Lidia Bastianich Onion Rings Food

VIDALIA ONION RINGS WITH BEER MUSTARD

Steps:

• Slice the onions.
• Cut each onion crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Separate the slices into individual rings; remove the 4 small center rings from each slice and reserve them for another use.
• Soak the onions.
• Put the separated onion rings into a large baking dish or shallow bowl and cover them with the buttermilk.
• Make the beer mustard.
• In a small bowl, whisk the aioli, dijon mustard, agave syrup, cinnamon, beer-extract powder and cayenne until combined. Set aside.
• Make the batter.
• In a large bowl, whisk 1 cup all-purpose flour, the rice flour, seltzer, beer and honey until smooth. Put the remaining 2 cups all-purpose flour in a separate large bowl or shallow pan and season it generously with kosher salt.
• Fry the onion rings.
• Fill a large heavy pot with at least 3 inches of vegetable oil. Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side of the pot and heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F.
• Working in batches, lift the onion rings from the buttermilk and shake off the excess. Transfer them to the flour mixture and toss until coated, then dip one by one into the beer batter, shaking off the excess, and add to the hot oil.
• Fry, turning the onions often with tongs, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes; adjust the heat as necessary to maintain the oil temperature.
• Drain and serve.
• Drain the onion rings on paper towels and sprinkle with parsley and flaky salt while still warm. Serve with the beer mustard.

LINGUINE WITH BACON AND ONIONS (LIDIA BASTIANICH)

Steps:

• Bring 6 quarts of salted water to the boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.
• Remove the rind, if necessary from the bacon. Cut the bacon into 1/4 inch slices, then cut the slices crosswise into 1/4 inch strips. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until the bacon is lightly browned, but still soft in the center, about 6 minutes.
• The amount of fat in the skillet will vary depending on the bacon. If there is more than 3 to 4 tablespoons of fat in the pan, pour off the excess. If there is less than 3 to 4 tablespoons, add enough olive oil to measure that amount. Add the onions and cook until wilted, but still crunchy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the stock, bring to a boil and adjust the heat to a lively simmer. Cook until the liquid is reduced by about half.
• Meanwhile, stir the linguini into the boiling salted water. Return to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until done, about 8 minutes.
• Ladle off about a cup of the pasta cooking water. If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, fish the pasta out of the boiling water with a large wire skimmer and drop it directly into sauce in the skillet. If not, drain the pasta, return it to the pot and pour in the sauce. Bring the sauce and pasta to a boil, stirring to coat the pasta with sauce. Check the seasoning, adding salt if necessary. If necessary, add as much chicken stock or pasta cooking water as needed to make enough sauce to generously coat the pasta. Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg yolks one at a time, tossing well after each. (A salad fork and spoon work well for this.) Add the grated cheese, then the black pepper, tossing well and serve immediately in warmed bowls.

ORANGE AND RED ONION SALAD

Steps:

• With a sharp thin-bladed knife, shave off the peel and pith of each orange completely, exposing the flesh of the fruit. Slice the oranges into rounds about 1/3 inch thick (you'll have about 4 cups of slices in all). Handle them gently so they remain intact.
• Peel the onion, and slice it into very thin rounds (about 1 1/2 cups in all).
• Lay out the orange rounds on a serving platter prettily (I pile up all the broken pieces in the center, making a colorful mound). Separate the onion rings, and scatter all over the oranges.
• Sprinkle the salt over the top. Grind lots of coarse pepper over the top. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of your best olive oil all over the top. Shower the parsley over all. And serve!