Crispy Zucchini Fries With Buttermilk Ranch Dipping Sauce Recipes

ZUCCHINI FRIES WITH RANCH DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Whisk together all the ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use, at least a couple of hours.
• Fill a large frying pan with high sides, filling it at least half way up the sides with oil.
• Heat over medium to high heat, until the oil is hot.
• Make a dredging station - In a shallow dish combine flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. In another dish whisk the eggs. In the last dish combine the Parmesan cheese with the panko bread crumbs.
• Lightly coat the zucchini sticks in flour, allowing the excess to fall away, then into the egg, again allowing the excess to fall away, and finally into the panko mixture.
• Fry in small batches a few at a time, removing from the oil when browned on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes. (they cook fast)
• Remove to cool onto a cooling rack set over a baking sheet.
• Serve alongside the ranch dipping sauce.

CHICKEN TENDERS WITH BUTTERMILK RANCH DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the brine: Combine the water, salt, sugar, bay leaf, garlic, pepper and lemon in a large stock pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and let simmer until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
• When done, remove from the heat, add the ice cubes and stir until the liquid is chilled. Add the buttermilk and pickle juice. Stir well then pour enough brine over the chicken tenders in a large bowl to submerge them. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Make the seasoned flour: Combine the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.
• Make the panko breading: Take half of the panko breadcrumbs and pulse in a food processor until fine. Combine with the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside.
• Make the seasoning: Combine the ingredients in a small bowl, mix well and set aside.
• Prepare the chicken tenders: Remove the chicken tenders from the brine and pat dry. Set up a breading station with the seasoned flour, egg wash and panko breading. Working with 1 or 2 tenders at a time, lightly coat in the seasoned flour, dip in the egg wash, then place in the panko breading. Cover the tender in the breading then firmly press the tender flat with your palm to an even 1/4 inch thick. Flip and press again as needed to achieve even thickness and breading.
• Preheat 3 to 4 inches of oil in a Dutch oven to 350 degrees F. Working in batches, fry the chicken tenders, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oil to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season the tenders evenly all over with the seasoning and serve with the dipping sauce.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until well combined and creamy in texture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 5 days.

RANCH ZUCCHINI FRIES

Steps:

• For the ranch seasoning: Mix together the parsley and/or dill, chives, garlic powder, onion powder, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
• For the zucchini fries: Adjust 2 oven racks to the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Put the wire racks in the baking sheets and coat each generously with cooking spray.
• Combine the flour with half of the ranch seasoning in a large re-sealable plastic bag. Put the eggs in another large plastic bag; put the breadcrumbs in a third large plastic bag.
• Add about a half of the zucchini rounds to the flour, and use a combination of your hands and shaking the bag to coat the zucchini. Remove the zucchini and shake off any excess flour. Transfer to the egg wash and repeat until coated. (It's less messy if you use only one hand for the dry ingredients and the other for the wet.) Let any excess egg drip off before transferring to the breadcrumb mixture; repeat until fully coated (you'll still see some green and white of the zucchini peeking through the breading). Transfer to the prepared baking sheets and coat the breaded zucchini generously with cooking spray (there's no need to turn them). Repeat with the remaining zucchini.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom about halfway through, until golden brown and tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Make the ranch dressing: Whisk together the remaining ranch seasoning with the buttermilk, mayonnaise and vinegar. Serve with the Ranch Fries.