Onion Usage and Recipes

·         Vidalia Onions can be chopped and dried in the oven and used for cooking and seasonings. Use the lowest setting and remove when thoroughly dry but not brown. Store at room temperature in airtight containers.

·         Vidalia Onions can be frozen. Chop and place on a cookie sheet in the freezer. When frozen, remove and place in freezer containers or bags, and seal. This allows you to remove the amount you want when you want it. An alternative is to freeze whole. Jumbos can be peeled, washed, cored and dropped in a plastic bag. Once frozen, they can be removed like ice cubes. Freezing changes the onion's texture, so frozen onions should be used for cooking only. Whole frozen Vidalia’s can also be baked.

·         Vidalia Onions have a distinctively mild flavor - milder and sweeter - than any other onion, so they are excellent in salads and sandwiches where hot onions would be overpowering. Use thick slices on hamburgers or with grilled steak.

·         Vidalia’s add a distinctive sweetness to any dish. They are, however, delicious all by themselves, raw or baked.

·         Place a whole, raw, unpeeled Vidalia Onion in the refrigerator and chill for approximately one hour before serving, or peel and cut into slices and place in a bowl of ice water for approximately 30 minutes and then drain on paper towels. Either of these methods will bring out a sweeter flavor when eating raw Vidalia’s.

·         To bake a Vidalia Onion, peel, then cut off the top and bottom to make it sit flat. Place a pat of butter on top, and microwave for 5 minutes on high, or wrap securely in foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until tender.

·         Fried onion rings are one of my favorites.  Mix your own special batter or purchase one of the many great premixed batters.  Cut your onions into thick slices, core, batter and fry in cooking oil until golden brown.

Onion Recipes

Vidalia Onion Rings

Prepare 1 medium-large onion per person.
Slice cleaned onions approximately 1/8-inch thick. Next soak in cold milk. Then coat the slices evenly with all purpose flour and fry quickly in enough hot oil to cover the onions. Cook several minutes until golden brown, drain and serve immediately. Salt to taste.


Blooming Onion

1 very large vidalia onion
1 egg, 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 tsp. Salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper,
1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, 1/4 tsp. Oregano, 1/8 tsp. Thyme, 1/8 tsp. Cumin,
olive oil for frying

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Slice the onion almost all the way through in a star shape making about 6-8 slices. Soak thoroughly in batter and quickly deep fry in hot oil. Cook until brown. Remove whole onion and slice the rest of the way and serve hot.

Dipping sauce:

Order a bottle of Anderson’s Harvest Vidalia Onion Dipping Sauce direct from Vidalia Onion Fundraising, and serve hot or cold with fried onions. Invite all of your friends over.

Vidalia Onion Mufaletta: by John Ashton

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped Vidalia Onion
• 1/2 cup drained small Spanish, pimiento-stuffed green olives
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup sliced fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1 24-inch long French or sourdough baguette, split lengthwise
• 12 ounces assorted sliced deli meats and cheeses (such as ham, mortadella, salami, provolone cheese and mozzarella cheese)
• 1/2 Vidalia Onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

Combine Vidalia Onion, olives, olive oil, basil, capers, red wine vinegar and oregano in a food processor and pulse until ingredients are finely chopped.Transfer relish a to bowl, cover and let stand for 1 hour. Spread 1/2 cup mufaletta relish over each cut side of bread. Place meats and cheeses on bottom half of bread. Top with Vidalia Onion slices. Cover with top half of bread. Cut diagonally into 4 sandwiches.

Slow Roasted Vidalia Onion Soup: by Michael Tuohy

Ingredients

• 6 medium Vidalia onions, outer layers removed
• 1/4 cup canola or grapeseed oil
• 2 leeks, white part only, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 quarts chicken stock or canned broth, low sodium
• 1 cup sweet sherry
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
• Kosher salt and white pepper to taste
• 1 bunch fresh chives for garnish

Instructions

Wrap each onion separately in aluminum foil and place in a 300° F oven (or in the coals of a fireplace or grill pit) until onions feel tender all the way through, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Heat oil in a large pot. Add leek and celery; cook until softened but not browned. Remove onions from foil, quarter and add to pot. Add chicken stock and sherry. Simmer about 45 minutes. Stir in cream and thyme. Remove from heat.

In batches, puree mixture in a blender until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish each serving with chives. Serve immediately. Makes 12 servings.

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Recipes