasoning, garlic powder, fennel seed, pepper and salt into chicken broth. Pour over stuffing; stir in egg and butter. Mix thoroughly.

Mound stuffing into roasted onions. Place any remaining stuffing in a casserole dish. Sprinkle stuffed onions and top of casserole with Romano cheese and Italian herb seasoning.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

Makes 8 servings
Source: Spice Islands, ACH Food Companies, Inc.