On the Side

When you’re really hungry nothing is more satisfying than having a great meal you’ve been dreaming about.  A good meal can completely change your outlook on life and the world.  Sometimes, though I find that it is what is served on the side that really makes the meal.  Just like a great pair of shoes or just the right handbag can turn an otherwise ordinary outfit into something with real WOW!….a great side dish can do the same thing for a meal.
My southern roots have given me a great appreciation for food….food of all kinds prepared in all kinds of ways.  Our table growing up was laden with farm fresh vegetables and sweet delicious fruit.  Every meal was a culinary adventure.  There were all kinds of foods prepared in all kinds of ways.  Of course the fallback technique usually involved frying.  It seems every truly memorable event in my life included food in one way or another and most of the really important conversations have taken place around the dining table.  I love trying new foods or at least new ways to prepare familiar foods, but there are some old standbys that just can’t be beat.  A standby that never fails in our house is fried onion strings.  Onion strings are a perfect accompaniment to burgers and hotdogs, or grilled steak or chicken, and they are wonderful on top of a Southwestern salad.

It really doesn’t matter who you are or what kind of day you’ve had…whether you’re celebrating something or licking your wounds and every kind of a day in between…these crispy delights can be just the thing you’ve been craving.  Trust me, they may be served on the side but it is worth planning a meal around them…they are that good!  Good or bad day, eat some of these and you’ll be feeling all kinds of love, joy and abundant living 🙂

Fried Onion Strings

2 cups buttermilk*
2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Grape seed or peanut oil
(You can use vegetable oil but grape seed and peanut oil allow you to fry at a higher temperature without smoking or burning)

Heat oil to 375 degrees.  Slice the onion as thin as possible.  Break onion rings apart and place in a bowl.  Cover with buttermilk and allow to sit for 1 hour.  *( If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute regular milk and vinegar. Stir together 1 3/4 cups regular milk and 1/4 cup vinegar.  Allow to sit for 3-5 minutes before adding onions.)  Add salt and pepper to the flour and mix well.  Take a handful of onions, allow buttermilk to drain slightly and then dredge in flour.

Drop into the hot oil and fry until golden brown.

Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. You can keep onion strings warm in a 250 degree oven while you fry the remaining onions.  Be ready to cut up another onion because these will disappear quickly.  They are crisp and absolutely delicious 🙂