Vidalia Onion Soup
This soup is a perfect example of one of the things I love to do at Bar Americain: personalize a French brasserie classic with truly American ingredients. This is our American French onion soup. Vidalia onions are super-sweet variety of onion grown in—and trademarked by!—the state of Georgia. Their sweetness is unmatched, and the slow process of caramelizing them in this recipe intensifies their flavor. (If Vidalia onions aren’t unavailable, you can try Walla Wallas from Washington or Hawaii’s Maui onions.) Breaking though the browned crust of sharp Vermont cheddar cheese into the molten interior is the first delicious step in devouring this hearty soup. Fresh parsley pesto finishes the dish with a hit of bright color and flavor.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Parsley Pesto
Preparation
Step 1
Melt the butter with the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 40 minutes.
Step 2
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the brandy and sherry and boil until almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the stock and thyme, bring to a simmer, and cook until the soup is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and discard the thyme.
Step 3
Preheat the broiler.
Step 4
Divide eight 16-ounce ovenproof crocks between 2 baking sheets. Put a slice of bread in the bottom of each crock. Fill each crock until three-quarters full. Place another slice of baguette over each soup and divide the cheese on top. Carefully slide the crocks under the broiler and broil until the cheese is melted and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the broiler and top each with a dollop of parsley pesto.
Parsley Pesto
Step 5
Combine the parsley, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add the oil through the feed tube and process until combined.
Step 6
Add the cheese, season with salt and pepper, and pulse a few times just to incorporate. Scrape into a bowl. The pesto will keep for up to 2 days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
