Fried pickles

Mmmmm, fried pickles. A deep-South Southern delicacy. Usually served with ranch dressing, but I served mine with a Sriracha aioli (1/3 Sriracha, 2/3 mayo).

One of the things I got in a recent CSA box was a jar of homemade dill pickles.

I like pickles and all, but I don't usually have the need for a whole jar of them. So I decided to make fried pickles. Had these been whole pickles, I would have sliced them into pickle chips, I think fried pickles are best from pickle chips. But these were in lengthwise halves, so I sliced them into spears and fried them that way.  Plus, you can save all the pickle juice in the pickle jar. If you add fresh cucumbers to the old pickle juice, in a few days, you'll have new pickles!

Whichever way you slice them, make sure they're well dried off first. I placed mine on a paper towel, and pressed another paper towel on top.

Then mix a cup or so of flour with a tablespoon each of paprika, garlic powder, salt, sugar and cayenne. In a separate bowl, beat three eggs. Dredge the pickles in the egg wash, then coat them with the flour mixture.

Meanwhile bring your deep fryer up to 350, with vegetable oil (or do the same in a cast-iron skillet, though that will get splattery). Fry in batches, a couple minutes per batch, and drain on paper towels.

For the aioli, mix 2 parts mayo to 1 part Sriracha and mix well.

Another brilliant use of my deep fryer.