Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Who Knew?

I'm quickly becoming a BBQ addict. The Rough Rider Barbecue Sauce from Vegan Diner is just so quick and easy. I play around with it a bit (it was too sweet for our tastes so I omit the agave nectar and use blackstrap molasses instead of light molasses. This time I slathered it on tempeh. I always boil my tempeh for 10 to 20 minutes before cooking it so I sliced it into thin strips and lightly fried it to get some of the moisture out. I couldn't think of what to serve with the bbq tempeh so I looked around the kitchen. Several large onions made me remember Lindy Loo's recent post with baked onion rings (OMG Oven Baked Onion Rings from PPK/Appetite for Reduction to be exact). Yeah, that was the ticket. I'm not a huge onion ring fan and I really can't stand deep frying things, but I needed something quick and since these were baked it was worth trying. The onion rings were a keeper, so much better than the fried version. My only complaint is the breading mixture was super sticky after a the first batch of rings. We made a second batch with panko instead of regular bread crumbs and this worked better. It is key to keep the liquid mixture on the onion to a minimum. To add to the oniony goodness, I sauteed the part of the onions which didn't stay together as rings or were to small. I will have to do this with onions more often. It reminds me of my mother (she loved onions, especially fried/sauteed) and the sauteed onions made the bbq tempeh sandwiches. A mixed green salad and a plum rounded out the meal and some of us dipped our onion rings in ketchup.
Everyone enjoyed the meal, but I have to say they were even better for lunch the next day. The leftover onion rings were limp, but oh my so yummy and the bbq was to die for (I added guacamole and a little shredded Daiya to the bbq tempeh, onions, and lettuce). Josie and I were the only ones eating since the boys were gone and Rob was working. She stopped mid-bite to say "Darn (okay, it might have been "damn", but don't tell), this is good!" Three year old for OMG, I suppose. When the boys arrived home, Parker ate two bbq tempeh sandwiches before dinner. He was disappointed the onion rings were gone, but was satisfied with stuffed grape leaves instead.
Who knew baked onion rings (some of them day old at that) were so much better than fried?

2 comments:

Babette said...

What a feast!

I've been wanting to make the OMG onion rings ever since I got the book, but I still haven't given it a shot.

VeganLinda said...

I hope you make them. I have to make a batch for my radio co-host. He doesn't believe baked onion rings will taste as good as fried. I haven't bought Appetite for Reduction yet, but it is on my list.