These appealing little ‘blossoms’ are perfect as appetizers or as a sophisticated dessert. They’re very easy to make and they delight the senses with their transporting flavors and variety of textures.

Here’s a photo of the Pina Colada Blossoms below.

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp sugar
Cooking oil spray
24 wonton wrappers (or 6 egg roll wrappers cut into quarters)
Ground cinnamon (for dusting)
1 can pineapple chunks
1 can mandarin orange sections
3/4 Cup shredded sweetened coconut
Fresh mint leaves, minced (optional)

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix the cream cheese, lime juice, and sugar. Spray mini muffin pans with cooking spray. Press a wonton wrapper into each cup, folding the corners out like petals, and dust lightly with cinnamon. Put about a teaspoon of cheese mixture into each, press a pineapple chunk and a mandarin orange section into the cheese, and top with about a teaspoon of shredded coconut.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Sprinkle with minced fresh mint leaves, if desired.

Makes 24 appetizers.

Enjoy!

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Delicious Pina Colada Blossoms

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

Warning: The warm, rich, multi-layered flavors of these visually appealing appetizers will tempt you very strongly to eat all 24 of them by yourself in the kitchen and tell your guests that you, uh…dropped the whole tray on the floor! Yeah, that’s it! They’ll believe that! Just make sure you’re not still chewing when you give them the bad news.

Here’s a photo of the Shrimp & Blue Cheese Blossoms with Vidalia Cranberry Marmalade below.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp butter
3 cups diced Vidalia onions
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 tsp anise seed
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp white pepper
Pinch of salt
4 oz cream cheese, softened
Cooking oil spray
2 oz blue cheese (I use Maytag Blue)
24 wonton wrappers (or 6 egg roll wrappers cut into quarters)
24 medium (41-50 count) cooked shrimp
Minced fresh chives (optional)

PREPARATION:

Melt the butter over medium heat in a heavy saucepan. Add the onions and the cranberries and cook, stirring regularly, until the onions have softened and colored (about 20 minutes.) Stir in the anise seed, brown sugar, lemon juice, water, pepper, and salt. Cook for 10-15 minutes more, stirring regularly.

While the onions are cooking, crumble the blue cheese in a medium bowl. Add the cream cheese and mix thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray mini muffin pans with cooking spray. Press a wonton wrapper into each cup, folding the corners out like petals. Put about half a teaspoon of cheese mixture into each, add about 1 teaspoon of onion marmalade, and top with a shrimp.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Sprinkle with minced fresh chives, if desired.

Makes 24 appetizers.

Enjoy!

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Shrimp & Blue Cheese Blossoms with Vidalia Cranberry Marmalade

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

Please join us tomorrow to find out how to make this recipe’s companion dessert, Pina Colada Blossoms.

Though most people never give it a second thought until Thanksgiving pie-making time rolls around, canned pumpkin is one of the hidden treasures of the vegetable aisle. It’s nutritious (high in fiber and low in fat and carbs), delicious, economical, and incredibly versatile. You can use it to make sweet desserts (cakes, pies, puddings, turnovers, souffles, tarts, etc) as well as savory side-dishes, casseroles, empanadas, soups (hot and chilled), croquettes, and more. You can also use it to make wonderfully moist breads and muffins, too.

Sweet or savory - breakfast, lunch, or dinner - that shamefully neglected can of pumpkin in your cupboard can do it all! How many canned vegetables can claim that kind of versatility?

Try these easy and delicious pancakes for breakfast or Sunday brunch. They’re lightly sweet and are great with just butter, or you can mix in any number of goodies (raisins, chopped walnuts or pecans, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, etc) and/or top them with maple syrup (buy the real stuff; you deserve it!), or peaches, berries, pineapple, or mango - or how about a dollop of real whipped cream or even a scoop of ice cream? Too decadent, you say? Perhaps, but well worth it: a sybaritic breakfast will put a mysterious smile on your face that your co-workers will wonder about all morning . . .

Here’s a photo of the Homestyle Pumpkin Pancakes (made with raisins) below.

Ingredients:

1 cup self-rising flour
2 Tbsp brown sugar (or white)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
3/4 cup half & half or milk
1/2 cup solid-pack canned pumpkin (See Cook’s Note)
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract (optional)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
Butter or oil for cooking

PREPARATION:

Mix together the dry ingredients, then add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Lightly oil or butter a heated skillet or griddle and pour in about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook until the edges are just dry. Turn pancakes and cook until lightly browned. Keep warm in very low oven while making remaining pancakes. Makes 8 -10 pancakes.

Cook’s Notes:

There are two types of canned pumpkin: the kind that’s premixed with sugar, etc., to use as pumpkin pie filling, and the kind that’s just pumpkin with no added ingredients (often called Solid Pack.) I recommend buying only the plain pumpkin type, as it allows you the widest range of possibilities.

Enjoy!

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Delicious and Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

“Abuelita” means “little grandmother” in Spanish. These sweet little treats are based on the deep-fried and very delicious Cuban empanadas filled with guava & cheese that I used to buy in Union City, NJ (where there are more Cubans and Cuban restaurants per square mile than in Havana!).

When I first made these, a friend said that they seemed like the kind of after-school snack that a little old Cuban grandmother would bake for a favorite grandchild. Serve them warm from the oven with a cup of espresso for a very grown-up dessert.

Here’s a photo of the Guava and Cheese Abuelitas below.

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp sugar
4 oz guava paste (see Cook’s Note)
1 15 oz box rolled refrigerated pie dough, brought to room temperature (see Cook’s Note)
Cooking oil spray

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix the cream cheese, lime juice, and sugar. Cut the guava paste into four slices. Cut each slice in half lengthwise, and cut each of these halves into three pieces, giving you 24 small pieces. Unroll the pie crusts and use a cookie cutter or drinking glass to cut the dough into 2 1/2 inch rounds to make 24 pieces (12 from each roll of pie dough). Lightly coat mini muffin pans with cooking spray and gently press a dough circle into each cup. Add about a teaspoon of cheese to each cup and push a piece of guava paste into the cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Makes 24 mini cups.

Cook’s Notes:

• Refrigerated pie dough rolls come two to a box and can be found in the refrigerated biscuit dough section of the supermarket.

• Guava paste comes in a rectangular block and is available in the International foods section of the supermarket. If guava paste is not available, guava jelly can be substituted.

Enjoy!

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Delicious Guava and Cheese Abuelita “Little Grandmother” Tea Pastries
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

This zesty relish gets its fiery nature from lots of freshly grated ginger, but the bite is tempered by sweet oranges, dried cherries, honey, and spice. It goes great with roast pork, turkey, or game (especially venison) and a dab on a hot, buttered biscuit is a fine way to kick-start the morning, too.

Here’s a photo of the Firecracker Chutney below.

Ingredients:

2 cups dried cherries (about 14 oz)
1 cup grated fresh ginger root
3 large oranges, peeled & chopped (white pith and seeds removed); juice reserved (see below)
2 Tbsp orange zest
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp brandy
Water plus reserved juice from oranges to equal 1 cup

PREPARATION:

Place all ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding
a bit more water if needed. Chill thoroughly before serving. Makes about 2 pints.

Cook’s Notes:

• 5 or 6 tangerines (depending on size) can be substituted for the oranges.

• Southern Comfort, Grand Mariner, bourbon, or dark rum can be substituted for the brandy, or it can be omitted.

• For another layer of zing, try adding a finely minced jalapeno pepper.

Enjoy!

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Delicious Firecracker Chutney With Oranges, Ginger, and Dried Cherries
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

This refreshing and cooling summer recipe won’t heat up your kitchen but will spice up any meal, picnic, or family gathering where you decide to serve it.

Here’s a photo of the Sun and Moon Orange and Sweet Onion Salad below.

Ingredients:

2 large navel orange (or 4 tangerines)
1 medium seedless cucumber
1 medium sweet onion
1/4 cup green olives (I used Spanish olives with pimento, but any pitted green olive would be fine)
1/4 cup parsley leaves, loosely packed (cilantro would be nice also), divided
1/4 tsp each of paprika, cumin, & cinnamon
1/8 tsp white pepper
Pinch or two of cayenne or red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
1 lemon, divided
Pita breads (non-pocket type) or thick (gordita-type) tortillas
Olive oil
1 container (8 oz) plain or flavored hummus

PREPARATION:

Peel the oranges, removing all the white pith, and cut into 1/2 inch chunks. Peel and cut the cucumber into 1/2 inch chunks. Peel and cut the onion into 1/2 inch chunks or quarter and cut onto very thin slices. Leave the olives whole or slice, as desired. Finely mince the parsley leaves and reserve a tablespoon.

Combine all the above in a mixing bowl with a squeeze of lemon juice (about a teaspoon) and mix. Sprinkle on the spices and mix gently. Taste, adding a little salt, if desired.

Toast or grill the breads with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, and cut into 8 pieces.

TO SERVE:

To serve, mound 1/4 of the hummus in the center of a small plate (drizzle a little olive oil on top, if desired), spoon 1/4 of the salad around it, and arrange the bread pieces around the outer edge of the plate, points outward, in a sun pattern. Decorate the hummus with a thin, half-moon slice of lemon and a pinch of reserved parsley.

Serves 4.

Enjoy!

Join us tomorrow to find out more about how to make Firecracker Chutney, Doug DuCap’s original recipe which features dried cherries, fresh ginger, and oranges.

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Sun and Moon Orange and Sweet Onion Salad
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

Here’s Day 6 of the A Week of Onion Rings series which features Southern Style Sweet Corn Onion Rings.

(Yesterday’s featured onion rings were Stuffed Potato Skin Onion Rings.)

This one’s a little different, but still very easy. It captures the flavor of sweet summer corn and wraps it around the onion in a golden, pillowy crust. Perfect with grilled food of all kinds.

This recipe uses canned corn, but you can make it using fresh corn scraped off the cob. Adjust the salt and sugar to your taste. A nominal amount of garlic powder is invoked for its mysterious power to enhance the flavor of corn while not making its own presence known.

Ingredients:

1 can (about 15 oz) cream-style corn (I use Del Monte because they add less sugar)
1 cup self-rising flour (plus additional if needed)
1/8 tsp white pepper (or more to taste)
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
Oil for frying
1 very large yellow or Vidalia onion, cut and separated into 3/4 inch rings

Preparation:

Pulse the corn in a food processor or blender until nearly smooth. Remove to a bowl and whisk in the flour 1/4 cup at a time until a thick batter is achieved. Whisk in the spices and set aside. Heat 1/2 to 3/4 inches oil in a heavy skillet to 375 degrees.

Dip an onion ring into the batter, coating thickly. Lay it gently into the oil and cook until golden, turning once. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining rings. You can do 2-3 at a time depending on the size of your skillet, but take care not to crowd the pan or let the temperature drop too much, or the rings will turn out greasy.
Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

• A pinch or three of cayenne adds a little counterbalance to the corn’s sweetness.

• Add some finely minced sweet red or green pepper, or finely minced pickled jalapeno to the batter.

• Take a large soft kaiser roll, put a big onion ring on the bottom half, put a heap of smoky pulled pork inside the onion ring, top with creamy cole slaw, put the lid on, bite. The great outdoors just got greater, didn’t it?

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Gigantic Southern Style Sweet Corn Onion Rings
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

Here’s Day 5 of the A Week of Onion Rings series which features Stuffed Potato Skin Onion Rings.

(Yesterday’s featured onion rings were Curly Ramen Crunch Onion Rings.)

Onion rings that taste like those All-American bacon & cheese & sour cream & butter & chive goodies that many of us secretly wish we could eat for at least one meal a day? Preposterous! Impossible! Absurd! But on the other hand…could it be possible?

The answer is yes! These onion rings are a hybrid of two appetizer platter superstars. They work great as rings, but are even better as jumbo-sized onion chips (and easier to use as dipping scoops after they’re done!)

Even though it seems like beer batter might be a good starting point, the beer provides an off-note to an already complex flavor spectrum. Milk works out much better.

Ingredients:

1 4 oz packet Idahoan “Loaded Baked” mashed potato mix, divided
2 cups Basic Batter (made with milk)…see the ingredients list for this batter to the right.
Oil for frying
1 very large yellow or Vidalia onion, cut and separated into 3/4 inch rings

Preparation:

Pulse 1/2 cup of the potato mix in a food processor or blender until powdered. Add this to the batter; stir well and set aside. Put the remaining potato mix in a shallow bowl.

Heat 1/2 to 3/4 inches oil in a heavy skillet to 375 degrees. Dip an onion ring into the batter, coating thickly, and dredge in the dry potato mix. Lay it gently into the oil and cook until golden, turning once. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining rings. You can do 2-3 at a time depending on the size of your skillet, but take care not to crowd the pan or let the temperature drop too much, or the rings will turn out greasy.

Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

• Other flavors of mashed potato mix (butter & chive, four cheese, etc.) work well too. (Haven’t tried the mashed sweet potato mix yet, but it looks promising.)

• Nacho cheese sauce? Sour cream? Ranch dip? All of the above? Sounds good to me!.

Join us tomorrow to read Doug’s new recipe for Southern Style Sweet Corn Onion Rings as part of his Week of Onion Rings Series which celebrates the official start of Summer.

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Gigantic Stuffed Potato Skin Onion Rings
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

Here’s Day 4 of the A Week of Onion Rings series which features Curly Ramen Crunch Onion Rings.

(Yesterday’s featured onion rings were Cheese and Chive Onion Rings.)

If you’re looking for the ultimate crunch experience, these are for you. You get to ‘mainline’ your ramen noodles, and work in a vegetable at the same time! They’re fun, delicious, and totally addictive.

You want to use the inexpensive, cellophane wrapped ‘block’-type ramen. Choose a flavor you like; I used Roast Beef but most would work equally well, I think. The batter has to be quite thick to hold the crushed ramen in place, so test one and whisk in a tablespoon or so of additional flour if necessary.

Ingredients:

2 blocks ramen noodles (with 1 flavoring packet reserved)
2 cups Basic Batter (made with beer)…see the ingredients list for this batter to the right.
Oil for frying
1 very large yellow or Vidalia onion, cut and separated into 3/4 inch rings

Preparation:

Break off half of one block and pulse it in a food processor or blender until finely ground. Stir these into the batter and set aside. Break up the remaining noodles into small chunks and either processes them carefully in small batches until they’re chopped into small bits (but not ground) or put them in a heavy duty plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or soup can. Spread the crushed noodles in a shallow bowl and shake the contents of the flavor packet over them; mix thoroughly.

Heat 1/2 to 3/4 inches oil in a heavy skillet to 375 degrees. Dip an onion ring into the batter, coating thickly, and dredge in the crushed noodles. Lay it gently into the oil and cook until golden, turning once. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining rings. You can do 2-3 at a time depending on the size of your skillet, but take care not to crowd the pan or let the temperature drop too much, or the rings will turn out greasy.

Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

• Got a bunch of leftover Duck Sauce packets choking out the butter & cheese from their rightful compartment in the refrigerator? Now you know what you were saving them for!

• If you’ve already evicted all your Chinese takeout packets, some mango chutney would be quite nice, too.

• A sweet Thai chili sauce (like Sriracha) might just be the killer app for these crunchy delights.

Join us tomorrow to read Doug’s new recipe for Stuffed Potato Skin Onion Rings as part of his Week of Onion Rings Series which celebrates the official start of Summer.

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Gigantic Curly Ramen Crunch Onion Rings
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

Here’s Day 3 of the A Week of Onion Rings series which features Cheese and Chive Onion Rings.

(Yesterday’s featured onion rings were Hawaiian Sesame Coconut Onion Rings.)

This may be the very best use of beer batter ever! The chives are the perfect liaison between the cheddar and onion flavors. The only thing you really need with these is. . . more beer!

Ingredients:

1 cup (4 oz) finely shredded cheddar cheese (I use Tillamook Sharp)
2 Tbsp freeze-dried chives (or 3 Tbsp fresh minced chives)
2 cups Basic Batter (made with beer)…see the ingredients list for this batter to the right.
Oil for frying
1 very large yellow or Vidalia onion, cut and separated into 3/4 inch rings

Preparation:

Mix the cheese and chives into the batter. Heat 1/2 to 3/4 inches oil in a heavy skillet to 375 degrees. Dip an onion ring into the batter, coating thickly. Lay it gently into the oil and cook until golden, turning once. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining rings. You can do 2-3 at a time depending on the size of your skillet, but take care not to crowd the pan or let the temperature drop too much, or the rings will turn out greasy.

Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

• To get a crunchy/toasty coating, dredge the battered rings in panko bread crumbs before frying. Finely crushed pretzels might be a winner, too.

• Horseradish cheddar, pepper jack, or swiss can be substituted for the cheddar.

• My best serving suggestion? Three words: Thick. Juicy. Steak.

Join us tomorrow to read Doug’s new recipe for Curly Ramen Crunch Onion Rings as part of his Week of Onion Rings Series which celebrates the official start of Summer.

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Gigantic Cheese and Chive Onion Rings
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

Here’s Day 2 of the A Week of Onion Rings series which features Hawaiian Sesame Coconut Onion Rings.

(Yesterday’s featured onion rings were Frito Encrusted Onion Rings.)

Crunchy and slightly sweet, these onion rings have a delightful, multi-faceted flavor.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp ground ginger
1/4 cup ground macadamia nuts
1/4 cup ground almonds
2 cups Basic Batter (made with milk)…see the ingredients list for this batter to the right.
4 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Oil for frying
1 very large yellow or Vidalia onion, cut and separated into 3/4 inch rings

Preparation:

Mix the ginger and nuts into the batter. Combine the sesame seeds and coconut in a shallow bowl. Heat 1/2 to 3/4 inches oil in a heavy skillet to 375 degrees. Dip an onion ring into the batter, coating thickly, and dredge in the sesame/coconut mixture. Lay it gently into the oil and cook until golden, turning once. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining rings. You can do 2-3 at a time depending on the size of your skillet, but take care not to crowd the pan or let the temperature drop too much, or the rings will turn out greasy.

Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

• These would go great with a garlicky roast pork sandwich topped with pea sprouts and mango salsa.

• Pineapple yogurt, whipped with a squeeze of fresh lemon or orange juice, would make a yummy dipping sauce.

• Try these with your next Big Kahuna Burger, washed down with a tasty beverage.

Join us tomorrow to read Doug’s new recipe for Cheese and Chive Onion Rings (which uses a beer batter) as part of his Week of Onion Rings Series which celebrates the official start of Summer.

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Gigantic Hawaiian Sesame Coconut Onion Rings
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

When you ask for an ‘order’ of onion rings at Bessingers or Melvins (and many other barbecue restaurants here in Charleston), you only get one onion ring.

But that’s okay, because these are not your run-of-the-mill onion rings: they’re thick, meaty cuts from colossal yellow onions, generously battered and deep-fried to a rich golden brown. More often than not, the onion ring is larger than the hearty sandwich it comes with!

Before I moved here, I’d only ever had the small, skinny type of ring where the onion was more implied than actual. I’ve really come to love these crispy, Brobdingnagian delights that give the onion a starring role, so when I found some truly enormous yellow onions recently, I got the urge to experiment with some onion ring-related “What if…?” ideas I’d been having lately.

The results? Some of the most beautiful and sinfully delicious onion rings I’ve ever tasted. Best of all, they’re a snap to make! But take note: these aren’t for the faint of heart or the clogged of artery. These onion rings are decidedly not diet or health conscious. They will, however, fill and enrich you in ways that have nothing whatsoever to do with their calories, for they are a joy to behold and a delight to eat. Their fragrance is like the lost, sacred incense of the gleaming roadside diner and the drive-in (not ‘thru’) burger joint. Breathe deeply and let memory speak . . .

Is Moderation, as Hesiod advised, best in all things, or does the Road of Excess, as William Blake proposed, lead to the Palace of Wisdom? That is for each of us to decide, but I do know this: the sweetest onions are the ones that are biggest around the middle. If we, too, must be big around the middle to be sweet than so be it!

A Few Tips for Making the Onion Rings

I used yellow onions and Vidalias in these recipes and they both produced fine results. Use the biggest onions you can find (there’s no such thing as too big!) and cut them 3/4 of an inch thick. Don’t worry about the onion being ‘raw’ or too strong: by the time the coating cooks, the onion will be mellow and tender (while still holding its shape.) Also, if you want to fit more in your skillet or fryer, you can break the onion slices into large chunks and make jumbo-sized Onion Chips (a favorite in Eastern PA); batter, dredge, and fry them the same as rings.

Some of the proportions will be approximate depending on the size of the onions you use, how much you choose to coat them, how spicy or sweet, etc. Let your own tastes be your guide and feel free to improvise and experiment.

Regarding the batter, I wanted to start with something basic that I could work variations on. Some of the ideas I had been thinking about could begin with a beer batter, but others would need something more subtle, like milk. The following Basic Batter Recipe works perfectly with either.

Basic Batter:

1 cup self-rising flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup of milk or beer

Mix the dry ingredients well. Add the wet ingredients and whisk gently until smooth. Makes 2 cups.

The Basic Batter Recipe creates a thinnish, crispy coating which is very nice on its own, but it’s really just a jumping off point for imagination. The first idea I wanted to try was a corn-chip encrusted onion ring, and while I didn’t get what I was after on the first attempt, the solution was a revelation that opened up a world of exciting (and tasty!) possibilities.

Frito Encrusted Onion Rings:

I ground up some Fritos corn chips in the food processor and heated about 3/4 inch of oil in a large, heavy, high-sided skillet (better than a home deep-fryer in this case because of the size of the rings). Then I dipped a ring in the batter, dredged it in the Frito crumbs and slid it into the oil. The resulting ring was good, but it didn’t have the flavor and texture I was after. I decided to give the old ’some in, some on’ theory a try. I stirred about 1/2 cup of Frito crumbs into the batter, let it sit for 5 minutes, and tried again.

The second time was the charm: a thick, intensely corn-flavored coating with a crunchy exterior and perfectly cooked onion inside. Heaven on a June day!

Ingredients:

2 cups corn chip crumbs, divided
2 cups Basic Batter (made with beer or milk; either one works well)
Oil for frying
1 very large yellow or Vidalia onion, cut and separated into 3/4 inch rings

Preparation:

Mix 1/2 cup of the crumbs into the batter. Spread the remaining crumbs in a shallow bowl. Heat 1/2 to 3/4 inches oil in a heavy skillet to 375 degrees. Dip an onion ring into the batter, coating thickly, and dredge in the corn chip crumbs. Lay it gently into the oil and cook until golden, turning once. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining rings. You can do 2-3 at a time depending on the size of your skillet, but take care not to crowd the pan or let the temperature drop too much, or the rings will turn out greasy.

Variations & Serving Suggestions:

• 1/2 tablespoon chipotle powder or chipotle sauce added to the batter definitely raises the ‘zing’ level quite nicely.

• A Salsa con Queso dipping sauce would be delicious with these.

• For a smoother, less crunchy surface, you can skip the crumb-dredging step.

Join us tomorrow to read Doug’s new recipe for Hawaiian Sesame Coconut Onion Rings as part of his Week of Onion Rings Series which celebrates the official start of Summer.

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Gigantic Frito Encrusted Corn Chip Onion Rings
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

Looking Back: 6/16/2008-6/22/2008

Monday: Cucumber, Apple, & Spinach Salad With Curried Pecans and Lemony Coriander Dressing

Tuesday: What This Year’s James Beard Awards Say About American Cuisine

Wednesday: Shoot Your Food! The Fine Art of Food Photography Part I of II

Thursday: Shoot Your Food! The Fine Art of Food Photography Part II of II

Friday: Fish For Friday Recipe of the Week: King Prawn Pancetta Fried Rice

Saturday: Weekend Video Spotlight: Meet Chef Bob Waggoner of Charleston Grill

Sunday: You are here

Also, please join us tomorrow for the beginning of next week’s special feature, A Week of Onion Rings, when Doug DuCap will be sharing one of his new recipes for gigantic gourmet onion rings each day to celebrate the official start of summer.

In this cooling summer recipe, proportions, cube sizes, etc are flexible. You can peel the cucumber and apple or not, according to your preference, and you can boost the ‘zing’ level of the dressing by adding some finely minced jalapeño.

Here’s a photo of the Cucumber, Apple, & Spinach Salad With Curried Pecans and Lemony Coriander Dressing.

Ingredients:

For the Dressing:

6 oz container sour cream or plain yogurt
1 Tbsp finely minced lemongrass (or 1/2 tsp lemon juice plus 1/2 tsp zest)
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp sugar
pinch of white pepper
pinch cayenne (optional)
salt to taste

For the Curried Pecans:

1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp butter or oil
1 Tbsp mild curry powder (or garam masala with a dash of cumin)
pinch of salt

For the Salad:

1/2 of a large seedless cucumber
1 large Fuji apple
3 cups lightly packed spinach leaves (stems removed)
1/2 tsp lemon juice

PREPARATION:

Whisk the dressing ingredients together. Adjust salt and refrigerate.

In a skillet, toast the pecans in the butter (or oil) over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant. Add the curry powder and mix well. Remove from heat.

Cut the cucumber into rough cubes. Core and cube the apple. Toss the apple cubes with the lemon juice. Stack the spinach leaves and cut into thin strips.

TO SERVE:

Toss the cucumber, apple, & spinach together. Mound the salad attractively on a plate, drizzle with some of the dressing, and top with a sprinkling of curried pecans.

Enjoy!

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Photograph Food Like a Pro for your Blog or Website
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

As part of this week’s special two part series on food preservation, here’s the second installment: Fun With Garlic Scapes.

What Are Garlic Scapes?

Heads of garlic are an essen