Sweet Vidalia Onion Slaw

Vidalias are super mild, sweet onions that were only discovered by accident in Vidalia Georgia in the 1930s — something about the soil in that particular area resulted in their unusual mellow quality, and  they’re so darned sweet and delicious that they eventually became trademarked. The only onions that can call themselves Vidalias are from those certain counties in Georgia. Vidalias are mild enough to eat right out of hand, like an apple, but I think this slaw is an even better idea. Serve it as a side, or on hot dogs, brats, burgers, sandwiches, etc. It goes with anything and everything and couldn’t be simper…

I made an appropriately Southern style slaw dressing to complement these Georgian gems. It’s a blend of buttermilk, mayo, and a champagne vinegar. A bit of salt, pepper, and a good dash of celery seeds completes this dressing. The buttermilk and the champagne vinegar work together to elevate even a homey slaw into something special.

If you’re like me and generally avoid eating too many raw onions, I think you’ll be amazed at how you can tolerate these without any problems at all. The flavor is sweet and mellow, and there’s none of the harsh sharpness we associate with regular onions. Unlike regular onions, sweet onions can be stored in the refrigerator.

Onions are so tightly packed that when you slice one of them paper thin and separate all the strands it’ll fill a pretty good sized bowl. I love this recipe because with just one onion you can have this sweet Vidalia onion slaw on the table in no time. Most people don’t know it but onions are really healthy — they can help prevent everything from heart attacks and strokes, to ulcers and cancer. This delicious slaw might just put cabbage out of business!

tvfgi recommends: a sturdy mandoline slicer

I couldn’t do without my mandoline slicer, I use it all the time for salads, French fries, gratins, and slaws like this one. It’s earned its place in my kitchen countless times, I won’t be without it.

make this recipe your own!

• make it creamy ~ this dressing is on the thin side…if you’d like it thicker and creamier, use half the amount of buttermilk.
• make it with a kick ~ I almost added a bit of horseradish, I think that would be nice. Or a bit of grainy Dijon mustard…depends on your mood.
• make it light ~ to lighten the dressing try using Greek yogurt in place of the mayo. Don’t worry about the buttermilk, despite its name, it’s super low in fat. If you don’t have buttermilk you can use regular milk, but the flavor won’t be as good.