Thanks to the launch of the Food Network and culinary celebrities like Martha Stewart, Emeril Lagasse and Wolfgang Puck, the 1990s ushered in an exciting decade of “gourmet” home cooking. Salsa surpassed ketchup as the country’s favorite condiment, miniature vegetables and grape tomatoes became salad staples, and instead of spaghetti, we proudly prepared fettucine, rigatoni, penne and other types of pasta. Recipes that showcase a specialty ingredient (like this Vidalia Onion Dip, which ran in March 1998), seem to say, “This is not your grandmother’s Lipton Onion Soup dip.”

2 large Vidalia or 1015 sweet onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided use
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup fresh dill, lightly chopped (or 2 1/2 teaspoons dried dill), divided use
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, as desired

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Place onions, 1 cup Parmesan, mayonnaise, sour cream, 3 tablespoons dill (or 2 teaspoons dried), parsley, horseradish and red pepper flakes in a mixing bowl and use a spatula to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then transfer the mixture to a deep-dish 10-inch pie dish. Sprinkle the top evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan and remaining dill.

3. Bake 40–45 minutes until lightly browned. Serve with chips or crackers.

Serves 4–6.

Cook’s Tip

To create a crispier top, bake the dip in a 9-by-13-inch casserole and finish it under the broiler.