Crispy Cornmeal Fried Leek Rings Inspired By Alton Ina Eat Like No One Else Recipes

CORNMEAL-FRIED ONION RINGS

Steps:

• Peel the onions, slice them 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick, and separate them into rings. Combine the buttermilk, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Add the onion rings, toss well, and allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes. (The onion rings can sit in the buttermilk for a few hours.) In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
• When you're ready to fry the onion rings, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
• Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a large pot or Dutch oven. (A candy thermometer attached to the side of the pot will help you maintain the proper temperature.) Working in batches, lift some onions out of the buttermilk and dredge them in the flour mixture. Drop into the hot oil and fry for 2 minutes, until golden brown, turning them once with tongs. Don't crowd them! Place the finished onion rings on the baking sheet, sprinkle liberally with salt, and keep them warm in the oven while you fry the next batch. Continue frying the onion rings and placing them in the warm oven until all the onions are fried. They will remain crisp in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

BAKED POLENTA WITH CRISPY LEEKS AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9-by-9-inch baking dish. In a large pot, bring stock, 2 tablespoons butter and salt to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium, then slowly add polenta, stirring constantly until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Scrape polenta into prepared dish, cover with foil, and bake for 40 minutes.
• As polenta bakes, prepare the leeks: Heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 3 tablespoons oil, in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in leeks and a large pinch of salt, and cook until dark golden and crisped, stirring frequently, and lowering heat if they start to brown too quickly, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
• Remove polenta from oven. Stir in half the Gorgonzola, then cover again with foil, and let sit for 10 minutes to melt the cheese.
• When ready to serve, taste polenta and stir in more salt, if needed (this will depend on how salty your cheese and stock are). Drizzle polenta with olive oil, and sprinkle with remaining Gorgonzola, crispy leeks, and parsley or basil.

ABSOLUTE BEST LIVER AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Gently rinse liver slices under cold water, and place in a medium bowl. Pour in enough milk to cover. Let stand while preparing onions. (I like to soak up to an hour or two - whatever you have time for.) This step is SO important in taking the bitter taste of the liver out.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Separate onion rings, and saute them in butter until soft. Remove onions, and melt remaining butter in the skillet. Season the flour with salt and pepper, and put it in a shallow dish or on a plate. Drain milk from liver, and coat slices in the flour mixture.
• When the butter has melted, turn the heat up to medium-high, and place the coated liver slices in the pan. Cook until nice and brown on the bottom. Turn, and cook on the other side until browned. Add onions, and reduce heat to medium. Cook a bit longer to taste. Our family prefers the liver to just barely retain a pinkness on the inside when you cut to check. Enjoy!

LEEK RINGS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a 5-quart Dutch fitted with a deep-fry thermometer oven over medium-high heat to 375ºF.
• Slice the leeks into 1/2-inch wide rings, separating them 2 layers at a time.
• Whisk together the milk and the egg in a medium mixing bowl. Combine the flour and salt in another medium mixing bowl. Divide the flour into 2 separate, shallow dishes and place the milk and egg mixture in a third.
• Dip one small handful of the rings first into the first flour mixture, then into the milk and egg, and then into the second flour mixture. Working in batches, fry the rings until golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Using a spider strainer, carefully remove the rings to a wire rack set inside a half-sheet pan and drain for 2 to 3 minutes before serving. Season with additional salt, if desired.

LEEK RINGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oil in a heavy 5-quart pot over medium-high heat to 375 degrees F.
• Slice the leeks into 1/2-inch wide rings, separating them 2 layers at a time.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the milk and the egg. In another medium mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Divide the flour into 2 separate, shallow dishes and place the milk and egg mixture in a third. Going 1 small handful at a time, dip the rings first into the first flour mixture, then into the milk and egg, and then into the second flour mixture. Working in batches, fry the rings for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the rings to a cooling rack set inside a half sheet pan and allow to drain for 2 to 3 minutes before serving. Season with additional salt, if desired.

CRISPY FRIED LEEKS

Steps:

• Pour peanut oil into heavy small saucepan to depth of 1 inch; heat to 350°F. Fry leeks in small batches until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Using slotted spoon, transfer fried leeks to paper towels to drain.

CRISPY SHALLOTS ( INA GARTEN BACK TO BASICS)

Steps:

• Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220° on a candy thermometer.
• Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are a rich golden brown. The temperature should stay below 260 degrees. Stir the shallots occasionally to make sure they brown evenly.
• Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well and spread out to cool on paper towels.
• Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days.

CRISPY LEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Cut leek in half lengthwise, then cut each piece in half crosswise. Cut each quarter into long, thin strips. Rinse the strips in hot water and pat dry.
• Toss in a medium bowl with oil.
• In a small bowl combine flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle flour and spice mix over leeks; toss well to combine.
• Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake, stirring once or twice, until the leeks are crispy and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

CRISPY FRIED ONION RINGS

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, whisk the first 5 ingredients. Separate onion slices into rings. Dip rings into batter. In a deep-fat fryer, heat 1 in. of oil to 375°. In batches, fry onion rings until golden brown, 1 to 1-1/2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.