Onion Strings

Onion Strings
From Pioneer Woman Cooks, pg. 92-93
Ree Drummond

1 large onion
2 cups buttermilk (if you don't have any buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar to just under 1 cup of low fat milk)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 scant tablespoon salt (I found this too salty for my taste)
Plenty of black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Canola oil for frying

Begin by peeling the onion and slicing very thinly. Separate the onion slices and place them in a shallow dish. Pour buttermilk over the top. Press the onions down so they're submerged as much as possible and let them soak on the counter for at least an hour. If necessary, stir them around a bit halfway through the soaking process. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Pour 1 to 2 quarts canola oil in a pot or Dutch oven. Heat to 375 degrees or until a pinch of flour sizzles when sprinkled over the pan. Using tongs, remove a handful of onions from the buttermilk and immediately dunk into the flour mixture. Coat the onions in the flour mixture, then tap them on the inside of the bowl to shake off the excess. Plunge the onions into the hot oil. With a spoon, fiddle with them a bit just to break them up. And watch them! They'll be ready to remove from the oil in no time flat. When they're golden brown (this should take under a minut), remove them from the oil and place on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with the remaining onion slices and serve immediately. Pile these on top of a juicy grilled hamburger--to die for!