Recipe: Wild Rice and Pecan Stuffed Onions with Cranberry-Orange Glaze

Wild Rice and Pecan Stuffed Onions with Cranberry-Orange Glaze
Source: New York Times
Adapted from a recipe by Mollie Katzen
Yield: 6 servings

1/2 cup wild rice
6 medium Vidalia, Maui or other sweet onions
Olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Salt
1 12-ounce can orange juice concentrate
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
2 teaspoons light-color honey
3/8 cup (packed) dried cranberries, more for garnish
1 seedless orange, sliced, for garnish
1 bunch chives, for garnish.

In a small saucepan, combine rice with 1 1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until tender and water is absorbed, about 1 hour. Remove from heat, and set aside.

While rice is simmering, heat oven to 450 degrees. Trim a small slice from root end of each onion so that it will stand upright. Remove skins. Use a small sharp paring knife to cut tops off onions, and with a series of small slits, hollow out a cylinder 1 inch wide and 2 inches deep. With a teaspoon, continue to hollow out onions to within about 1/2 inch of bottom. Leave enough thickness in the walls to retain their shape. Mince onion taken from cavities, and set aside.

Rub onions with olive oil. Oil a baking dish large enough to hold them snugly in a single layer. Place in lower half of oven and roast until they are tender but still hold their shape, about 25 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and allow to cool.

Place a medium skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Melt butter, add minced onion and pecans, and saut about 8 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute, then add rice and salt to taste. Reduce heat to medium-low, and saute 5 minutes more. Remove from heat, and allow to cool. (Onions and filling may be prepared 2 days ahead, and stored covered in refrigerator.)

In a shallow saucepan, whisk together the orange juice concentrate, vinegar, mustard and honey. Place over medium heat, and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Add 3/8 cup cranberries and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook uncovered until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and keep warm, or allow to cool, cover, and refrigerate until needed. (May be prepared 2 days before assembly.)

For assembly: heat oven to 325 degrees. Stuff filling into cavities of onions. Place onions in a baking pan, and top with any remaining filling. Cover tightly with foil, and bake just until thoroughly heated. While onions bake, reheat glaze. To serve, put a spoonful of hot glaze on each plate, and top with an onion. Drizzle sauce on top, and garnish plates with orange slices, cranberries and chives.