Vidalia Onion Casserole
This recipe first appeared in In Praise of the Humble Onion by Jim Casada.
Throughout my life I’ve heard the term “sweet onions” applied to assorted varieties of this traditional mountain root crop, but in my view the description is a misnomer. Admittedly, some onions grown in the high country have less bite than others, but none are truly sweet. Certainly no onions from mountain gardens come close to those produced in the special soil and agricultural circumstances found in counties around the south-central Georgia town of Vidalia. These onions, truly worthy of being categorized as sweet, are readily available in your local grocery throughout the year. While you can substitute other sweet onions in this recipe, none quite match the rightly heralded Vidalia strain. This is a recipe that requires considerable time, thanks primarily to the fact that slow is the way to go when it comes to caramelizing onions, but it is worth every minute expended in preparation.
- 6 to 8 onions, sliced quite thin (use a mandoline or ulu to make slicing simpler)
- ½ stick of butter
- Black pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise (do not use light mayo)
- ¼ cup grated or granulated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup grated sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese
- 15 to 20 Ritz or Saltine crackers, crushed
Preheat a large, non-stick skillet. Once it is hot add butter, sliced onions, salt, and pepper. Sauté the onions for 45 to 60 minutes over low heat, stirring every few minutes, until they are soft and begin to take on a golden “see through” glow. You don’t want the heat high enough to brown the onions as they cook down and caramelize.
Once the onions are translucent, dump them into a large plastic bowl and mix in the sour cream, mayonnaise, and cheeses. Stir the ingredients together and then use a spatula to scrape the mixture into a baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Top with the cracker crumbs and bake at 375 degrees for a half hour or until the casserole bubbles and is gold on top.