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| A basket of onion rings |
Onion rings are a form of hors d'oeuvre or side dish commonly found in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and some parts of Asia. They generally consist of a cross-sectional "ring" of onion (the circular structure of which lends itself well to this method of preparation) dipped in batter or bread crumbs and then deep fried; a variant is made with onion paste. Whole onion rings make for better presentation through a variety of sizes, while those made from a paste offer quantity through consistent size. Consumers of whole onion rings run the risk of pulling the onion out of the batter if they fail to cut it all the way through with their teeth; onion rings made of onion paste break apart easily, while oil absorbency diminishes the onion taste. Onion rings are sometimes dipped into ketchup or spicy sauces.
The exact origins of the onion ring are unknown, but in 1933 a recipe for deep-fried onion rings that are dipped in milk then dredged in flour appeared in a Crisco advertisement in The New York Times Magazine.
A recipe for French Fried Onions may have appeared in the Middletown, NY Daily Times on 13 January 1910. It does not claim to be the originator of the recipe.
One claimant to the invention of the onion ring is the Pig Stand restaurant chain, founded in Oak Cliff, Texas, in the early 1920s. The once-thriving chain, whose heyday in the 1940s saw over 100 locations across the United States, also claims to be the originator of Texas toast.
The restaurant A&W is credited with popularizing the onion rings in fast food restaurants, introducing it to its menu in the 1960s.
John Mollard's 1802 cookbook "The Art of Cookery Made Easy and Refined" (page 152) includes a recipe called "Fried Onions with Parmezan Cheese." The recipe suggests cutting onions into 1/2" rings, dipping them into a batter made of flour, cream, salt and pepper, and Parmesan cheese, and then deep frying them in "boiling" lard. It further suggests serving them with a sauce made of melted butter and mustard.
The web is full of recipes for Old Fashioned Onion Rings and here's one from the allrecipes.com web site along with a healthier version Oven-Baked Onion Rings from the same site!
Old Fashioned Onion Rings
INGREDIENTS:
1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk, or as needed
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
seasoned salt to taste
1 quart oil for frying, or as needed
DIRECTIONS:
1.
Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
2.
Separate the onion slices into rings, and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3.
Dip the onion slices into the flour mixture until they are all coated; set aside. Whisk the egg and milk into the flour mixture using a fork. Dip the floured rings into the batter to coat, then place on a wire rack to drain until the batter stops dripping. The wire rack may be placed over a sheet of aluminum foil for easier clean up. Spread the bread crumbs out on a plate or shallow dish. Place rings one at a time into the crumbs, and scoop the crumbs up over the ring to coat. Give it a hard tap as you remove it from the crumbs. The coating should cling very well. Repeat with remaining rings.
4.
Deep fry the rings a few at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain. Season with seasoning salt, and serve.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/old-fashioned-onion-rings/
Oven-Baked Onion Rings
INGREDIENTS:
1 yellow onion - ends trimmed off, peeled
, and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons milk
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
3 cups panko bread crumbs, or more if
needed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
salt and ground black pepper to taste
cooking spray
DIRECTIONS:
1.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2.
Separate onion slices into individual rings.
3.
Whisk egg whites with milk in a bowl until thoroughly combined; season egg mixture with a pinch of cayenne pepper. Place panko crumbs into a separate bowl.
4.
Place onion rings into a large resealable plastic bag. Add flour, salt, and black pepper; seal bag and shake until rings are well coated with flour.
5.
Drop flour-coated onion rings into egg white-milk mixture, a few at a time, and toss lightly with tongs until coated. Place rings into panko crumbs and gently shake the bowl to toss the crumbs with the onion rings until rings are coated with crumbs.
6.
Transfer coated onion rings to a large baking sheet; spray rings lightly with cooking spray.
7.
Bake in the preheated oven until onion rings are tender and crumbs are lightly golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?recipeID=233651&origin=detail&servings=4&metric=false
