In this soup, a mound of sweet onions takes its sweet time cooking down to caramelized goodness. Be patient, and don’t add the wine until the onions are richly colored. I like to use my biggest Le Creuset pot. If you don’t have a large enameled cast-iron Dutch oven, divide the butter and onions between your two largest, widest, heavy-bottomed skillets to help the onions caramelize rather than steam.

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Caramelized Vidalia Soup with Crispy Sage

Makes: 10 cups

Prep Time35

Total Time2 20

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter
6 lbs Vidalia onions, cut into 1⁄4-inch-thick rings (14 cups rings)
½ cup dry red wine (such as Pinot Noir)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
4 cups chicken broth
¼ cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
15 fresh sage leaves

Instructions

Melt butter in a 12- to 15-inch-wide enameled cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 hour and 45 minutes or until onions are caramel colored.
Add wine and next 2 ingredients, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of Dutch oven. Cook 5 minutes. Add chicken broth; cook 10 minutes. Stir in cream.
Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add sage, and fry 10 to 30 seconds or until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Top each serving of soup with sage.