Vidalia onions are harvested from late April through mid-June. According to the Vidalia Onion Committee, the best way to store them is to wrap the onions separately in paper towels and refrigerate. They can “also be successfully stored in the legs of clean, sheer pantyhose with a knot tied between each one. Hang in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place. Keep Vidalia Onions cool and dry at all times.”

And now for the really important part of the post, the recipes!

Onion and Cinnamon Honey Chutney (From the Wichita Eagle in Kansas)

tablespoons olive oil
2 ½ medium Vidalia onions (8-9 oz. each), coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup honey
Pinch of cinnamon
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil (if needed)
Salt and pepper to taste

In large skillet, heat olive oil. Add onions and saute until caramelized (deep golden brown in color). Puree onions in a blender or food processor. Add mustard, vinegar, sugar, honey and cinnamon and blend to combine ingredients. Add oil, if needed, until mixture is consistency of honey. Makes about 1 ½ to 2 cups.

Chutney can be stored covered in the refrigerator up to two weeks

My favorite way of preparing the onions is to skin them and then quarter the onions, cutting just to about 1/2″ from the bottom. I then put a dab of butter in the center of each, salt and pepper them, wrap them in foil and cook them on the grill for about half an hour (they can also be cooked in the oven at 350 degrees.)

Paula Deen and the Food Network has a similar recipe but also includes a beef bouillon cube with each onion.

Saturday Night Vidalia Onions

4 large Vidalia onions
4 beef bouillon cubes
4 tablespoons butter
Freshly ground black pepper

Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Trim and slice from the top of each onion, and peel the onion without cutting off the root end. Using a potato peeler, cut a small cone shaped section from the center of the onion. Cut the onion into quarters from the top down, stopping within a 1/2-inch of the root end. Place a bouillon cube in the center of each onion, slip slivers of butter between the sections, and sprinkle with pepper. Wrap each onion in heavy duty foil and place the onions directly onto the hot coals. Cook the onions for 45 minutes turning every so often.

To serve, place each onion in individual bowl because the onions will produce a lot of broth, which tastes like French onion soup.

Baked Vidalia Onion Dip (From the Vidalia Onion Factory)

2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped Vidalia onions
2 cups mayonaise
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Combine the ingredients and place in a shallow baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top begins to turn golden brown. Serve hot with crackers.

The Vidalia Onion Committee site also has a collection of recipes.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 25th, 2006 at 2:20 pm and is filed under Grilling and Outdoor Cooking, Appetizers and Dips, Quick and Easy, Vegetables. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.