Sweet N Smokey Onion Rings Recipes

ONION RINGS

Steps:

• If preparing the optional smoky ketchup, begin by preparing that: in a small bowl, whisk all of those ingredients together until well blended; then, cover with plastic and chill for 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld together for extra zip.
• To prepare the onion rings: add the sliced onions into a large bowl, and pour the buttermilk over them just to cover; allow the rings to marinate in the buttermilk for about 20 minutes.
• While the rings marinate in the buttermilk, place a medium-large pot on the stove, and add enough vegetable oil to come about half-way up the sides of the pot (about 5-6 cups), and slowly bring the temperature of the oil up to 350-360° while you prepare the rest of the steps.
• Prepare your flour dredge by adding 1 cup of the flour, along with the cornmeal, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, granulated garlic and cayenne pepper into a large Ziplock bag.
• Once the rings have marinated, thoroughly drain them from the buttermilk allowing any excess to drip off, and add them into the Ziplock bag (work in a couple of batches if you need to), tossing them very well to coat them thoroughly; remove the rings from the flour dredge and place them in a single layer onto a wire rack or baking sheet to hold for a moment.
• To prepare your beer batter, add the remaining 1 cup of flour to medium-size bowl, and slowly pour the beer into it, whisking gently until the batter is smooth and about the consistency of pancake batter.
• To fry the rings, dip each ring into the beer batter allowing any excess to drip off, and carefully place into the hot oil; repeat with another few rings (you will work in batches), and allow the rings to fry for about 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown.
• Remove the fried rings from the oil and drain them on paper towels or on a wire rack, and sprinkle a little salt and pepper over them while still hot; repeat the process with the remaining rings. (You can keep the rings very hot by placing the finished ones on a baking sheet and into a warm, 200° oven while you work on the batches, if you desire.)
• Serve the onion rings while hot with the smoky ketchup, or your favorite dipping sauce!

SUNNY'S SWEET 'N SOUR GARDEN COLLARDS

Steps:

• In a saute pan on medium heat, add the oil, bacon and onions and cook until the fat has rendered, the bacon is crisp and the onions are tender. Add the collards and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan and continue to cook until the greens wilt, about 2 minutes. Add in the balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

SUNNY'S EASY ONION JAM

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan on medium-low heat, add the pearl onions, vinegar, sugar, shallots, red onions, a pinch of salt, a few grinds of pepper and 1/4 cup water. Stir to combine, then cook until the onions are completely tender and caramelized, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Add the thyme and scallions to the cooked onions and refrigerate until ready to use. Serve on nachos, burgers, hot dogs, etc.

SPICY SWEET ONION RINGS

Steps:

• Peel the onion& slice into 1/4 inch slices: Separate into rings.
• Combine flour& cornmeal, mix well.
• Combine beaten egg, sweetened condensed milk,& club soda: stir into flour/cornmeal mixture.
• Finely mince 1 or 2 chipotle peppers (depending on size& desired heat level) and stir into batter mixture.
• Dip onion rings into batter coating well, shake lightly, and fry in deep hot oil (350-375°F): avoid overcrowding.
• Fry until golden brown& drain the rings on paper towels.

FAUX-FRIED ONION RINGS WITH SMOKY MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• Separate the onions into individual rings. Use only the larger rings for this recipe; reserve the smaller rings for another use. You should have 20 rings total. Lay the rings in a single layer in a large rectangular baking dish. Pour the milk over the rings and allow them to soak for about 20 minutes, turning them once so that all surfaces of the onion rings have been exposed to the milk.
• Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Place a wire baking rack on each of two foil-lined baking sheets, and set them aside.
• Put the flour in a shallow dish. Put the panko in a small dish. In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with a whisk until they are extremely foamy but not quite holding peaks.
• Working in batches, remove the onion rings from the milk and dredge them in the flour, shaking off any excess. Add the rings to the egg whites and toss to coat completely. Add the rings, a few pieces at a time, to the panko and coat completely.
• Spread the onion rings out on the wire racks. Season the rings generously with salt and pepper, and spray them lightly with cooking spray. Bake until the panko is golden brown and crispy and the onions are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and the liquid smoke. Season to taste with Tabasco.
• Serve the onion rings with the mayonnaise for dipping.

SOUTHERN-FRIED SWEET ONION RINGS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large heavy pot. It should be at least 3 inches deep, but more is better.
• In a wide shallow bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, cornstarch and cayenne. In a second bowl, beat egg and buttermilk. Separate onion slices into rings.
• Working in batches, lightly toss the rings in the flour mixture, then dip into the buttermilk mixture. Allow most of the liquid to drip off, then toss again in the flour mixture. Shake off as much flour as possible and place the rings into the hot oil.
• Fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown, moving the rings around a bit in the oil to keep them separated.
• Put the onion rings on a plate or bowl lined with paper towel and salt. Repeat until the onions are done.