More Hot Stuff- Oven Fried Onion Rings

When you're watching your weight and reluctantly going through last years spring/summer clothes and come across a recipe that absolutely makes your mouth water, you either abandon your diet, cry, or stop reading immediately, right? Not so when you have a friend like Melissa Sperka who's one of the best (southern) cooking bloggers I know, not to mention a contributor to the Dash section of Parade on line. Pretty good credentials I'd say. So when she posted her "Firecracker Onion Rings" earlier in the week I was thrilled that they were baked and not fried. Properly baking anything that is normally fried is an art that I have been working on for many years and I must admit, it isn't easy. But when you get it right, you've got to share it with the world, which is what I have to do with these perfectly seasoned, crunchy, delectable onion rings. Let's make her recipe with a few minor changes that happened along the way:

Melissa's Firecracker Onion Rings
Serves 4

1 large sweet onion
1-1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
1 T Frank's Hot Sauce
1 T Sriracha Sauce
3-1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning divided
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs beaten
1-1/2 cups self rising flour- I can't find find self rising flour in my regular market so with some help from the internet, I made my own- I took 1-1/2 cups AP flour, 2-1/4 tsp baking powder, 3/4 tsp salt and mixed them together and voila! self rising flour
3 cups Panko bread crumbs- again I had to make an alteration- I only had 2 cups of  Panko so I added 1 cup of yellow corn meal (it worked like a dream)
3 T canola oil

Peel your onion and slice into 1/4 inch strips and separate into rings. Set aside for a minute.

In large plastic bag mix buttermilk, both hot sauces and 1 tsp of Old Bay. Now add the onions.

Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes and turn occasionally, to be sure the onions soak up the delicious liquid on all sides.

Pre heat oven to 450 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil and spritz liberally with cooking spray. When onions have had their 30 minute bath drain the rings and take 1 cup of the buttermilk liquid and set aside. Discard the rest of the liquid. Place marinated onion rings in large bowl.

We're now going to now set up a dipping station of flour, egg and and panko. To the reserved buttermilk add 2 eggs and whisk.

In a separate bowl place the self rising flour and add 1 tsp Old Bay and black pepper.

And now get another bowl for the Panko/corn meal mixture. To that add 1/2 tsp Old Bay and salt. Add the canola oil and toss with your clean fingertips to combine.

First dip the rings into the seasoned flour.

It was here that I had to recharge my camera, so maybe we're all lucky there are no more step by step pictures to view for a while. Now dip floured rings into egg/buttermilk mixture and then the Panko mix. Place on prepared baking sheets. Melissa had a great tip: place some of the smaller rings inside the larger ones to get more mileage/space out of your baking pan.

Bake 15 minutes and carefully turn rings over. Bake another 12-15 minutes and serve with a dip or two (or three) of your choice. I served these with a ranch, sriracha mayo, and just plain salsa. All delish. And by the way Melissa, thank you so much for the perfect measurements. Just the right amount of flour, egg and Panko. Perfection!

Baked Stuffed Mushrooms

When I was doing my grocery shopping this week I stumbled across the most beautiful package of the largest button mushrooms I'd ever seen, and decided right then and there that I'd stuff them with a simple mushroom (stems), onion, breadcrumb and cheese mixture. I haven't stuffed mushrooms in ages and didn't really have a recipe, but went with my instincts and enjoyed this little concoction to the max. It makes a great appetizer or even a meal if you have it with a salad or another appetizer. As you know, I'm on the two appetizers make a meal bandwagon. This recipe is soooo simple and ever-so tasty.

Stuffed Mushrooms
serves four as an appetizer

Cooking spray
8 large mushrooms
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
1/2 medium onion chopped
8 mushroom stems chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs- I used store bought Progresso Italian style
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove stems from the mushrooms and chop. Clean mushrooms by wiping them with a damp towel. 

In medium skillet over low to medium/low heat add butter and oil. Add onions, Old Bay, salt and pepper and cook to soften, about 3 minutes. You could also add ground cayenne pepper for a bit of a bite (I forgot to do that) but I know 1/4 tsp would work fine. Now add the chopped mushroom stems and garlic. Cook another few minutes and turn off the heat. Stir in bread crumbs and cheese and combine.

Place stuffing mixture into the cavities of the mushrooms and put in baking dish that has been prepared with cooking spray. Spray tops of mushrooms with cooking spray. This will help them brown up in the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes. It's amazing how these little buggers retain their heat, so let them sit a few minutes before serving.

There are so many ways this recipe can be re-mixed. Add a tablespoon of low fat cream cheese or ricotta cheese. Or go Mexican and add a teaspoon or two of taco seasoning.  How about some roasted red peppers or even bottled sun dried tomatoes? I also think chopped, cooked bacon would be fabulous. And what about some fresh herbs from the garden? If you stick with one or two of the additional ingredients, you'll have yourself a fabulous little appetizer.

Saucy

I made a saucy little dinner last night with the help of Lidia Bastianich, one of my favorite celebrity chefs and cookbook authors. Her cooking is always simple and ever-so flavorful, and reminds me of the way my mom used to effortlessly cook. Haddock's been on sale this week, so that was my fish of choice, but any white fish will do. I changed Lidia's recipe slightly and added a yummy roasted red pepper and caper tarter sauce (aioli), which turned out to be a great complement to the garlic and lemon flavored fish. This recipe serves four and it's definately company fare. I give it five stars.

Savory Bread Crumb Topped Baked Haddock with
Roasted Red Pepper, Lemon and Caper Aioli
Adapted from Lidia Bastianich

Fish
1-1/2 pounds haddock
1 tsp kosher salt
4 T extra virgin olive oil
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup white wine (I used chardonnay)
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed with a big chef's knife
1/2 cup seasoned (store-bought) bread crumbs
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
Fresh lemon slices for garnish

Sauce
1/2 roasted red pepper (I use Pastene jarred) chopped fine
3 tsp capers chopped fine
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp jarred white horseradish
1/2 cup light mayonnaise

To make the fish: Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly salt the fish on both sides, using about 1/2 tsp in all. Pour 2 T of the olive oil, the lemon juice, white wine and an additional 1/4 tsp salt into a baking dish (I used a glass Pyrex) and whisk together well. Drop in the crushed garlic cloves and stir with the dressing. Lay the fish filets in the dish, turn and swish them around in the olive oil mixture so both sides are thoroughly moistened. Arrange them skin side down, in one layer. I tucked the crushed garlic under the fish so it wouldn't burn while cookin in the high temp oven.

Toss bread crumbs in a bowl with the lemon zest, cayenne pepper and remaining salt. Drizzle with 2 T olive oil and toss crumb mixture well until evenly moistened. Spoon the seasoned bread crumbs on top of the filets in an even layer. Bake uncovered until the crumbs are crisp and golden and the fish is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.

To make the sauce: Combine all ingredients in a medium size bowl and whisk until combined.


If time permits, make the sauce ahead of time. Refrigerate and let the flavors get to know one another and thicken a bit. I think you'll be very happy. I know that while writing this post, I nibbled on some microwaved leftovers and aioli, and I'm very pleased with last night's dinner.