Bacon-Wrapped Baked Onions

This may take a little time to make but well worth the little extra effort, very impressive to serve to your dinner guests, this is one of the best recipes for baked onions you will ever have! The onions may be boiled and the insides removed ahead of time and refrigerated to finish filling and baked later. The original recipe called for only for 4 onions, but I increased and "tweaked" the recipe slightly.

• Ready In: 1 hr 40 mins
• Yields: 8 onions

Ingredients

• 8  onions (about the size of a tennis ball, with outer skin removed, no larger as you will not get the bacon or)
• 1 -2  tablespoon  minced fresh garlic (or to taste)
• 4 -6  tablespoons  oil
• 1  cup  whipping cream (unwhipped)
• 1 1⁄4 cups  grated parmesan cheese
•  salt and pepper
• 8  slices  uncooked bacon or 8  slices pancetta, slices

Directions

1. Cook the onions in boiling water until tender, but not falling apart (about 25 minutes).
2. Remove from pot with a slotted spoon and cool.
3. When cool enough to handle, cut off about an inch off of top of onions with a very sharp knife, and finely chop the tops.
4. Trim the root end of the onions slightly, just enough so they can stand straight.
5. Scoop out about a heaping tablespoon from the center of each onion (make certain to keep the inside intact) and finely chop the center, adding to the rest of the chopped onions.
6. Transfer the hollowed onions to an oiled baking dish (I use an 11x7-inch for 8 onions, if you are only making 4 onions, then use an 8x8-inch).
7. Set oven to 375 degrees.
8. In a skillet over medium heat, saute the chopped onions for about 3 minutes in oil.
9. Stir in whipping cream and remove from heat.
10. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
11. Fill the whole onions with some of the sauted onion and Parmesan mixture, then spoon the remainder of the mixture around the onions in the baking dish.
12. Wrap a piece of pancetta or a bacon slice around the middle of each onion and secure with a toothpick.
13. Bake the onions for about 40-50 minutes (depending on the size of your onions).