Saturday, May 7, 2011

Southern Saturdays with Virginia - Vidalia Onion Quiche

Southern Saturdays with Virginia is back just in time for Mother's Day. This Saturday we're making quiche using sweet Vidalia onions. Virginia, being a good Georgia girl, loves her sweet onions. They are the Official State Vegetable of Georgia so I don't want to hear anything about those faux sweet Texas onions. Growing up on the East Coast, Vidalia onions were one of those things you could get once during the season when they were sold out of the back of a semi trailer much like Florida oranges and grapefruits. My mother would fry up delicate little onions straws out of those Vidalias, making me some kind of viscious fried onion junkie. Today, however, we'll be making a Vidalia Onion Confit as a filling to quiche.

Vidalia Quiche

Virginia's recipe calls for 5 - 6 onions or 1 1/2 pounds but I don't know if they had a spectacular growing season or they are feeding these onions steroids because they were huge!! I only needed two and they were two of the small ones.

Vidalia Quiche 3

A little blind baking of the quiche crust with parchment paper lining the crust and then a layer of dried beans as weight to keep the crust level while it bakes.

Vidalia Quiche 2

The sweet onion confit goes into the bottom and then the custard mixture is ladled on top. Baked in the oven until set and voila....

Vidalia Onion Quiche1

...a quiche fit for Mom. Happy Southern Saturdays and Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there and especially my mom. Can you make me some of those onion straws the next time I'm home? I promise not to whine too loudly.

9 comments:

the dogs' mother said...

Well, now, that looks right delicious! Though, I have to tell you, Walla Walla Sweets is the onion to beat! They sell them from the back of trucks at the first of the season. My favorite are the big green onion version.

Big Shamu said...

You and Virginia will have to battle it out, Onion vs. Onion.

MakingSpace said...

That looks mouthwatering. Over here it would be the Maui onions, which I think are basically Vidalias grown on Maui, if that makes sense - same variety, different soil. I need to try Virginia's trick for keeping them longer, because dang those things go bad almost as fast as raspberries.

Your quiche looks amazing. I hope you enjoyed it thoroughly.

Happy Mother's Day to the woman who introduced you to the Vidalias and the world of food. And thanks for the wishes for the rest of us, who are learning from her through you.

Big Shamu said...

My problem with the storage solution is where the heck am I going to get some panty hose???

MakingSpace said...

I was thinking the same thing. Don't think I've owned a pair in a decade. Would have to purchase specifically for the onions. In my case it might be worth it since Maui onions are available pretty much year-round.

the dogs' mother said...

Went and looked up Walla Wallas in case they were highjacked Vidalias. Turns out they were brought as seeds from from the island of Corsica. Vidalias are homegrown and not imported. They became sweet due to the low amount of sulfur in the soil in which the onions are grown.

Abby could not live there...

one owl said...

Cutting the cord on the Karmic Kitchen, you just don't get it. Reality TV is just what it is.

Bye
Kate

Big Shamu said...

Uhhhh, OK One Owl. You're right, it is what it is but I don't have to watch it or blog it. I'm sorry you won't be coming by here anymore.

Big Shamu said...

Not to worry Dani, it's all good.