Onion Strings

Onion Strings is a recipe appearing in The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl.

Official Description
I know they don't look it, but these teeny tiny, thinly sliced fried onions are so pleasantly flavorful and crisp, and such an utterly perfect accompaniment for so many different main courses, that they really need to be placed on some list of Side Dishes of All Time. Yes, sir. Right next to sweet lime pickles and tiramisu.

No, I'm not pregnant. But thank you for asking.

Making these fried onions is so simple, but there are three crucial steps. First, you must slice the onions very thinly, which requires either a sharp knife or mandoline. Second, you must soak the onions in buttermilk for at least an hour before frying. Third, you must ensure the oil is 375*F before throwing in the onions. I won't go into the scientific reasons behind these requirements, because that would take away from your onion strings eatin' time - so let's get cracking!

Recipe

 * 1 large onion
 * 2 cups buttermilk
 * 2 cups all-purpose flour
 * 1 scant tablespoon salt
 * Plenty of black pepper
 * 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
 * Canola oil for frying

Begin by peeling the onion and slicing very thinly.

Separate the onion slices and place them in a shallow dish. Pour buttermilk over the top.

Press the onions down so they're submerged as much as possible and let them soak on the counter for at least an hour. If necessary, stir them arounnd a bit halfway through the soaking process.

In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne.

Pour 1 to 2 quarts canola oil in a pot or Dutch oven. Heat to 375*F, or until a pinch of flour sizzles when sprinkled over the pan.

Using tongs, remove a handful of onions from the buttermilk and immediately dunk into the flour mixture. Coat the onions in the flour mixture, then tap them on the inside of the bowl to shake off the excess.

Plunge the onions into the hot oil.

With a spoon, fiddle with them a bit just to break them up. And watch them! They'll be ready to remove from the oil in no time flat.

When they're golden brown (thi should take under a minute), remove them from the oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate.

Repeat with the remaining onion slices and serve immediately. Pile these on top of a juicy grilled hamburger - to die for!