Serves 4
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 50–55 minutes
4 large onions, about 250 g (8 oz) each
125 g (4 oz) cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
50 g (2 oz) fresh breadcrumbs
50 g (2 oz) blue Stilton cheese, finely crumbled
½ bunch of watercress, trimmed and finely chopped
50 g (2 oz) butter
salt and pepper
Cook the onions in boiling water for 15 minutes, until they are just tender. Drain and allow to cool until they can be handled.
Mix the apples with the breadcrumbs and cheese, then stir in the chopped watercress.
Remove the middle of each onion – this is easiest if you gradually scoop out the layers of onion with a teaspoon. Leave an unbroken shell about 2 layers thick. Chop the scooped-out onion from 1 of the onions (discarding the rest) and add to the cheese mixture. Mix well and season to taste, then press the mixture into the onion shells.
Stand the onions in an ovenproof dish and dot them with the butter. Bake in a preheated oven, 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4, for 35–40 minutes, or until the stuffing is cooked through.
For roast onions in their skins, slice the stem ends from 4 unpeeled onions, scrape the root ends and make a shallow cross in the core with a knife. Place the onions in a greased roasting tin and cook in a preheated oven, 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6, for about 1 hour, or until tender but still firm when pierced with a skewer. Remove from the oven, slip off the outer skins and place on a warmed serving dish. Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze slightly to open the centres and push a knob of butter into each onion. Garnish with watercress or parsley sprigs.