Lentil & Walnut Stuffed Onions

The recipe

Lentil & Walnut Stuffed Onions

Tender onion layers wrapped around lentils, walnuts, bulgur and parsley, baked snugly in tomato sauce so the parcels stay rolled and soften evenly.

Ingredients

• 1,000 g raw peeled large onions, about 4, weighed after trimming
• 120 g dry green or brown lentils, rinsed
• 40 g dry fine bulgur
• 60 g shelled raw walnuts, finely chopped
• 20 g raw parsley leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
• 12 g raw peeled garlic, finely chopped
• 20 g olive oil
• 4 g ground cumin
• 60 g concentrated tomato purée
• 400 ml prepared vegetable stock
• 15 g red wine vinegar
• 3 g fine salt
• 1 g ground black pepper
• 2,600 ml water: 1,500 ml for onions, 1,000 ml for lentils and 100 ml for bulgur

Instructions

1. Trim the onions conservatively so their layers remain intact. Make one lengthwise slit down each onion, cutting from the outside to the centre on one side only. Put in a snug saucepan with 1,500 ml water, bring to a gentle simmer and cover. Cook for 25–35 minutes, turning occasionally, until the outer layers bend easily without cracking.
2. Meanwhile, put the lentils in a second saucepan with 1,000 ml water. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 20–30 minutes until tender but holding their shape. Drain thoroughly. Put the fine bulgur in a heatproof bowl, pour over 100 ml boiling water, cover and leave for 15 minutes, until tender and the water is absorbed.
3. Lift the onions onto a tray and let cool for 10 minutes, keeping their cooking water temporarily. Carefully peel away 12–16 large layers, opening each at the slit. If any layer resists bending, return it to the simmering water for 5 minutes. Finely chop all the remaining onion centres; discard the cooking water.
4. Heat the oven to 190°C conventional or 170°C fan. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion centres and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until excess moisture has evaporated. Add the garlic and cumin and cook for 1 minute.
5. Stir the drained lentils, softened bulgur, walnuts, parsley, 2 g salt and black pepper into the onion mixture. Mash a few spoonfuls of lentils against the pan, then stir them back through to help bind the filling. Let stand for 5 minutes so it is comfortable to handle.
6. Whisk the tomato purée, stock, vinegar and remaining 1 g salt together. Pour into a shallow baking dish approximately 28 × 20 cm. Lay an onion layer open with its concave side facing up. Place a modest spoonful of filling near one end, leaving the edges clear, and roll so the ends overlap by at least 2 cm. Divide the filling among the layers without stretching them.
7. Nestle the parcels seam-side down in the sauce, tightly alongside one another in a single layer. Use a smaller dish if necessary to keep them snug. Spoon sauce over their tops; it should reach roughly halfway up the parcels. Cover the dish tightly with a lid or foil.
8. Bake covered for 35 minutes. Pierce a parcel with a small knife: the onion should offer very little resistance. If still firm, cover and bake for another 10 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes to lightly colour the tops and reduce the sauce. Rest for 5 minutes, then serve the parcels with the tomato sauce spooned around them.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate in shallow covered containers within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 32°C. Keep at 4°C or below and eat within 3 days. Reheat covered with the sauce until the centre reaches 74°C.

Substitutions and ingredient notes

Replace the walnuts with the same weight of finely chopped peanuts for a different flavour, checking for peanut allergy. For a wheat-free version, replace the bulgur with 40 g dry quinoa, cooked separately according to its packet. Walnuts are tree nuts and bulgur contains wheat; check stock and all packaged ingredients for relevant allergens and cross-contact.

Estimated nutrition

411 kcal · 15g protein · 57.2g carbohydrate · 16.0g fat · 10.7g fibre per serving.

Calculated from measured ingredients and generic composition data. Brand choices and substitutions change the estimate.

Storage references: USDA leftover guidance · FSA food guidance