VelvetCrispy Shoestring Onions
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen.
Thin onion rings tossed in apple juice and cider vinegar, dusted with seasoned flour and fried until golden and crisp. A wire rack and a low oven keep the first batch crunchy while the second cooks.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven and oil. Set an oven rack in the middle and heat to 95 °C (75 °C fan). Set the wire rack over the rimmed baking sheet. Pour the oil into the Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat to 177 °C, checking with the frying thermometer.
- 2
Mix the seasoned flour. While the oil heats, whisk the flour, 1 tsp of the salt, the cream of tartar and ½ tsp of the pepper together in a large bowl.
- 3
Coat the onions. Separate the onion slices into rings and toss with the apple juice and vinegar in the second bowl. Drain in the colander, then transfer the damp rings to the flour mixture and toss until coated.
- 4
Fry the first batch. Carefully lower half the rings into the hot oil. Fry for 3-4 min, stirring occasionally with the wire skimmer, until golden brown and crisp. Adjust the heat to keep the oil between 163 °C and 177 °C throughout.
- 5
Drain and keep warm. Lift the fried onions out with the skimmer and let excess oil drip back into the pot. Spread them on the prepared wire rack and put the baking sheet in the oven while you cook the remaining onions.
- 6
Fry the rest and serve. Let the oil return to 177 °C, then fry the remaining rings for 3-4 min, stirring occasionally and keeping the oil at 163-177 °C, until golden and crisp. Drain on the rack. Sprinkle both batches with the reserved ⅛ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp pepper, taste and add a little more if needed. Serve straight away.
Storage
Best eaten immediately while crisp. Refrigerate leftovers covered for up to 2 days and reheat spread on a rack in the oven until piping hot throughout, 74 °C; the coating will be less crisp than freshly fried. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
EU nutrition claims
- Low sugars: 3.9 g sugars per 100 g (limit ≤ 5 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 145 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
Free sugars: 0.8 g per serving
1.6 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 3.2 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g (WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549028
Equipment
- chef's knife
- chopping board
- large Dutch oven, at least 6 litres
- deep-frying thermometer
- 2 large bowls
- whisk
- colander
- long-handled wire skimmer
- wire rack
- rimmed baking sheet
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 281 kcal |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbohydrate | 32.1 g |
| of which sugars | 5.7 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.8 g |
| Fat | 15.4 g |
| of which saturates | 2.6 g |
| Fibre | 2.7 g |
| Salt | 0.92 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
1.4 g High Protein needs ≥ 5 g (20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
