Beer Battered Onion Rings

I guess my health kick is out the window. But who can blame me. Onion rings, come on, these are not an everyday food item and I had to bend the rules. Ian and I made these for the Food Network Canada's monthly challenge. They were large, perfectly browned, and the onion inside the crispy shell was sweet and tender. Plus, they were beer battered which made them great for St. Paddy's Day. I drew the line when green beer was mentioned.


Ricardo's Beer-Battered Onion Rings
adapted from Ricardo and Friends, www.foodnetwork.ca
makes 4 servings

1 large Spanish onion, sliced into 1-cm rounds and separated into rings
1/4 cup cornstarch
Batter
1 cup flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup pale ale
Oil for frying

Preheat the deep fryer to 190°C (375°F). Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet or line a baking sheet with paper towels.In a paper bag or large bowl, toss the onion rings in the cornstarch to coat well. Set aside.
Batter
In a bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Whisk in the beer.Using your fingertips or a wooden chopstick, dip the rings in the batter, 4 or 5 at a time. Shake off excess batter and deep-fry for about 3 minutes, turning half way through cooking. Drain on the baking sheet. Season lightly with salt. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.