One of the essential Southern side dishes is fried onion rings, and the key to great ones is the batter. Ours calls for buttermilk, cornmeal, hot sauce, and cayenne. The buttermilk and cornmeal will create a thick golden crust, and the hot sauce and the cayenne pepper give the rings a little kick.

　　

Ingredients

makes 6 servings

　　Peanut oil, for deep-frying

　　2 cups buttermilk

　　1 tablespoon hot sauce, preferably Tabasco

　　1 egg, beaten

　　2 medium onions, sliced into 3/4-inch-thick rings

　　1 cup all-purpose flour

　　1 cup yellow cornmeal

　　2 teaspoons seasoned salt

　　1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

　　Kosher salt

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oil in a deep-fryer or Dutch oven to 375 degrees F. (For tips on deep-frying, see page 19.)

　　

Step 2

Whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, and egg in a large, wide dish. Slip in the onion slices, and allow them to soak for 5 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Toss the flour and cornmeal together in a large brown paper bag, and season with the seasoned salt and cayenne. Drop the onion rings into the paper bag in batches, and shake until they are covered.

　　

Step 4

Slip the onion rings into the oil, and fry until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Season with kosher salt as they come out of the fryer.

　　

ALTERNATIVE: Baked Onion Rings

Step 5

These are more tender than crisp, but that good onion flavor is still there.

　　

Step 6

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray two baking sheets with nonstick spray. Lay the battered rings out in a single layer on each sheet tray, and spray with the nonstick spray. Season with salt. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook by Pat and Gina Nelly. Copyright © 2011 by Pat and Gina Nelly with Anna Volkwein. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Pat and Gina Neely are restaurateurs, best-selling authors, popular speakers, and hosts of the Food Network hit series Down Home with the Neelys. They recently opened their first New York City restaurant, Neely's Barbecue Parlor. They live with their daughters in Memphis, where they enjoy cooking at home with family and friends.Ann Volkwein is a best-selling food and lifestyle author based in New York City and Austin, Texas. Her previous books include: The Arthur Avenue Cookbook, Chinatown New York, Mixt Greens (with Andrew Swallow), and, with Guy Fieri: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; More Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; and Guy Fieri Food.