Fried Pickles

I am a very adventurous eater, and have tried things that would repulse a lot of people. So it was kind of odd to think that with all the buzz about fried pickles recently, I would not have sought them out and tried them. It is not that I didn't want to try them, I just really wasn't curious. But that changed once I did eat them. I have had them a few times, and the first ones I had at a restaurant in northern Virginia (Alexandria?) were absolutely delicious, in fact, I really wanted to eat the entire plateful, and they were not even my order.

I recently found a great recipe for onion rings, and while making those, I recognized that the method would likely make really great batter for pickles. So today when my eyes fell on the pickle jars at the store, I knew it was time to give it a try.

Fried Pickles

About 1 cup or so of sliced dill pickles
1-1/4 cup unbleached flour (or all -purpose)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup of milk, maybe a little more
1 egg
1-1/4 cups of panko bread crumbs, plain

enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of your pan about 1" deep

Drain the pickles and dry on paper toweling. Set up all your stuff ahead of time, so it works easily.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Drop the pickle slices in to coat, and set aside on a plate. Then add the milk and the egg to the flour, and whisk until well mixed. Add a little milk as needed, it should be about as thick as a pancake batter.

Set the panko into a shallow dish.

Heat the oil in a skillet until a little drop of batter sizzles when dropped in the oil, maybe around 375 degrees?

Take the pickles that are floured, and drop them into the batter a few at a time, turning them over with a fork to coat evenly. Then drop separately into the panko crumbs and turn to get another even coat of bread crumbs. Drop into the hot oil, and fry, turning once, until they get golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper toweling, and serve with your favorite dipping sauce, like ranch, or a fancier flavored aioli.