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Though he's called Nashville home for over a decade, cookbook author Matt Moore still proudly considers himself a born-and-raised Georgia boy. This April, he releases A Southern Gentleman's Kitchen: Adventures in Cooking, Eating, and Living in the New South (Oxmoor House), which includes this tasty recipe for Vidalia onion soup.
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. Raised for their sweet flavor and consistency, Moore adds, they start popping up in markets in late April. He likes to coax out their natural sugars in his version of French onion soup.
'I spend a bit of time caramelizing the onions to develop their sweet, nutty flavor,” he says. 'With the help of some local Yazoo beer, this is one of my favorite soups to serve when I'm entertaining at home.”
Vidalia Onion Soup
Adapted from A Southern Gentleman's Kitchen
3 fresh thyme sprigs6 Tbsp. unsalted butter6 medium Vidalia onions, thinly sliced1 tsp. kosher salt1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper4 garlic cloves, minced1 cup Yazoo Dos Perros½ cup dry sherry3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour6 cups good quality beef stock12 ½-inch French baguette slices, lightly toasted2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Gruyere cheese
Tie thyme sprigs into a bundle with kitchen string. Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat for 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, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add beer 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 ¾ full. Top each with 2 toasted bread slices; sprinkle each with ⅓ cup shredded cheese. Broil 30 seconds to 1 minute or until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly. Serve immediately.