Tangy Southwestern-style Fried Onion Rings

We're in onion season, but at any time of the year, fried onions are a welcome addition to any meal, formal or post-game snack. This fried onion recipe, with a taste of the southwest, is the prefect side dish for a light lunch of chili, cornbread, and fresh garden salad.

Ingredients

3 large white (Spanish) onions

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin

2 jalapeno peppers

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup buttermilk

1 egg

¼ cup white corn meal

¼ cup all-purpose flower

Peel the outer layer from the onions and wash them thoroughly in cold water. Cut onions into ¼ inch slices and separate them into rings. Set them aside, while you make the zesty batter coating.

Wash the jalapeno peppers, and then chop them finely. Combine the chopped peppers, salt, cumin, milk, egg, and dry ingredients in a food processor set on mix and process until smooth. Pour this mixture into a medium sized bowl.

Put the vegetable oil in a deep iron skillet (some prefer a sauce pan, but I'm a bit old-fashioned) and heat it to 375 degrees F.

Dip the rings, one at a time, into the batter until they are thoroughly coated. Fry them one at a time, turning once, until they are golden brown. Put them on a paper towel to drain.

The flour-corn meal batter gives a grainy texture to the onion rings, and the chopped peppers add a zesty taste. For a variation, and if you're real adventurous, substitute chopped Habanero peppers for the jalapenos, or even better, if you want to make a five-alarm version of this recipe, mix them. Just be sure to have some rice, cornbread, or crackers handy for those who aren't accustomed to the fiery taste, and warn them not to try to ease the burn with water, as that will only spread and make it worse.

Serves 4