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Essentials: Crispy Crunchy Onion Rings

Source of Recipe

From "Mad Hungry Cravings" by Lucinda Quinn


Recipe Introduction

"Faced with a choice between French fries and onion rings, my crunchy side will always choose onion rings. Something about onion rings just puts me over the edge — perhaps it's the crunch of the fried coating surrounding the soft-sweet slivers of onion. Soaking the onions in cold water for 10 minutes will dilute their sulphur content, making them sweeter and milder."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 large Vidalia or other mild onions, cut into ¼-inch-wide rings
â—¦ Vegetable oil for deep-frying
â—¦ 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ ¼ cup cornstarch
â—¦ 2 teaspoons baking powder
â—¦ 1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
â—¦ 1 â…“ cups ice-cold water



Recipe

Put the onions in a large bowl filled with cold water and soak for 10 minutes.

Heat 2 inches of oil to 365° F in a deep heavy-bottomed pot or prepare your electric deep-fryer.

Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the ice-cold water and set the bowl of batter in a bowl of ice. Drain the onions well and dry thoroughly between layers of paper towels.

Working with one handful at a time, dip the onions in the batter, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl, and carefully place in the oil. Fry, turning once, until crisp and golden, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray to drain, and sprinkle with salt.

Serves 4



• How to Pull it Off:
All fried onion rings are not created equal. The batter must be light, not thick and gloppy — this is achieved by the correct proportion of flour to water. The final product must be crispy, not cakey; here the cornstarch promotes crunchiness. Use sweet Vidalia onions or another similar mild-mannered onion. And the onions should not be cut too thick. Make sure you have a sharp knife and a firm grip (fingertips turned under, please). Cook fast and hot — oil management is crucial to success. A deep-fry/candy thermometer is a good investment if you deep-fry often.