When I was living away at College, I used to love those crispy fried onions that came in the can. You know the ones I mean…the same ones that are always suggested as a topping for that popular green bean and canned mushroom soup casserole recipe that we are all familiar with. There was also the potato stix version too…and I’m ashamed to say that even the potato stix were part of my late night snacking and studying schedule.
The other night, for no apparent reason I began to crave something crispy and salty. The crispy onion rings became an obsessive thought and I wanted to run out to the store to buy a container to satisfy my urge. I realized I had onions on hand so I decided to see if I could throw a batch together and get a similar result at home.
In the past when I have made a breaded or battered onion ring, I always use the standard yellow ones, and I always have them on hand as a basic pantry item. I reserve the sweet onions like a Vidalia, Walla Walla or Maui to eat raw in a salad so that I can reap the benefits of their lower sulfur content and powerful medicinal value.
So, off I went to see what I could make. I didn’t have any milk or buttermilk on hand so I used some sour cream and diluted it with a little water to create a liquid to toss the onions in so that the flour would have something to stick to. I shredded the onions on a mandolin, but you could simply slice thin pieces using a sharp knife. Once I coated them in the liquid and then tossed them in some flour, I put them right into the hot oil and cooked them until they were golden brown. Once cooked, I drained them on a paper lined plate and then added a little more salt. They were crispy and delicious, so enjoy them plain or with a delicious dip of your choice…they are truly a sinful pleasure.
Crispy Fried Onion Snack
1 large yellow onion
2 tablespoons sour cream
¼ cup water
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
**salt again after frying
Peel and cut the onion in half or you can leave the onion whole and slice into very thin rings. A mandolin will make this easy to do within minutes. Add the sour cream and water to a medium bowl and then toss the onion in it to coat evenly. Sift the flour along with the S&P into another medium sized bowl and then add the moistened onions to that. Toss quickly in the flour to coat evenly then add directly into your hot oil. You will need to keep an eye on this because they do cook quickly. Remove onto a paper lined plate, top with any spice mixture you like or just some more salt and enjoy!
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