Winging it... chicken wings to get you through the World Cup

These caramelised jerk chicken wings are very moreish, and the Cajun Remoulade Dipping Sauce makes the perfect accompaniment.

Serves 4-6

You will need

1.8 kg chicken wings, halved at the joints, tips removed

½ onion, chopped

35g spring onions, sliced

7 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 habanero peppers, deseeded and chopped

3 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 tsp dried thyme

2 tbsp sea salt

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

4 tbsp vegetable oil

5 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp brown sugar

120ml freshly squeezed lime juice

For the Cajun Remoulade Dipping Sauce:

500g mayonnaise

2 tbsp ketchup

2 tbsp English mustard

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tbsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tsp prepared horseradish

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp celery salt

1 tsp paprika

Method

Put the onion, spring onions, garlic, habanero peppers, fresh and dried thyme, sea salt, black pepper, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, chilli powder, nutmeg, vegetable oil, soy sauce, brown sugar and lime juice in a blender and blend until the marinade is completely smooth.

Place the chicken in a large bowl, pour the marinade over and toss to coat completely. Cover the bowl with cling film and marinate in the refrigerator overnight or for at least eight hours.

Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F) Gas 8. Line 2-3 baking sheets with foil and grease with cooking spray or vegetable oil. Place the chicken on the baking sheets and reserve the marinade left in the bowl. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Brush half the reserved marinade over the chicken and turn the wings over. Bake for a further 15 minutes.

Turn the chicken again and brush on the remaining marinade. Bake for a further 10-15 minutes until the chicken is tender and caramelised and the juices run clear when the thickest part is pierced to the bone.

Rest the wings on the baking sheets for five minutes before transferring to a serving platter.

To make the dipping sauce:

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor.

Refrigerate before serving.

Taco wings

The rich, spicy Mexican taste of these wings comes from a combination of taco seasoning, red wine vinegar and hot pepper sauce. Enjoy with a ranch dressing dip, or debone the chicken and make tacos.

Serves 4-6

You will need

1 sachet taco seasoning mix

3 tbsp canola oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp hot pepper sauce

1.8kg chicken wings, halved at the joints, tips removed

Vegetable oil, for frying (optional)

Ranch Dipping Sauce:

75g mayonnaise or Greek yoghurt

75ml milk

1 tbsp ranch seasoning (see below)

1 tsp hot sauce (optional)

Ranch Seasoning (see note):

35g dried buttermilk or powdered milk

2 tbsp dried parsley

1½ tsp dried dill

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp dried onion flakes

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp dried chives

1 tsp salt

Method

Preheat the grill to medium, or heat up a barbecue. Combine the taco seasoning, oil, vinegar and hot pepper sauce in a large resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken, seal the bag and shake to coat.

Grill the chicken, turning occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and golden and the juices run clear when the thickest part is pierced to the bone. Alternatively, preheat the oil in a deep fryer set to 180°C (350°F) and fry the chicken in batches. Serve with the Ranch Dipping Sauce (see below), guacamole and tortilla chips.

To make the dipping sauce:

Place the mayonnaise or yoghurt, milk and ranch seasoning in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add the hot sauce for a Hot Pepper Ranch Dipping Sauce.

Note

Three tablespoons of this ranch seasoning is the equivalent of one packet of store-bought seasoning mix. Any unused seasoning can be stored in an airtight container.

Baked mojito wasabi wings

These chicken wings are an East-meets-West fusion. A mixture of a classic Mojito mint flavour and wasabi produces a hot-meets-cool taste.

Serves 4-6

You will need

1.8 kg chicken wings, halved at the joints, tips removed

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

35g cornflour

150ml ponzu sauce

2 tbsp runny honey

60ml white rum

1 tsp red chilli sauce, such as sriracha

2 tsp garlic powder

3 tbsp sesame seeds

Vegetable oil, for frying

For the Mint-Wasabi Dipping Sauce: 175 ml Greek yoghurt

¼ tsp wasabi powder

2 tbsp finely chopped coriander

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

2 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

Method

Sprinkle the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper. Dust lightly with cornflour and rub to coat.

Combine the ponzu, honey, rum, chilli sauce, garlic powder and two tablespoons of the sesame seeds in a large bowl, stirring well. Add the chicken wings and toss to coat. Cover the bowl with cling film and place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

Remove the wings from the marinade, allowing the excess to dip back into the bowl. Set the wings aside.

Pour the remaining marinade into a small saucepan. Cook over a medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, and reduce until thickened and syrupy.

Preheat the oil in a deep fryer set to 180°C (350°F).

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) Gas 7. Line 2-3 baking sheets with foil.

Fry the wings in batches for about 10 minutes per batch, until the coating is golden brown and the juices run clear when the thickest part is pierced to the bone.

Arrange the fried chicken wings on the baking sheets. Brush the wings with the thickened marinade, turn them over, and brush with marinade on the other side. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then baste again with marinade and cook for a further five minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds.

Three classic risotto recipes to help bring a taste of Italy into your home

Crab and chilli risotto

Crab makes a delicious risotto, especially when speckled with red chilli. Although fresh crab is preferable, it's a bit fiddly to prepare and fishmongers sell frozen white and dark crab meat which is very acceptable for this recipe. I like to stir in the creamy dark meat at the end, but this may not be to all tastes. Serve topped with crab claws for a dramatic and tasty garnish.

Serves 4

You will need

• About 1.5 litres hot seafood stock, fish stock or vegetable stock
• 100g unsalted butter
• 3 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 400g risotto rice
• 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 150ml dry white wine
• 250g fresh white crab meat (or frozen and thawed)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

• 4-8 crab claws, cooked and cracked
• 4 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method

Put the stock in a saucepan and keep at a gentle simmer. Melt half the butter in a large, heavy saucepan and add the shallots and celery. Cook gently for 5-7 minutes until soft and golden but not browned. Add the rice, chilli and bay leaf, stir until well coated with the butter, translucent and heated through. Pour in the wine and boil hard until it has reduced and almost disappeared. This will remove the taste of raw alcohol.

Begin adding the stock, a large ladleful at a time, stirring gently until each ladle has almost been absorbed by the rice. The risotto should be kept at a bare simmer throughout cooking, so don't let the rice dry out - add more stock as necessary. Continue until the rice is tender and creamy, but the grains still firm. This should take 15-20 minutes depending on the type of rice used.

About 5 minutes before the rice is ready, stir in half the crab meat. When the rice is cooked, taste, season well and stir in the remaining butter. Remove the bay leaf. Fold in the remaining crab meat, being careful not to break up any lumps. Cover and let rest for a couple of minutes so the risotto can relax, then serve immediately, topped with the crab claws and lots of chopped flat-leaf parsley.

Shrimp, mango and soba noodle salad recipe

Ready in

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 4 oz soba noodles
• 1 cup sliced sweet onions
• 1  1/2 cups sliced red bell pepper
• 1  1/2 cup sliced mango strips
• 12 oz shelled, defrosted deveined large shrimp
• 1 Tbsp Sriracha
• 2 tsp minced ginger
• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• 3 Tbsp toasted chopped cashews

Dressing

• 3 Tbsp sweet red chili sauce
• 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp lemon juice

Directions

1. Cook soba noodles just until tender, about eight minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Add to a large bowl along with onions, bell peppers and mango.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet sprayed with vegetable oil, add shrimp, Sriracha and ginger. Sauté for five minutes or until just cooked. Let cool.
3. Dressing: Combine all ingredients and pour over noodles and vegetables. Mix well, place on serving platter, top with shrimp, cilantro and cashews.

Nutrition per serving

• Calories 340
• Protein 24 g
• Carbohydrates 40 g
• Fibre 2 g
• Total fat 2 g
• Saturated fat 2 g
• Cholesterol 130 mg
• Sodium 850 mg

Cost-Buster Cooking: No-fuss summer snacks

As summer winds down, who wants to be in the kitchen fussing with canapés when you can be lounging on the patio? Here are some quick fixes for easy-does-it entertaining.

Summertime and the livin' is easy” is more than a song lyric from Gershwin’s immortal “Porgy and Bess.” That phrase truly conveys the spirit of our lifestyle during these warm months. Who wants to be in the kitchen fussing with canapés when you can be lounging on the patio sipping an iced tea (or a Long Island iced tea for that matter)?

Crispy slices of crostini, which are nothing more than a fancy name for toast, with toppings are an easy alternative to labor-intensive individual hors d’oeuvres. The bread slices can be toasted on the grill when you have it lit for other foods, and the toppings suggested here can sit at room temperature for a few hours when serving.

Pimiento cheese (sometimes spelled pimento cheese) has been dubbed the “pâté of the South” and has a firm foothold in that region’s culinary culture. So it might come as a shock to learn that it was developed about a century ago in the Northeast, when cream cheese was first introduced and pimientos first arrived canned from Spain. It’s a versatile food to have around because its refrigerated shelf life is long, and it can be used as a spread for crostini, a filling for celery or plum tomato halves, or topping a cheeseburger.

Unique Korean Food That Will Match Your Needs

Unique Korean Dishes That Will Match Your Needs 

Wherever you go, you'll hear a wide range of talk connected with Korean food and the extravagant setting gave by the Korean eateries. Thus, you have to arrange yourself and experiment with a couple of the absolute best Korean dishes in late history. Nowadays Korean food is so prevalent and the same thing applies for the Korean eateries henceforth you simply need to alter one day alongside your friends and family and set out to this new enterprise. Korean eateries hold the finest setting as to offering Korean food along these lines, to make them move, this article will uncover the suitable course.

Much the same as whatever else, in the event that you'd like to appreciate Korean food, you need to scan for a perfect Korean eatery. You will discover a menu in the Korean eatery and on it will be all the Korean dishes reachable subsequently this is the thing that you have to use keeping in mind the end goal to locate your ideal decision and food that will give you an one-time experience. It is regularly better to have a thought regarding what you require accordingly this ought to additionally become possibly the most important factor in the event that you need to appreciate Korean food.

The absolute best originates from the absolute best accordingly the comparable hypothesis is appropriate regarding the matter of Korean food and Korean eating places also. There's not really some other spot that can offer decent Korean food separated from the Korean eateries. Incidentally, on the off chance that you would like your well-being to soar, the Korean dishes will assume a part. Looking for further experience, have a go at requesting for Pig guts soup and realize what Korean sustenance speaks the truth.

Life is intended to be appreciated and this is the reason you've to experiment with new dishes basically of Korean sort. Time for you to relinquish the same sustenance you eat consistently and start getting a charge out of some Korean dishes.You just need to take a gander at the brilliant side and disregard any obstacles that may go along.

Korean eateries more likely than not have the best treatment for any excursion and the food offered is likewise engaging and ideal for any individual who yearns to eat and taste a few delightful sustenance. You just need to take a gander at the menu and select what you need. You'll attempt to visit Korean eateries every now and again as an approach to get your desire for food in a straight line.

Tips For Making Great Chinese Food At Home

Chinese nourishment is a standout among at the most prevalent ethnic cooking styles in North America. There are more than 40,000 Chinese eateries in the only us. Numerous individuals surmise that Chinese cooking is troublesome and entangled, yet it truly isn't. With the right instruments and hardware, information of legitimate systems and a couple tips and traps, anybody can make flavorful Chinese dishes at home.

How about we examine the main 4 tips for making Chinese sustenance at home.

1.Get the Right Ingredients

While most markets convey some Asian fixings, they are typically not the credible brilliant fixings that Chinese cooks would utilize. In the event that you can discover an Asian showcase close-by, you will observe that they have a much bigger mixture of Chinese fixings. Commonly, Asian staple goods and markets likewise convey better quality nourishments too. Case in point, a great rice wine is crucial to numerous Chinese dishes that you will need to make at home. The rice wine that the normal market conveys is truly not decent. The same goes for some produce things, noodles, vinegars, sauces and flavors.

2.You Need the Right Tools and Equipment

Most kitchens in China are little and straightforward. There are truly just a couple of key things that you requirement for effective Chinese cooking. Great, sharp blades are an unquestionable requirement. You will be doing a considerable measure of cutting and slashing when you are planning Chinese dishes, so a decent quality blade is critical. It is fundamental that your cuts are uniform to guarantee notwithstanding cooking, and numerous dishes oblige slim cuts of meat and vegetables. You ought to have the capacity to get by with only a gourmet expert's blade, a santoku blade, a boning blade, a little blade and possibly a serrated bread blade.

You'll likewise need to put resources into a wok. A conventional wok with an adjusted base is not by any stretch of the imagination appropriate for cooking at home. The adjusted base makes it hard to warm the container equally, so a level bottomed wok-style dish is a superior decision. Cast iron or high review carbon steel are the best materials to search for when picking a wok, as they hold the warmth exceptionally well and can withstand higher temperatures than the less expensive options.

3.Learn the procedures

I'm certain you've seen that Chinese eateries have a tendency to serve the sustenance rapidly. That is on account of most formulas are brisk to make, once you have your fixings arranged. It really takes longer just to cleave and cut the fixings, stir up the sauces and get everything prepared to go than it does to cook the feast! I've figured out how to verify everything is totally prepared to go before I begin cooking anything, or I simply wind up in an aggregate wreckage! The primary cooking system in Chinese cooking is mix searing. This is done rapidly more than a high warmth. You have to keep the sustenance moving always in the container or it will blaze rapidly - henceforth the term, STIR-searing. Steaming is another basic strategy utilized for vegetables and rice. Bamboo steamers are awesome for this, however you can get by with any kind of steamer. Not very many dishes in bona fide Chinese cooking are broiled or pan fried, however our westernized variant of Chinese sustenance normally incorporates some profound fricasseeing as well. As it would turn out, what's a Chinese combo plate without chicken balls, correct?

4.Branch out!

The vast majority of the dishes that we are utilized to here in America are Cantonese or Mandarin Chinese formulas. Really, a few dishes are absolutely Americanized Chinese dishes that you would never really find in China! There are various districts in China, however, and they all have contrasts in cooking styles, systems and formulas. Attempt Sichuan for fiery delightful dishes. Jiangsu cooking concentrates essentially on meat dishes including duck, chicken, pork, crab, fish, and even turtle! The Fujian district utilizes a wide range of sorts of fish and fish, and Fujian suppers are regularly served in a stock.

These are just a couple of the distinctive styles of Chinese cooking. Once you've comprehended a portion of the normal dishes that you're accustomed to getting from take-out, experiment with a percentage of the novel formulas from different territories in China. You'll make certain to inspire your supper visitors with such an intriguing menu!

Healthy, Fast Options Within The Frozen Food Section

If you're like all other responsible parent, you need to make certain your loved ones eats healthy meals to allow them to remain healthy, but you're facing an array of junk food restaurants and unhealthy foods makers attempting to lure your family to consume their meals. Frequently occasions individuals meals are offered in a much less cost than more healthy meals are and they're frequently easier to throw together when you really need a fast meal. Fast and cost-effective meal choices are enticing, specifically for parents who work throughout your day and feel rushed to place dinner up for grabs during the night. The only issue is the fact that, in past years, finding something which was affordable, fast and healthy was difficult.

Fortunately, many Wholesale Food Providers have recognised the requirement for more healthy food options for families and therefore are delivering easier, more healthy options in meals that may be prepared rapidly. You will find more choices for individuals with special nutritional demands, including meals for vegans and vegetarians on offer by frozen food makers too.

Great food for a great China tour

Here’s a gallery of photos of some of the dishes we were served at lunches and dinners during my 16-day China Garden Tour from Shanghai to Beijing calling at Suzhou, Guilin, Xian and Luoyang.

Beyond the flapjack: baking with oats

There’s a lot more to oats in baking than flapjacks. They can lend body, texture and a subtle flavour to cakes and biscuits, a pleasing robustness to a tin loaf or a crunch to crumble topping. There’s no need to shell out for the good oats, either. In fact, the cheaper the oat, the better your results will be. Fat, steel-cut rolled oats, jumbo oats, organic Scottish porridge oats – each of these will take too long to hydrate in doughs and batters, leaving the finished thing oddly chewy, bitty and dry. Stick with the bog-standard oats that are part broken and dusty in their packet.

White chocolate honey oat biscuits

These are much like Hobnobs – oaty, rubbly and butter-rich, though here daubed with white chocolate to pair with the honeyed sweetness of the biscuit. You can swap in dark chocolate if you’ve less of a sweet tooth, or forgo the chocolate altogether if you’re a purist in these things.

The key to a crisp finish is in the bake: too long and they’ll quickly brown and become bitter, cook for too short a time and they’ll quickly soften and crumble. Bake in batches if you’re not sure about how well heat circulates in your oven, and swap shelves mid-bake if necessary.

The key to a crisp finish is in the bake: too long and they’ll quickly brown and become bitter, cook for too short a time and they’ll quickly soften and crumble. Photograph: Jill Mead for the Guardian

Makes around 30
100g plain flour
100g wholemeal flour
75g caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
150g unsalted butter, firm but not chilled
150g porridge oats
4 tbsp honey
1-2 tbsp milk
250g white chocolate
25g candied ginger or orange peel, finely chopped (optional)

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Line a couple of large baking trays with baking parchment.

2 Combine the plain and wholemeal flours, caster sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cube the butter and add to the bowl then use your fingertips to rub it into the dry ingredients, working quickly but lightly until there are no chunks of butter left and the mixture is sandy. Stir in the oats.

3 Whisk the honey with 1 tbsp milk then pour into the dry ingredients. Use a small knife to “cut” the liquid into the mix, working until no dry flour remains and the dough is beginning to clump.

4 Gather the dough together, pressing into a flattish disc. Roll out on a lightly floured work surface until it’s 5mm thick. If the dough’s too sticky to roll, wrap it in clingfilm and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes before continuing; if it’s too dry to hold together, add the remaining milk. These biscuits are supposed to be rubbly and crumbly, so it’s important not to overwork the dough, a couple of light kneads under the heel of your palm can help to give it the strength to hold its shape during rolling and baking.

5 Use a 6cm round pastry cutter to stamp out the biscuits, then arrange these on the prepared baking trays. Gather up any offcuts, re-roll and cut out the extras.

6 Bake for 12-13 minutes in batches, rotating the shelves halfway through if you’re not using a fan oven. They’re done when the edges are just on the cusp of browning. Leave to cool before moving the biscuits.

7 Once the biscuits are ready, melt the white chocolate in a heavy bowl propped over a pan of simmering water. Use a silicone pastry brush to spread the top of each biscuit liberally with the melted chocolate. Decorate with finely chopped candied ginger or orange peel while the chocolate’s still wet. Alternatively, just run a fork gently through the chocolate as it sets to mark a wiggly pattern in it. Leave to cool before storing in an airtight container.

Blackberry oat crumble cake

There’s a double dose of oats in this comfort cake: in the batter, creating a nutty, tender crumb, and in a buttery crumble on top. It’s very autumnal in feel – blackberries, cinnamon, toffee-ish brown sugar and hearty oats – but I can’t see any reason why it can’t be enjoyed now, too, on cooler days when spring slips back into drizzle and dreariness. It’s the kind of cake to be eaten still warm from the oven, with custard, from under a duvet.

Ruby Tandoh's blackberry oat crumble cake: There’s a double dose of oats in this comfort cake... and it's really good with custard. Photograph: Jill Mead/Guardian

Serves 8
150g unsalted butter, softened
125g soft light brown sugar
3 large eggs
50g porridge oats
125g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
150g-200g blackberries, halved

For the crumble topping
50g plain flour
50g porridge oats
50g soft light brown sugar
50g unsalted butter, softened

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Grease a 20cm round springform cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.

2 Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl for 3-5 minutes, working the mixture until very light and creamy. If you slack now, you’ll find the mixture will really clump and curdle when you come to add the eggs. Whisk the eggs, one at a time, into the butter and sugar, followed by the oats. In a separate bowl, stir the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together, then add this to the wet ingredients. Fold lightly together then mix in the blackberries, taking care not to squash the fruit as you go.

3 For the crumble topping, combine the flour, oats and sugar in a bowl then add the butter in small pieces. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients using your fingertips. Don’t worry if the mixture feels a little sticky or greasy. With a high proportion of butter in the mix, the crumble should quickly come together in small clumps.

4 Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin and level with a spatula. Sprinkle the crumble all over the top, then place in the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or as long as it takes for the cake to rise, brown and set through. Leave to cool completely before serving. Works particularly well with custard.

How to cook the perfect onion rings

The least celebrated of the classic fast food side orders, an optional extra where chips are the mandatory pairing, onion rings rarely get the love they deserve. This may be because they are so often done badly, with greasy, flabby batter that releases its filling in one soggy chunk, or it may be because, in this country at least, 45 years since Listerine appeared on our shelves, we remain slightly suspicious of the onion and its alliaceous ilk.

For all our traditional diffidence for oral hygiene, we still don’t have many dishes which make onion the star, rather than the seasoning, because, like garlic, its pungency puts it in the same (rather unfair) category as the kebab; what might be described by the modish as “dirty food” – the kind of thing that is “so bad it’s good”. Well, I’d like to stand up for the onion ring. A cousin of the much more respectable Indian bhaji, Japanese tempura and Italian fritto misto, it seems that the onion ring as we know it today first pops up in print in Fannie Farmer’s 1906 Boston School Cook Book, and was popularised by fast food joints and diners, until, together with french fries, it became “American men’s favourite vegetable”.

The onions

Martha Stewart’s onion rings. Photograph: Felicity Cloake for the Guardian

As befits our somewhat sceptical attitude to onions in this country, there isn’t much choice in most supermarkets; there’s the yellow sort, or the red sort. And that’s it. Many American recipes, by contrast, specify not only the colour but the variety of onion, with Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives phenomenon Guy Fieri proclaiming the “sweeter the better” and Martha Stewart and food podcaster Brenda Anderson both opting for the super-sweet yellow vidalia, which hails from the city of the same name in Georgia (pub quiz fact: onions are Georgia’s official state vegetable).

How to make the perfect hamburger

I’m unable to find any in this country, so I try substituting a red onion in Stewart’s recipe. The results aren’t bad, but the higher sugar content makes it more prone to burning, and I find it a little too sweet – I’d prefer my onion rings to be emphatically savoury.

Opinion about the best width varies from Saveur magazine’s inch-thick (2.5cm) slices to blogger Ree Drummond’s paper-thin slivers: “Notice that you can see the knife through the onion slice,” she explains. “That means it’s thin enough.” Drummond’s are deliciously crisp, but the onion gets slightly lost in the crunchy coating, while the monster versions are still a little too firm by the time the batter is done. About 0.5cm works for me, but you may wish to go up to 1cm if you prefer a more substantial onion ring.

To soak or not to soak

Saveur’s onion rings. Photograph: Felicity Cloake for the Guardian

Unlike Anderson or BBC Good Food, Stewart, Fieri, Saveur and Drummond all soak their onions before cooking – Stewart, Saveur and Anderson in water for between 10 and 30 minutes, Fieri and Drummond in buttermilk for half an hour and an hour respectively. This, I imagine, is less to do with softening them than mellowing any harshness of flavour, which is a good insurance policy when you’re cooking them so briefly.

I prefer the buttermilk, not only because it provides a stickier surface for the coating later on in the process, but because of its tangy flavour. The stuff widely available in this country is pretty thick, though, and can lead to claggy batter, so I’m going to thin it down with a little milk.

The coating

Guy Fieri’s onion rings. Photograph: Felicity Cloake for the Guardian

Onion rings fall into two broad groups – the battered variety, with a voluminous, brittle shell, and the less impressive, but crunchier, floured kind. There’s also a breadcrumbed splinter group of this latter, of which more later.

Good Food, Stewart, Fieri, Anderson and Saveur all favour the first approach, adding air to their batter with baking powder, sparkling water, beer – Fieri’s and Good Food’s billow particularly satisfyingly. Anderson does a double-dip thing, almost as if she’s coating a scotch egg, dipping the rings in seasoned flour, beaten egg and then, somewhat mysteriously, beer (whereupon a lot of the flour and egg falls off). They turn out a lot better than I’d anticipated, but the batter is too thick for my taste.

In fact, great as they all look, I prefer the texture of Drummond’s version; the simple flour coating clings resolutely to the onion. In the batter varieties, the onion seems to have steamed within its shell, rather than fried in the oil, so it pulls away in one piece in the mouth with a kind of gummy softness, and the batter itself is so big and crunchy the filling almost seems besides the point. Drummond’s shards of crisp onion may not look as fancy, but they suit me much better. (Should you be of a different mind, I’d recommend the Fieri or Saveur recipes as particularly good examples of battered onion rings.)

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/may/20/how-to-fry-perfect-chips

Plain flour, then, is all that’s strictly necessary, but though the cornflour used by Stewart and Saveur doesn’t seem to change the texture significantly, I do like the cornmeal the latter adds as well, which gives the coating a slight grittiness that emphasises its crispness.

Breadcrumbs prove almost impossible to stick to slices of onion, especially using beaten egg white, as a second BBC Good Food recipe suggests – they cling on in isolated patches, which looks less than pretty. They’re also quite dry, although that may be more to do with the cooking method.

Seasonings

Brenda Anderson’s onion rings. Photograph: Felicity Cloake for the Guardian

Fieri and Anderson season their flour with garlic powder, Drummond uses cayenne pepper, Saveur dried parsley and Good Food’s second recipe cajun seasoning. Garlic powder just seems wrong on an onion ring (in fact, it seems wrong in most contexts, though I’m prepared to be proved wrong if anyone can think of a good use for it) and dried parsley and cajun seasoning don’t really float my boat.

Cayenne pepper, however, adds a welcome touch of spice – not enough heat to blow your head off, but just enough to keep you going back for more. I used smoked paprika, which I like even better and works well with fried foods, but any chilli powder should work just fine.

The cooking

BBC Good Food’s baked onion rings. Photograph: Felicity Cloake for the Guardian

There is little argument about how to cook onion rings: they should be deep-fried in a neutral oil at about 180C/350F until golden brown. Baking them, as the second Good Food recipe suggests, is a false calorie economy; while not quite inedible, they are very dry – fine if you’re going to dunk them in ketchup anyway, but hardly worth the bother otherwise.

Frankly, if you’re watching your fat intake, onion rings probably aren’t the treat for you. If not, trust me; these are a million times better than most British fast food versions. Consume in moderation, obviously.

The perfect onion rings

Perfect onion rings. Photograph: Felicity Cloake for the Guardian

(Serves 4)

1 large onion

400ml buttermilk

100ml milk

Neutral oil, to cook

75g flour

25g cornmeal

½ tsp salt

½ tsp smoked paprika

Cut the onion into rings 0.5-1cm wide, depending on your preference, and put in a small bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk and milk and pour over the onion, then leave to soak for at least 30 minutes.

Put the oven on low. Fill a large saucepan a third full of oil and heat up to 180C/350F. Meanwhile, put the flour, cornmeal, salt and paprika in a shallow bowl. Pick the onion rings, a few at a time, out of the buttermilk, shaking off any excess, and toss in the flour to coat, shaking off any extra flour as you lift them out on to a plate. Repeat until they’re all well coated. Line a large heatproof plate with kitchen paper.

Once the oil has come to temperature, add a handful of rings (don’t overcrowd the pan or they won’t crisp up properly) and fry for a couple of minutes, turning once, until a deep golden on both sides.

Lift them out with a slotted spoon and put on the paper-lined plate. Put this into the oven to keep warm while you repeat with the rest of the rings, allowing the oil to come back up to temperature between each batch. Eat immediately, while they’re hot and crisp.

Onion rings: criminally underrated or a waste of good soup ingredients? Do you like them big and battery or thin and crunchy – and does anyone actually like them squashed on top of a burger?