Recipe: Crispy Onion Rings

Crispy Onions

Makes about 1/2 cup, enough for 2 Schlow Burgers

You might think onions would need to be coated in flour before frying to make them crispy, but that's not necessarily true. Here's a little method (patent pending) that gives you not only crunchy onions, but onions that will stay that way for quite a while, even overnight, if stored in an airtight container lined with paper towels. It works great with shallots, too.

1 large yellow onion, sliced into very thin rings, 1/3- to 1/8-inch thick
2 cups canola oil

Place onion rings and oil in a small sauce pot. (Don't worry if the rings break apart; it won't ruin the final product.)

Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce heat to a very low simmer. The heat releases the onion's natural sugars, and in essence, causes them to melt.

Turn the onions with a fork every thirty seconds or so, and cook until they turn golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Adjust the heat if needed to maintain a low simmer.

Remove the onions from the oil and arrange in a single layer on paper towels. (At this point the onions won't yet be crispy, but I promise you that after a few minutes, as the caramelized sugars cool and harden, the onions will become deliciously crisp.)

Buy the Book!

from:
It's About Time
Great Recipes For Everyday Life
by Michael Schlow
Foreword by Mario Batali
Random House
$35.00; Hardcover, 248 pages
ISBN: 1-58642-087-9
Recipe reprinted by permission.