Sweet roast onions stuffed with couscous and topped with blue cheese and toasted pine nuts are a delicious one-bite appetizer. Or pair them with a few other tapas style items – like goat cheese stuffed peppadew peppers – for a light meal.
Our kitchen has been taken over by onions. For the past two months or so, we’ve gotten about five pounds of them with our weekly vegetable delivery. Even though I use onions almost every time I cook, it’s more than I can keep up with. I’ve been stashing them wherever I can find room – in my cabinets, in the bowl of my KitchenAid mixer, all over my counters… I made a giant pot of French onion soup the other night and it barely made a dent in my stash. Last week we thought we were finally getting a reprieve – onions weren’t on the list of produce we were told to expect. Lo and behold what did we find when we were unpacking out bag? More damn onions.
This recipe for roasted onions stuffed with curried black quinoa caught my eye on Pinterest, and I thought it might be a different way to use some of them up. Then as I was browsing menus looking for inspiration for today’s #SundaySupper event, which is all about tapas, I came across a dish called Cebolla Asada Con Queso Valdeón (roasted sweet onions with Valedon blue cheese and pine nuts). I married the two ideas and ended up with this dish, which I absolutely loved.
Roasting the onions with a drizzle of olive oil softens them up and brings out their natural sweetness – like the inside on an onion ring. The blue cheese added a rich earthiness, while quinoa and pine nuts gave them tons of texture.
I started with small onions, around two or two and a half inches across. They shrank in the oven, leaving each piece the perfect size to eat in one bite (which you’ll definitely want to do, since they can be a little messy otherwise.)
Ingredients
- 6 small onions
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil divided
- ¼ cup quinoa rinsed well
- ¼ cup water
- 1 carrot peeled and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts toasted
- 2 ounces gorgonzola crumbled
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350ºF.
- Peel the onions and slice off the ends. Cut each onion in half, crosswise through the widest part. Arrange the onions so that the wider end (what used to be the middle) faces up; use a paring knife to carefully hollow out the center each onion half, leaving about 1/2-inch around the edges. Finely chop the onion scraps and set aside.
- Place the onions in a shallow baking dish and drizzle with2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes.
- While the onions roast, prepare the filling: Combine the quinoa and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
- Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in the smallest pan you have. Add the carrot and reserved onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes or until soft and fragrant. Mix into the quinoa.
- When the onions are done roasting, stuff each onion with filling. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts, crumbled gorgonzola, and chopped parsley.
Here’s what’s on the #SundaySupper table this week. Is quite the party!
Stuffed Green Queen Olives with Garlic Infused Olive Oil from MarocMama
Cheesy, Tortellini Tapas & Spicy Bacon Ranch Dip from Daily Dish Recipes
Black-Eyed Pea Cowboy Caviar from Shockingly Delicious
Goan Beef Croquettes from Masala Herb
Giardiniera Salad from Peanut Butter and Peppers
Bacon Wrapped Calamari from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
Patatas Bravas from Supper for a Steal
Caramelized Onion & Gruyere Bites from The Foodie Army Wife
Agave Truffles from Killer Bunnies, Inc
Pear, Brie, and Honey Crostini from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Tomato Bread from girlichef
Clams in Green Sauce (Almejas en Salsa Verde) from The Little Ferraro Kitchen
Roasted Tomato-Basil Flatbread from Take A Bite Out of Boca
Herb and Citrus Marinated Olives from Magnolia Days
Smoky Paprika Peppers from Small Wallet, Big Appetite
Balsamic Raspberries with Mascarpone Cream from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Gambas al Ajillo from Manu’s Menu
Squid in Garlic Chili Olive Oil from Food Lust People Love
Tortilla Española from The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
Croquetas de Pollo from Cookin’ Mimi
Low-Carb Salmon Croquettes from Yours And Mine Are Ours
Bruschetta Topping from What Smells So Good?
Herb Roasted Almonds from Curious Cuisiniere
Artichoke Heart and Manchego Spread on Fried Garlic Bread from The Wimpy Vegetarian
Tortillita de Camarones from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Patatas A La Riojana (Rioja-Style Potato & Chorizo Stew) from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Gambas al Ajillo y Clementina (Shrimp with Garlic and Clementines) from FoodieTots
Tortillas De Papa y Atun (Tuna and Potatoes Tortilla) from Basic N Delicious
Pocky Cake Pops from NinjaBaking.com
Chorizo Filled Dates Wrapped in Bacon from I Run For Wine
Manchego-Stuffed Spanish Meatballs from The Weekend Gourmet
Roast Onions with Blue Cheese and Pine Nuts from Healthy. Delicious.
Shrimp and Chorizo Tapas from The Texan New Yorker
Blueberry and Lemon Yogurt Quesada from In The Kitchen With KP
Chorizo with Spicy Sweet Potato Tapas from Soni’s Food
Chorizo and Manchego Toast Tapas from Family Foodie
Roasted Bone Marrow with Citrus Salad from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
Mushroom Chevre Crostini from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Serrano Ham and Manchego Croquetas with Smoked Pimenton Aioli from My Other City By The Bay
Krab Filled Avocado Tapas from from Hot Momma’s Kitchen Chaos
Polenta Crostini Bites with Caramelized Mushrooms: Cicchetti – A Venetian Tapas Tradition from La Bella Vita Cucina
And since no party is complete without wine, Martin Redmond is here to give you the perfect recommendations: Best Wines To Pair With Tapas from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter every Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy! You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
I’m in love with these, and can’t wait to make them! And, I’m very impressed with your blog and your recipes! I’m so glad to have “met” you through Facebook! 🙂
Cheers, Debi
How cute are these onion cups? Loving them!
How cute, Lauren! Easy but very creative!