I just have a quick recipe for tonight. it is the perfect side dish for burgers or sandwiches and it is pretty easy to make. I got the recipe from Saveur Magazine and it is for cornmeal crusted onion rings. I love onion rings and homemade onion rings just taste better than the ones you buy frozen in the supermarket. Some of them are okay, but others are pretty bland without much flavor. This recipe has great flavor from the cornmeal and the seasoning so it is worth the little bit of effort you have to put into it by deep-frying them yourself.

Cornmeal Crusted Onion Rings

2 large onions, sliced crosswise 1/2-inch thick and separated into rings

2 cups flour

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup milk

1 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup cornstarch

3 tablespoons baking powder

1 1/2 tablespoons seasoned salt

Vegetable or Canola oil, for frying

Submerge the onions in a large bowl of ice water. Soak the onions for 30 minutes. Meanwhile place 1 cup of the flour in a separate bowl. Stir the buttermilk and milk together in another bowl. Whisk the remaining 1 cup of flour, the cornstarch, the baking powder and the seasoned salt in a third bowl. Set the bowls aside in a line to make a dredging station for the onions.

Pour enough vegetable or canola oil in a deep cast-iron pan or Dutch oven to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil until the temperature reads 350 degrees on a deep fry thermometer. Drain the onions from the ice water and pat them dry well with paper towels. Working in batches, dredge the onions in the flour, shaking off any excess, then dip them in the milk mixture and then in the cornmeal mixture. Place the onions in the hot oil, flipping them once, and fry them until they are golden and crisp, about 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the onion rings on paper towels and sprinkle them with seasoned salt before serving.

That’s all there is to it. If you didn’t want to use the seasoned salt you could certainly use other seasonings or herbs instead to fit what you like. There are lots of choices you can try, such as Creole seasoning or maybe even some Old Bay if you like that kind of flavor. As I usually do when I deep fry, I tried to use less oil then recommended to cut back a  bit on the oil and I think it worked out fine using just a bit more than half of what they recommend in the recipe. Soaking the onions in ice water first does take some the sharpness and bite out of them for you as well. They had a great flavor from the cornmeal and went really well with the burgers that I had made that night, so I will definitely be making these again.

That’s all I have for today. Check back tomorrow for another recipe. I have lots to choose from, including some Mardi Gras recipes that I tried out tonight for dinner, so there is still lots of good stuff to come. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!