Ingredients

1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup hot sauce
1/4 cup Essence, recipe follows
2 large yellow onions, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick rings
2 cups all-purpose flour
Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

In a bowl, combine the buttermilk with the
hot sauce and 2 teaspoons of Essence. Add the onion rings and press to coat. Marinate, covered, in the
refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

In a medium pot, heat the oil to 360 degrees F.

In a shallow bowl or large dish, combine the flour with 2 tablespoons of the Essence. Dredge the onions in the
seasoned flour, coating each ring evenly. Shake off any excess flour and carefully place the rings in the hot
oil. Fry until golden brown, turning to cook evenly and prevent sticking, about 3 minutes per batch. Remove

from the oil and drain on paper towels. Season the fried onion rings with Essence, and repeat with the
remaining ingredients.

Serve hot.

Ingredients

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Directions

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an
airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow,
1993.