The recipe for Vidalia Onion Soup is already on this site.  But last night’s soup had a few tweaks.  I used three really big yellow onions, sliced thin with the mandolin, and slow-cooked them for at least an hour, almost two hours.  I cooked them over medium to low heat in olive oil and a little butter until they were soft, and reduced and golden.  When the pot seemed to be getting too dry, I poured in a little white wine. For the actual soup base, I used some reduced beef stock that was in my freezer and added some prepared beef stock from Fresh Market – the result was a surprising depth of flavor.  Be sure to heat the stock before adding it to the caramelized onions.  I made a cheesecloth sachet with fresh thyme and simmered it in the soup for about thirty minutes because I just wanted a hint of herby flavor.  I added about 3 TBS. of Brandy to the soup at the end.  Don’t forget to salt the soup!  And of course, what really makes this soup amazing is the thick slice of sourdough bread covered with Gruyere cheese that tops it.  Pour the warm soup in an ovenproof crock, then put the bread and cheese over its surface and place in a hot oven (400 degrees) until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted brown around the edges.  If you can’t travel to France this weekend, making this soup is the next best thing.