Crab-Stuffed Vidalia® Onion with Wine Sauce

Ingredients:

Baked onion:

• 6 jumbo Bland Farms® Vidalia® Onions, peeled
• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter

Crab stuffing:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium Bland Farms® Vidalia® Onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 lb. lump crab meat
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 6 slices white bread, crust removed and cubed
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

White wine sauce:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1/4 cup Sauvignon Blanc
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 fresh thyme sprig
• 6 tbsp. cold unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley

Preparation:

1. For the baked onions, preheat oven to 425°F. Cut off the top and bottom of each onion so that it will sit flat. Using a paring knife, or melon baller, cut a 1-inch deep cone into the top of the onion. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Place the 1 tablespoon of butter in the center of each onion. Wrap each onion tightly in foil. Place in a shallow baking dish and bake for 45 minutes or until tender. Carefully unwrap, and set aside to cool. Decrease oven temperature to 375°F.
2. For the crab mixture, heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, bell peppers and celery; cook until tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to large mixing bowl; let cool.
3. In the same sauté pan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and cayenne pepper; cook and stir 2 minutes. Whisk in stock, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking until smooth. Add Worcestershire sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to boiling, reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat to cool.
4. Meanwhile, to the mixing bowl, add crab, eggs, bread cubes, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and parsley; stir to combine. Add mixture from sauté pan to the crab mixture; combine thoroughly.
5. Scoop out the center of each baked onion leaving a ¼-inch-thick shell. Fill each onion with the crab stuffing. Place stuffed onions in a shallow baking dish. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, for the wine sauce, heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add wine, lemon juice and thyme sprig; simmer until reduced by half. Remove pan from heat; discard thyme sprig. Whisk in cold butter 2 tablespoons at a time. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in parsley.
7. To serve, place each stuffed onion on a plate, and drizzle with wine sauce.