Adventures in Cooking: Crunchy Sour Cream Onion Rings

As I posted on Facebook a few weeks ago, I recently tried frying something for the very first time.

I made Rachael Ray's Big Beef Burgers With Crunchy Sour Cream Onions. They were amazing. I made more onion rings than I needed for the burgers so I could have some left to use as a side dish.

Keep in mind we do NOT eat like this every day. As I said, it was the first time I'd fried anything (Asian-inspired stir fries do not count). I had never submerged something in oil and crisped it to a succulent golden brown. I have to admit I was more than a bit intimidated. But the oil was at the perfect temperature when I dropped the double-battered onion rings in and sizzled nicely while cooking the onions to golden brown perfection.

I started with sweet, white Noonday onions.

Cut into about 1-inch thick slices.

I dipped them in a buttermilk sour cream mixture, then in seasoned flour, then repeated the process. Double dipped = double crispy.

When I dropped them into the hot oil, I'm quite sure they made a happy sound.

And when they were finished, we ALL made a happy sound.

Crunchy Sour Cream Onions

• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch-thick slices and separated into rings
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup chives or scallion greens, finely chopped
• Salt and coarse black pepper

Heat a few inches of vegetable oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Combine 1 1/2 cups buttermilk and 1/2 cup sour cream in a bowl and add the onion rings; soak for a few minutes. On a plate, toss the flour with the chives; season generously with salt and pepper. Double-dip the onion rings in the liquid and the flour. Fry a few rings at a time in the hot oil, turning once, until deep golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool and drain.