Baked Onions Stuffed with Kale and Wild Rice

They're so easy to make, yet so elegant on the plate. Serve in place of stuffing or as an appetizer. A serving of Baked Onions Stuffed With Kale and Wild Rice has your full daily dose of vitamins C and A.

Ingredients

2/3 cup wild rice
6 medium onions (about 4 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound kale
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup assorted dried fruit
(apricots, cherries, raisins, plums, or cranberries), finely chopped
2 tablespoons lowfat,
low-sodium chicken stock
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Directions

1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add wild rice, and boil 5 minutes. Cover and remove from heat. Allow to stand one hour. Drain any remaining liquid and set rice aside.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Peel onions and slice inch from top of each and just enough from root end so onions stand upright. Using a spoon, hollow them out, leaving a - to -inch-thick shell, and save the insides. Gently submerge shells in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove and transfer to a wire rack to dry.

3. Finely chop the onion insides, setting aside 2 cups of them and reserve the remainder for another use. Remove ribs and stems from kale leaves and chop finely.

4. In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add the 2 cups of chopped onions. Stir to coat, and cover pan with lid or aluminum foil for 5 minutes. Remove cover and cook 5 to 6 minutes more, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent and starting to brown. Add kale, garlic, and salt, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until kale is wilted. Add wild rice and dried fruit and stir to combine. Remove from heat.

5. Heat oven to 400*F. Line a baking sheet or roasting pan with foil. Mix stock and syrup, then brush insides and outsides of each onion shell. Stuff each shell, packing it well until the top is overflowing. Place onions on pan and drizzle remaining maple glaze over each. Cover pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 to 20 minutes more until stuffing is just browned.

Make-ahead tip Make the wild rice up to a week in advance; store covered in refrigerator.