THE STORY GOES THAT WHEN A TOOMBS COUNTY,
Georgia, farmer named Moses Coleman planted some Bermuda onion seeds in the sandy loam around Vidalia in the spring of 1931, the onions he harvested were not just mild in aroma but “sweet as Coca-Cola.” The reason, it was later discovered, was the low sulfur content of the region’s soil. Today, coveted Vidalia onions, widely available only in May and June, are a thirty-million-dollar business in Georgia and protected under a registered trademark (Yumion). Southerners fry, grill, and bake Vidalia onions, and even eat them whole, raw like apples, but I know of no preparation that highlights their exquisite sweetness and unique savor like this succulent casserole intended for an
elaborate buffet. (For a less auspicious occasion, just cut the recipe in half and use a 2-quart casserole.) It is essential to serve this casserole piping hot.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 11⁄2 pounds bulk pork sausage
• 4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) butter
• 6 Vidalia onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 11⁄2 cups heavy cream
• Large pinch of ground nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1⁄2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a shallow 31⁄2-quart casserole and set aside.
2. In a large, heavy skillet, break up the pork sausage meat with a fork and fry it over moderate heat until well browned all over. Drain the cooked sausage on paper towels and set it aside.
3. In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the solid butter over moderate heat.
4. Add the sliced Vidalia onions and minced garlic to the saucepan and cook, stirring, until softened, for about 4 minutes.
5. Add the heavy cream, ground nutmeg, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to the saucepan. Cook, stirring, until the onions are tender, for about 10 minutes.
6. Scrape the onion and cream mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
7. Spoon the cooked sausage evenly over the top of the onion and cream mixture in the casserole dish.
8. Sprinkle the dry bread crumbs over the sausage layer in the casserole dish.
9. Drizzle the melted butter over the bread crumbs.
10. Bake the casserole in the preheated oven until the top is golden, for about 35 minutes.
11. Serve the casserole hot.