Ovenbaked onions stuffed with MARTINO’s whole wheat Couscous

Did you know that the Lebanese cuisine is a very ancient one? Many of the dishes can be traced back thousands of years to eras of Roman and Phoenician empires. However, you don’t have to travel that far to taste it. The amazing part of integrating couscous in your dishes is that it gives you the chance to experience different cultures and eras without even leaving your kitchen!

In addition to having great variety, Lebanese food is one of the freshest and most delicious on the planet. You will notice once you try the oven-baked onions stuffed with Martino’s whole wheat Couscous. In this Lebanese-inspired recipe, baking the onions at a high temperature caramelizes them and turns them into sweet little vessels for a savory couscous filling. Serve them as a main course or use smaller onions for a delicious side dish.

Recipe by Giallo Zafferano’ Simona Novarini

 

Here is how to prepare the Oven baked onions stuffed with Martino’s whole wheat Couscous

Servings: 4 people
Preparation: 15 minutes
Baking: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 medium to large onions
• 80 ml of water
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 80 grams  of Martino’s Organic whole wheat Couscous
• Parmesan cheese for sprinkling as needed

For the filling

• 150 grams of tomatoes
• 25 grams of anchovies in oil
• salt and spices as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• dried chives as needed
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Prepare the onions:
Fill a saucepan with water, add one salt and place it over high heat. While you wait for the water to boil peel 4 medium to large onions and toss them into the boiling water when it is ready.

Boil the onions for about 8-10 minutes. Then, drain them and cut them in half horizontally. Remove the inside layers of the onions leaving those vessels only a couple of centimeters thick.

Time to hydrate the couscous:
In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, pour 80 ml of water, one teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil. Bring everything to a simmer and turn off the heat.

Pour evenly 80 grams Martino Whole Wheat Couscous. Cover with a lid and let the couscous absorb all the water slowly for about 4-5 minutes. After the necessary time, fluff the couscous with the help of a fork.

Prepare the filling:
Pour the hydrated couscous in a large bowl, where you will mix all the delicious ingredients of the filling. Dice 150 grams of fresh tomatoes and add them to the couscous. Take about 25 grams of anchovies in oil, drain them well and cut them into small pieces. Toss them in the couscous bowl.

Now it is time to season. According to your preference add salt, your favorite mix of spices and dried chives. Don’t forget to sprinkle half tablespoon of garlic powder for extra flavor and taste.

Finally, pour 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and one generous spoon of Parmesan cheese. Mix everything well until everything is homogeneous and the aromas of the spices are released. Leave the couscous aside to absorb the aromas and the juices.

Get ready to bake:
Place the onion cups side by side in a well-oiled baking dish or Pyrex. With a spoon fill each of the onions with the aromatic couscous mixture. Sprinkle of top with Parmesan cheese and a few drops of extra virgin olive oil.

Baking:
Your onions are ready to bake. Place them in a preheated oven at 180°C and cook for about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven when the onions are gold to light brown and the Parmesan cheese is melted.

Serving:
Serve these delicious couscous-stuffed onions hot. They make a great main course, but you can use smaller onions for a delicious side dish.

There is an age-old tradition of warm hospitality that exists in Lebanese culture. Lebanese hosts will never believe you don’t have just a bit more room for something utterly delicious that’s been prepared with love. The same will happen when you serve these stuffed caramelized onions to your family or friends: there will always be room for some more.

Enjoy and don’t forget to subscribe to the newsletter to receive all the delicious Martino’s Couscous recipes directly in your inbox!

There is plenty of room for creativity in this recipe and we leave it up to you to enjoy in the process of smelling and adding different spices to the filling.

However, don’t forget to leave us a comment to tell us the results!