Mardi Gras: Fried Pickles

There is a standing rule when eating cajun-fried pickles are a must for beginning each  meal.  I don't know how often these are 'actually' served at a cajun table, but it's what I look forward to most when visiting some of the local cajun fabulousness that pose as restaurants, but are really just one more nail in the diet coffin.  It helps that I love pickles, but....umm...it's fried?  It sounds weird, but it's delish-ious-pickle-goodness.  This recipe was adapted a little by Alton Brown's recipe.  It is a corn bread batter, I think I'll try out a flour batter next time, but these were pretty tasty, and it'll stay in my food file as well.  :O) 

Ingredients: 

Oil, pickle slices (or spears), 1 c. of buttermilk (I make my own with 1 c. of milk and 1 T of vinegar, let sit for about five minutes and it's thick and ready for you), 1 c. of cornmeal (which I also mixed some Lawry's seasoning salt with.  Depending on how many pickles you use, you may need more of this). 

Instructions:

Heat oil.  Dip pickle slices in the buttermilk, then coat with cornbread.  Then ReDIP them in the buttermilk, and throw them in the cornmeal one more time to batter.  (I do this with chicken and onion rings too, it just gives you a really good batter.) 

Fry at a Med-High Heat. 

 They take 2-3 minutes.  I flipped then over about halfway through.  Doesn't that oil look innocent?  Like a nice little dip in a hot tub....that happens to coat your arteries....ooops.  Are there any food pyramid points for the vegetable this pickle originated from....just wondering?!

Place pickles on paper towels to blot the grease....ummm....'hot tub bubbles' off before serving with ranch....or ketchup. 

Linking To:  Simply Sweet Home