Sweet Vidalia onions are the perfect foil for the salty crust on these beer-battered onion rings, which make great party food along with Pimiento Cheese Burgers (page 187). Serve them in high street-food style by piling individual servings in handheld cones rolled from newspaper, brown paper bags, or butcher paper. Let the batter sit for the full three hours; this will allow deep, yeasty flavors to develop.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　

Step 1

Combine 1 cup beer and 1 cup all-purpose flour in a shallow bowl and stir to mix. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and allow the mixture to sit, undisturbed, for 3 hours at room temperature.

　　

Step 2

When ready to cook the onion rings, cut 1 large Vidalia or Bermuda onion into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Separate the slices into rings.

　　

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 200°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a brown paper bag.

　　

Step 4

Pour 4 to 5 inches of canola oil into a large saucepan and place over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350°F to 375°F.

　　

Step 5

Dredge the onion rings a few at a time in the beer batter. Allow the excess batter to drip off and carefully place the battered rings, one at a time, in the hot oil, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

　　

Step 6

Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the onion rings to the prepared baking sheet to drain. Place in the oven to keep warm while frying the remaining rings.

　　

Step 7

Sprinkle with sea salt to taste and serve hot with ketchup for dipping or sprinkled with Hot Pepper Vinegar (page 308), English pub–style.

　　Reprinted with permission from Sara Foster's Southern Kitchen: Soulful, Traditional, Seasonal by Sara Foster. Copyright © 2011 by Sara Foster. Published by Random House. All Rights Reserved.Sara Foster is the owner of Foster's Market, the acclaimed gourmet take-out store/cafés in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and the author of several cookbooks including The Foster's Market Cookbook, winner of the Best Cookbook Award from the Southeast Booksellers Association. She has appeared numerous times on Martha Stewart Living Television and NBC's Today show. She has also been featured in magazines such as More, House Beautiful, and Southern Living, and is featured regularly in Bon Appétit.