Sweet Vidalia Onion Bisque

Vidalia onions are only grown in one particular area of Georgia and are only available for a very brief time.  I search for as many different ways to enjoy them during those few short weeks.  Sweet and perfect for onion rings, they reach an almost unbelievable point of sweetness when allowed to cook down over the lowest heat on your stovetop for as long as 5 hours as in this recipe.

Garden and Gun is one of my MOST favorite magazines. This recipe is thanks to it and here is their introduction to this great bisque.

There are all kinds of ways to use them, of course, from a seasonal salad to homemade onion rings. But it’s hard to beat a classic sweet onion bisque, and nobody does it better than Chef Tyler Brown of the Capitol Grille in Nashville’s historic Hermitage Hotel. Silky smooth and more than a little decadent, the bisque has been served at the hotel in one variation or another since it opened in 1910 and remains one of the restaurant’s signature dishes.

4 sweet onions, diced in large chunks
5 tbsp. whole butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and white pepper, to taste
As desired:
smoked bacon
chives
Brie grilled cheese sandwich

Simmer onions in butter over very low heat for at least five hours (yes, five hours). Add to a blender, and puree until smooth; add heavy cream to taste. Season with salt and white pepper.

If desired, garnish bowl with smoked bacon, chives, and triangles of Brie grilled cheese sandwich.

I made grilled cheese sandwiches with extra sharp cheddar on Italian Bread instead.  

Here are the pictures of the onions as they cooked.