This recipe is adjusted from the recipe found in Fannie Merritt Farmer’s 1896 Cookbook p. 265.

Fannie Merritt Farmer’s Stuffed Onions

Yields: 4 to 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 60–75 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 large Spanish or sweet onions
• 1 cup chicken, cooked and shredded
• ¼ cup bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp butter, divided
• ¼ tsp salt, plus more to taste
• ⅛ tsp pepper, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp marjoram or summer savory
• 1 egg yolk

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the whole, peeled onions. Boil until they are tender but still intact, about 10 minutes.
2. Carefully remove the boiled onions from the pot, turn upside-down, and let them cool.
3. Cut a thin slice off the top of each onion. Using a small spoon, scoop out the center layers, leaving a hollow shell with two or three outer layers for structure. Finely chop the scooped-out onion pulp and reserve it.
4. In a bowl, mix together the cooked chicken, bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon of the melted butter, the egg yolk, the chopped onion, and the seasonings (salt, pepper, marjoram or savory). Add a little cream or broth, if needed, to make the mixture moist.
5. Fill the hollowed-out onion shells with the mixture, mounding it slightly at the top.
6. Arrange the stuffed onions in a baking dish. Dot the tops of the onions with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.
7. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
8. Serve the stuffed onions hot as a side dish. 

---