Baked red onions stuffed with spiced couscous

Toasting before steaming or simmering adds a whole new dimension to couscous. The main thing to bear in mind is that you must season it generously. Herbs, citrus zest, spices and good olive oil will also give the toasted couscous a nudge along in the flavour stakes.

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME: 20 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR 40 MINUTES

4 large red onions, skin on

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

30g (1oz) butter

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons couscous

300ml (10½floz) vegetable stock or good-quality bought stock

2 tablespoons chopped dried apricots

2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6). Cut the tops off the onions and reserve. Slice any fibres off the root ends of the onions so they can sit upright, but leave as intact as possible so the onions hold together. Place in a baking dish or casserole, pour in a wine glass of water and drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil or a lid and bake for 1 hour, then uncover and set aside. When just cool enough to handle, scoop out the onion centres with a teaspoon, leaving enough outside layers to form a thick shell. Roughly chop the scooped-out flesh.

Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 15g (½oz) of the butter in a frying pan. Add the chopped onion plus the cinnamon and couscous. Stir for a few minutes until the couscous turns golden. Add 100ml (3½floz) of the stock, season generously with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat. Set aside for 5 minutes, then add the apricots, pine nuts and parsley and mix well.

Spoon the couscous mixture into the hollowed-out onions in the cooking dish, and pop the onion tops in the dish as well, along with the remaining stock. Dot with the remaining butter and bake for 25 minutes until golden. Cover the onions with foil or a lid if the tops brown too much before the cooking time is up. Serve with the onion tops perched on the onions if you like.