Crispy Oven-Baked Onion Rings

Recipe Source: Rouses

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice)
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large yellow sweet onions, cut in 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 2 baking sheets with foil or parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour, 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning and paprika. Stir to mix well.
3. If using milk with vinegar or lemon juice, combine them in a large measuring cup and let sit five minutes. Then, mix sour milk or buttermilk and eggs, whisking well to combine. Spoon half the flour mixture into this milk and egg mixture. Beat until smooth and thick.
4. In another flat, shallow plate, combine panko, olive oil and remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
5. Separate the onion rings. Lightly dredge one onion ring in the seasoned flour, then drop into the buttermilk batter. Lift the ring and let excess drain, then dredge in the panko. Put the onion rings on the prepared pan in a single layer.
6. Continue with onion rings, putting smaller ones inside larger ones on the pans, not touching. Eventually, the panko mixture may need patting onto the battered rings.
7. Bake 14 to 20 minutes. Check halfway through. If needed, flip onion rings to cook crisply on each side. If they look like they’re browning evenly on the top and bottom, this step may be skipped.
8. Cook until golden brown. Serve hot.