Cliff's Homegrown Vidalia Onion Rings

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Recipe created by chef Spike Mendelsohn, owner of Good Stuff Eatery in Washington, D.C.
Oprah.com | Published on January 16, 2009

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Serve up any meal with chef Spike Mendelsohn's specialty onion rings, a side dish he created in celebration of the 2009 inauguration of Barack Obama. These can be dipped in a variety of sauces, including Sriracha or Herb Mayonnaise (see recipes below).

Servings: Serves 4

Ingredients:

Onion Rings:

4 Vidalia onions , cut into fourths
4 cups batter (see recipe below)
Canola oil
Salt

Onion Ring Batter:

1 cup beer (dark ale works great)
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. paprika
1/2 Tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 Tbsp. sea salt
1 tsp. cumin
Pinch of black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Herb Mayonnaise Dipping Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup chopped mint
1/3 cup chopped Thai basil
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp. sea salt

Sriracha Mayonnaise Dipping Sauce:

2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup Sriracha sauce (you can find this at a local grocery store; it's a hot sauce)
2 Tbsp. condensed milk
1 Tbsp. sea salt

Directions:

To make onion rings: Keep 1 cup of flour aside.

Mix the rest of the dry ingredients into one bowl.

In another bowl, mix beer, buttermilk and eggs.

Slowly incorporate dry ingredients into wet mix and whisk to prevent lumps.

Refrigerate until needed—this can be made one day in advance.

Heat oil in a frying pan till 350°. Check with a thermometer or just test by dropping a little water in oil until sizzles. Be careful not to make a huge splash.

To prepare petals, toss onions in a bowl with 1 cup of flour, coat well and shake off excess.

Then, place onion into bowl filled with batter and coat well.

Slowly add petals 1 by 1 into oil.

Don't overcrowd to prevent overflow of oil.

Cook until golden brown and crispy. Strain onto a plate with paper towels.

Season with salt and pepper.

To make Herb Mayonnaise: In a food processor, pour mayonnaise and all herbs with sea salt.

Mix for 2 to 3 minutes until all ingredients are well blended. Serve as a dipping sauce to onion rings or fries.

To make Sriracha Mayonnaise: In a food processor, pour mayonnaise, Sriracha, condensed milk and salt.

Mix for 2 to 3 minutes until thick and creamy. Don't overmix. Serve as a dipping sauce to onion rings or fries.