Search Library

By Jeffrey Yoskowitz & Liz Alpern

If you haven’t made homemade pickles yet, the recipe also works with store-bought sours. Fried pickles make a great hors d’oeuvre, especially with the garlic aioli. Sweet pickles will definitely work in place of sour pickles, but may put your Ashkenazi street cred in jeopardy. Note that a thermometer is important for this recipe.

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE AIOLI:

1 large egg

1 egg yolk

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard, homemade (page 32) or store-bought

2 garlic cloves, crushed

½ cup grapeseed oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE FRIED PICKLES:

Peanut or canola oil, for frying

6 large sour or half sour dill pickles, store-bought or homemade, cut into ½-inch thick rounds

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

4 large eggs, beaten

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp mustard powder

1 tsp kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. To make the aioli: In a blender or food processor, combine the egg, egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard, and garlic. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the oil and blend until the aioli thickens. (Your blender or food processor will do this easily and quickly, but you can also make the aioli in a large bowl and whisk the oil in by hand.) Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. To make the fried pickles: Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot with at least 2 inches of oil for effective frying and attach a thermometer to the side. (The thermometer is critical here.) Heat the oil over medium heat to 325ºF. Be patient. This may take a few minutes. Monitor the temperature and do not let it go above 325ºF.

3. Meanwhile, set up four wide, shallow bowls near your stovetop. In one, place the pickle rounds; in the next, place the flour; in the next, place the eggs; and in the last, place the panko, coriander, mustard, and salt and whisk with a fork to combine. Finally, line a wide plate with paper towels and set it nearby.

4. Once your oil has reached 325ºF, you’re ready to fry. Coat a pickle round in flour, then dip it in the egg, then in the panko. Carefully drop it in the hot oil—avoid splashing. It’s important that the temperature doesn’t dip too low, so work on about 4 pickle rounds at a time and don’t crowd the pot. Fry the pickle rounds until the coating turns golden brown. This should take about 1 minute per batch. We recommend timing this. You don’t want them to get any darker and burn.

5. Using a small mesh strainer or spider (or even a fork, but be careful), transfer the fried pickles to the paper towel–lined plate. Repeat with the remaining pickle rounds. Fried foods are best served immediately, so if you are serving these for a party or other gathering, set up your frying station in advance and start frying when everyone has arrived. Serve with the aioli on the side for dipping.

Service Section: Chanukah, Recipes

Source: The Gefilteria https://www.gefilteria.com/gefilte-manifesto