Servings: 8
INGREDIENTS
- 2.5 pounds/1.1 kilograms sweet onions
Filling:
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, grated
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 pound/450 grams ground beef or lamb
- 1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup pomegranate molasses
- ½ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Sauce:
- 2 ½ ups/600 milliliters creserved onion cooking water
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup pomegranate molasses
- 2 tablespoons date syrup
- 2 teaspoon salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Peel the onions and make a vertical slit from top to bottom, cutting to the center without halving them. Place the onions in a large pot, cover with water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the onions are tender but not falling apart. Transfer the onions to a bowl of ice water to cool, reserving the cooking water for the sauce.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chopped onions and cook until golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in the grated carrots and garlic, cooking for another 3 minutes. Add the ground meat, breaking it apart with a spoon, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the pomegranate molasses, tomato paste, chopped mint, jasmine rice, lemon juice, pine nuts, and salt. Cook for another 3–4 minutes, until the mixture is well combined and the liquid has mostly evaporated. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Drain the onions and carefully separate them into individual layers. Take a heaping tablespoon of filling and place it at the base of each onion layer, then roll tightly to enclose the filling. Arrange the stuffed onions snugly in a wide, shallow Dutch oven or baking dish, seam-side down, packing them closely to prevent unrolling during cooking.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, date syrup, and salt. Add the reserved onion cooking water and bring to a gentle boil. Pour the hot sauce over the stuffed onions, ensuring they are mostly submerged. Cover the dish with a layer of parchment paper, then seal tightly with aluminum foil.
- Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 2 hours. Remove the foil and parchment, baste the onions with the sauce, and return to the oven uncovered for an additional 20 minutes, until the onions are deeply caramelized and the sauce has thickened.
- Let the stuffed onions cool for 10 minutes before serving. Arrange on a platter, drizzle with the reduced sauce, and garnish with extra mint or pine nuts, if desired.
RECIPE NOTES
These stuffed onions are even better the next day — reheat gently in the oven with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.