From A Past Edition Of The New Orleans Menu Daily By Tom Fitzmorris Beer-Battered Onion Rings <>My thinking about onion rings is that the thinner they are, the better they are. To make that work, the coating must also be thin. Since flour won't stick to the rings all by itself, I use a wash made of eggs and beer over the first coating, and then come back with a heavier second flour coating. The hardest part is slicing the onions. A mechanical slicer works best. We use a Ron Popeil product from the early 1970s called the Kitchen Magician, inherited by my wife from her mother. Canola oil for frying 4 cups flour 4 Tbs. Creole seasoning 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups beer 4 large onions 1. In a deep, heavy saucepan, heat at least three inches deep of the canola oil to 375 degrees. The more oil you use, the crisper and better the rings will come out. 2. With a fork, blend the Creole seasoning into the flour. Divide the seasoned flour into two batches. Beat the eggs. Add the beer, stirring with a whisk. 3. Peel the onions and slice them as thin as you can make them. Dredge them through the dry seasoned flour and knock off the excess. Pass them through the egg and beer wash, and allow excess to drip off. Dredge the rings through the second batch of seasoned flour. 4. Check the temperature of the oil for 375 degrees. Fry about a handful of rings at a time. Drain them in a sieve or in a basket lined with coffee filters. (Works better than paper towels, and doesn't allow the rings to get soggy.) 5. After many batches, the loose flour will begin to turn brown. You may ignore this, or strain the oil through a fine sieve to keep it from discoloring the later batches of onion rings. 6. Serve the onion rings immediately after taking them from the fryer. They're best very hot. Serves four to eight. Click here for an index of recipes from past editions. © 2009 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com