I wasn’t going to post this, but I have the pictures — well, I have pictures of the remnants — and the kids won’t stop talking about them. Begging for more. Stalking my life. Ruining my days.
Why don’t I just make the damn things for them again?
Because I hate deep frying. HATE IT.
It stinks the kitchen up. It stinks me up (and since I only shower once a week, that tends to be a problem). It’s messy. It’s wasteful (of oil). It’s unhealthy.
Now I’m regretting saying that about my shower habits. I was kidding. I shower at least twice a week.
Anyway.
These are the little fritters I concocted to make up for the loss of bacon on our potato soup from a few Meatless Mondays ago. As I said then, I have no idea how satisfying they were, because the kids ate them all before I had a chance to try them in my soup.
And they keep asking me to make them again.
And I don’t want to.
But they really were good.
So maybe you want to make them and invite my kids over?
[It was worth a try.]I used a batter similar to the one used on the Fuddrucker’s french fries that I made for Morgan’s birthday. Much runnier though. And I was miserly with the oil for frying.
Cuz I’m a miser.
I called them my Homemade Durkee Fried Onions. You know those things that come in a can and go on top of casseroles? It’s not that I have anything against the real thing, but I didn’t have any on hand, and I wasn’t going to make a special trip…
Homemade Durkee Onions
- 1 onion sliced almost paper thin with mandoline
- 1/2 c flour
- 1/2 t salt
- 1/2 t paprika
- 1/2 t ground black pepper
- 1/2-3/4 c water
- oil for frying
Heat the oil in a small skillet (Well, I use a small skillet because I’m an oil miser and it takes less. If you want to be done faster, use a larger skillet and more oil)
In a shallow pan or plate (I use a pyrex pie pan) stir together dry ingredients. Slowly add just enough water until you have a very runny batter.
Slice the onion very, very thin. I use a mandoline/food slicer for uniformity.
Test a drop of batter in the oil (or use a deep fry thermometer. It should be 350-375 degrees). If the batter instantly bubbles and doesn’t burn, the oil is ready.Using a fork, drag the onions through the batter.
Put a few into the hot oil at a time. They will want to stick together. You can either be obsessive about putting the tiny rings in one at a time, or you can pull them apart once they come out of the oil.
Cook until they are nicely browned, but not black. You want them crispy!
Warning: hide until ready to use. Like strips of bacon, and socks in the dryer, they tend to disappear.
Cheryl says
Oh my, those do look sooo yummy! I would have to hide them – from myself!
Nat Alea from OK says
You’re such a smart person!!!!!! That looks fantastic. I bet they would be great on top of hot dogs. this si definately one that I’ll make this weekend. I always wondered how to make french fried onions like Durkeys.
Beth says
yummy! One of my favorite restaurants makes a salad with a handful of these plopped on top. A big favorite of mine! Thanks!
admin says
let me know if you ever make them and what improvements you make!
Judy says
This recipe is almost the same as the one I used 40 years ago to get my boyfriend hooked on my cooking. It worked, we got married….however this recipe does not come with a happiness guarantee. Now he’s my X. 🙂
On the other hand these onion rings are like no other. You can’t get anything this good in a restaurant, onion blossoms or not.
It’s worth the little extra time it takes to make 3-4 onions this way, drain on paper towel and store refrigerated in a zip lock bag.
By the way… I’ve found that these actually taste much better cooked in a fry pan than a deep fryer. I never figured out why….they just do.
Linda says
Yay!!! Thanks for this – I so can’t wait to try them! I’ve loved those dang Durkee things since childhood and just used them for my first Thanksgiving in 3 years (on account of I live outside the US now and went back to visit/cook for my kids). Besides the fact that those DD things are ridiculously expensive (I mean, come on, they’re ONIONS), I can’t find them here in Italy. So anyway, that makes you my hero today. wooHOO!!!
Tracey Pera says
Oh man oh man, I can’t wait to try these, and you are a woman who likes those same things I do… humor, family and au natural.
anna says
any idea how long these stay in a ziplock in fridge? (BTW this sounds AMAZING, will SO be trying this tomorrow)
Jenmenke says
Hey anna! Did you try them? I wish I could give you an answer on the storage, but frankly, I have to hide them somewhere to get them to last long enough to serve for dinner. They have NEVER not eaten all of them!
Sangita says
Ok Im making them tomorrow send your kids over. I live in Perth Australia where i cannot buy Durkee onions so I am very grateful for this thank you
admin says
Well “thankful” is the order of the day. HAPPY THANKSGIVING from the States!
Kathy Hans says
Have a lot of onions planted love this recipe would greatly appreciate a method to preserve for a longer time frame thank you
admin says
Besides chopping and freezing, I don’t really have any answers for you. Dried?
Diane Marie says
Thank you. Thank you!
You were a lifesaver with this recipe.
Needed them for a green bean bake and the store is soooo far away.
They were better than I would have imagined too.
Genelle Collins says
Fantastic!
Kathleen says
Glad you posted this. I didn’t want to spend 4$ for a small container of them.