Bamberg Onion
Makes 2 stuffed onions
Ingredients
2 large onions (I used white onions, because those were the biggest and roundest I found)
2 slices streaky bacon, diced
2 oz or so of a smoked pork product (I used a hard smoked German sausage), finely diced
5 oz ground pork (mine was 20% fat)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp mace
1/2 tsp dried oregano (or marjoram)
2 TB finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 TB all-purpose flour
1-2 TB beef stock (not sure how much difference that makes, but every recipe I checked had it, so…in it goes)
1/2 cup smoked beer (Schlenkerla Rauchbier, if possible)
1 TB unsalted butter
Directions
First, prep your onions: Cut an inch or so off the top, then maybe half that from the bottom, so the onion can sit flat. Peel the onion, then using a spoon or similar implement, hollow out the onion, leaving 1/4-inch or so of the outside shell. Try not to cut through the bottom, but if it happens, it’s not a tragedy. It’ll be fine. Place the prepped onions in small baking dish and set aside. Reserve the onion tops and the onion guts.
Now, onto the filling: warm a skillet over medium-high heat, then toss in the diced bacon. Finely chop the onion innards, and when the bacon has rendered some fat but hasn’t quite crisped, add the chopped onion, cut the heat back a little, and cook just enough to soften the onion, 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool a bit while you move on to the rest of the filling.
Into a medium mixing bowl, add the smoked pork, the ground pork, the egg, and the seasonings (everything up to the flour), and the cooled bacon-onion mixture. Mix by hand or with a bowl scraper, being careful not to overwork it.
Now to stuff and bake the onions: set the oven to 375F. While the oven is heating, use a spoon (or your fingers) to stuff the meat mixture into the onions. Depending on the size of the onions and the size of the cavities, you may have some stuffing left over, or you may not have enough to completely fill them, but if possible, go right up to the top of the onion, and then add a little more. Pour enough water to come about 1/4-inch up the sides of the onions (you could optionally use beef or vegetable broth), then place, uncovered, in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of your onions. About halfway through, reach in there and put the little onion tops back on the onions.
Time to make the sauce: Once the onions have baked, remove them to a plate, set the skillet with the fat and fond in it back over medium-high heat, then add the flour and cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Next, pour in the beer, the broth, and the cooking liquid from the baking dish, scrape up the browned bits, bring to a strong simmer and reduce by about half or so, until it’s the consistency you like. Taste for seasoning, turn off the eat, and finish by stirring in the butter.
That’s it. Traditionally served alongside mashed or boiled potatoes.
The CookingBites recipe challenge: onions
Recipe based on a combination of several from around the internet.
Makes 2 stuffed onions
Ingredients
2 large onions (I used white onions, because those were the biggest and roundest I found)
2 slices streaky bacon, diced
2 oz or so of a smoked pork product (I used a hard smoked German sausage), finely diced
5 oz ground pork (mine was 20% fat)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp mace
1/2 tsp dried oregano (or marjoram)
2 TB finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 TB all-purpose flour
1-2 TB beef stock (not sure how much difference that makes, but every recipe I checked had it, so…in it goes)
1/2 cup smoked beer (Schlenkerla Rauchbier, if possible)
1 TB unsalted butter
Directions
First, prep your onions: Cut an inch or so off the top, then maybe half that from the bottom, so the onion can sit flat. Peel the onion, then using a spoon or similar implement, hollow out the onion, leaving 1/4-inch or so of the outside shell. Try not to cut through the bottom, but if it happens, it’s not a tragedy. It’ll be fine. Place the prepped onions in small baking dish and set aside. Reserve the onion tops and the onion guts.
Now, onto the filling: warm a skillet over medium-high heat, then toss in the diced bacon. Finely chop the onion innards, and when the bacon has rendered some fat but hasn’t quite crisped, add the chopped onion, cut the heat back a little, and cook just enough to soften the onion, 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool a bit while you move on to the rest of the filling.
Into a medium mixing bowl, add the smoked pork, the ground pork, the egg, and the seasonings (everything up to the flour), and the cooled bacon-onion mixture. Mix by hand or with a bowl scraper, being careful not to overwork it.
Now to stuff and bake the onions: set the oven to 375F. While the oven is heating, use a spoon (or your fingers) to stuff the meat mixture into the onions. Depending on the size of the onions and the size of the cavities, you may have some stuffing left over, or you may not have enough to completely fill them, but if possible, go right up to the top of the onion, and then add a little more. Pour enough water to come about 1/4-inch up the sides of the onions (you could optionally use beef or vegetable broth), then place, uncovered, in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of your onions. About halfway through, reach in there and put the little onion tops back on the onions.
Time to make the sauce: Once the onions have baked, remove them to a plate, set the skillet with the fat and fond in it back over medium-high heat, then add the flour and cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Next, pour in the beer, the broth, and the cooking liquid from the baking dish, scrape up the browned bits, bring to a strong simmer and reduce by about half or so, until it’s the consistency you like. Taste for seasoning, turn off the eat, and finish by stirring in the butter.
That’s it. Traditionally served alongside mashed or boiled potatoes.
The CookingBites recipe challenge: onions
Recipe based on a combination of several from around the internet.
