Last month, we had a chance to talk with Top Chef star Kevin Gillespie. Gillespie was introduced to cooking as a kid in Locust Grove, Georgia. He’d spend afternoons in the kitchen watching his grandmother cook.
Gillespie reached back into his memory bank of those days in the kitchen with his grandma when he signed up to compete on Bravo’s hit TV show Top Chef in 2009. “It was the first time in my culinary life where I allowed myself to cook whatever sprang into my mind and let my heart drive where I was going,” Gillespie explains. “What came out was very soulful and very personal.”
His recipes (and fiery red beard) were a hit and people flocked to his restaurant, Woodfire Grill in Atlanta to get a taste of his take on Southern cuisine. Now, he’s sharing a few southern cooking tips with us. Specifically, he’s showing us how to add Vidalia Onions to our repertoire of recipes for added flavor.
About the Onion
Vidalia Onions are subtly sweet and mostly grown in Vidalia, Georgia, which is how they got their name. These onions are so popular in Georgia, it’s been the official state vegetable for almost three decades!
In the video below, Gillespie shares his recipe on a Slow Roasted Vidalia Onion Soup. This recipe really brings out the sweet juices of the onion, giving the soup a delicious flavor. The recipe features marscapone cheese, seasonings and chicken stock (veggie stock can be used to keep it vegetarian friendly) for added flavor.
Vidalia Onions are a seasonal crop. They’re available in most grocery stores around the country from April to mid September. Beyond soup, Gillespie recommends trying the onions in your omeletes, on the grill and any other way you’d use a regular onion.
To get the soup recipe and learn more about Gillespie and the onion, watch our interview with him below!
