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Vidalia Onion Soup

Source of Recipe

From "A Southern Gentleman's Kitchen" by Matt Moore


Recipe Introduction

"If you're going to make this soup, it's important to pronounce the name correctly. So repeat after me, 'VI-DALE-YAH Onion Soup.' Vidalia, Georgia, is home to this world-famous onion variety, made even more popular by country crooner Sammy Kershaw in his 1996 hit 'Vidalia.' As the official state vegetable as well as an official trademark owned by the state of Georgia, Vidalias thrive in the rich, low-sulfur soil of southeast Georgia. Praised for their sweet flavor and consistency, these treasured onions start popping up in markets around the country in April and appear throughout the warm growing season. The natural sugars in Vidalias make them a perfect candidate for my French onion soup. I like to spend a good bit of time caramelizing the onions to develop their sweet, nutty flavor. With the help of some Mississippi beer and good-quality cheese, this is one of my favorite soups to serve when I'm entertaining or to simply enjoy on the couch at home."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 3 fresh thyme sprigs
â—¦ Kitchen string
â—¦ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
â—¦ 6 medium Vidalia onions, thinly sliced
â—¦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 4 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 1 cup brown ale
â—¦ ½ cup dry sherry
â—¦ 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ 6 cups beef stock
â—¦ 12 (½-inch) French baguette slices, lightly toasted
â—¦ 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese



Recipe

Tie thyme sprigs into a bundle with kitchen string.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat 1 minute or until hot; melt butter in Dutch oven. Add onion slices, and stir in salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, 45 minutes or until onions are caramel colored.

Increase heat to medium-high, add thyme bundle and garlic; cook, stirring once or twice, 1 minute or until fragrant. Add ale and sherry, stirring to loosen any browned bits from bottom of Dutch oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until liquid is syrupy and thick. Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle flour over onion mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes or until evenly coated, being careful the flour does not burn. Stir in stock, and bring to a light boil; reduce heat to low, and cook 15 minutes. Discard thyme bundle.

Preheat broiler with oven rack 5 to 6 inches from heat. Ladle soup into 6 large broiler-safe bowls, filling each about three-fourths full. Top each with two toasted bread slices; sprinkle each with â…“ cup shredded cheese. Broil 30 seconds to 1 minute or until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly. Serve immediately.

Serves 6