Leeks aren’t onions, but they’re in the onion family. Their tough-ass stocks are great for braising. After playing with leek rings, we’ve decided they’re great for frying too. Usually when we cook with much of the green part (further up the stock) we opt for methods that will help wilt it, here we tried to use most of the leek to get a variety of ring shapes.
The airy openness of such tall rings is awesome; it leaves more room for the crumbs and batter to play, and makes for large bites without risking that hot onion will shoot out of its fried exterior.
Before we declare this lord of the rings, we’ve heard tell that you can make an excellent baked onion ring using Kettle Chips. After taste-testing the shit out of their Island Jerk, the idea of Jamaican rings is lush with promise. Caribbean calamari, using thinner cuts of leek, sounds pretty good too.
Leek Rings
3 leeks
1 cup tempura batter
12 oz. India Pale Ale
1 cup panko bredcrumbs
2 cups frying oil
1. Cut your leeks into 5 or 6-inch lengths, discarding the green tips and leaving only area that will produce enclosed rings. Chop the tube into 1-inch pieces. Pull apart the layers, saving the innermost, and very small, rings for use in sauces or stock. Save the outmost rings. (If possible, try to leave rings that are 2 layers stuck together for extra crunch.)
2. Combine batter with as much beer as necessary to achieve goopy pancake batter feel.
3. Batter and fry.
4. Blot extra oil. Serve rings with dipping sauces: Harissa ketchup, horseradish veganaise and/or BBQ sauce.
