Vidalia Onions Fine for Stuffing

May is boom time for Vidalia onions, the mild, sweet version of the otherwise acrid vegetable. Cooking with Vidalias is a treat equal to eating them: they don’t make you cry. Larger than the garden-variety onion. Vidalias make ideal receptacles for flavorful stuffings. Try them as follows in this recipe adapted from the late Bert Greene’s book “Grains Cookbook.”

BAKED STUFFED ONIONS

4 Vidalia onions

2 teaspoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup cooked triticale berries

1/2 cup cooked long grain brown rice

4 teaspoons chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried

1/8 teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper

1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped

2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan or Asagio cheese

Peel onions and slice 1/2 inch off top and bottom so onions sit flat. Cook in boiling water to cover 10 minutes, then drain and allow to cool. Scoop out center of onions with spoon, leaving shells 2 layers thick. Chop enough of scooped-out onion to make 2 tablespoons, discarding rest or reserving for another use.

Melt butter in medium-size skillet over medium-low heat. Add chopped onions and saute 1 minute. Add triticale berries, rice, basil, mace, red pepper and tomato. Cook 4 minutes longer.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in mozzarella. Fill onion shells with mixture. Sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese. Place on oven-proof serving dish and bake at 400 degrees 25 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Note: Triticale berries can be found in most health food stores. If unavailable, substitute equal amount of cooked cracked wheat or wheat berries.