Shoestring Onionscooks Country Recipes

SHOESTRING ONIONS(COOK'S COUNTRY)

Steps:

• 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until 350 degrees.
• 2. Meanwhile, combine flour, 1 teaspoon salt, cream of tartar, and ½ teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Toss onions, apple juice, and vinegar to coat in another bowl. Drain onions and transfer to flour mixture, tossing to coat.
• 3. Fry half of onion rings, stirring occasionally and adjusting burner as necessary to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees, until golden brown and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain onions on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Bring oil back to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
• **Apple juice and apple cider vinegar are both flavorful and acidic. Their acid is key here, because it draws more amylose out of the starch granules as they gelatinize (or absorb water). The amylose makes the coating crisp when the gelatinized starch is fried in oil.

SHOESTRING ONION RINGS AND BATTER

Steps:

• Slice onion,form into rings and cut rings in half.
• Combine egg,milk and sugar into a large baggie or bowl.
• Combine flour and seasonings into another large baggie or bowl.
• Dip onions in egg mixture than into flour mixture and place into a 400'degree deep fryer for 3 minutes or until lightly browned.

ONION STRINGS

Steps:

• Begin by peeling the onions and slicing very thinly, use a mandoline slicer if you can. Separate the onion slices and place them in a shallow baking dish and pour the buttermilk over the top. Press the onions down so they're submerged as much as possible and let them soak on the counter for at least an hour. If necessary, stir them around a bit halfway through the soaking process.
• In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, black pepper and cayenne, and set aside.
• Pour 1 to 2 quarts canola oil in a pot or Dutch oven. Heat to 375 degrees F, or until a pinch of flour sizzles when sprinkled over the pot.
• Using tongs, remove a handful of onions from the buttermilk and immediately dunk into the flour mixture. Coat the onions in the flour mixture, and then tap them on the inside of the bowl to shake off the excess.
• Plunge the onions in the hot oil. With a spoon, fiddle with them a bit just to break them up, and watch them! They'll be ready to remove from the oil in no time flat.
• When they're golden brown (this should take just a minute or two), remove them from the oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Repeat with the remaining onion slices and serve immediately.
• Pile these on top of a juicy grilled hamburger - to die for!