Potato Rings with Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dipping Sauce

If french fries and onion rings ever got married and had a baby, I think it would be something like this…a potato ring. 

You have a light and crispy outer coating with a soft potato and caramelized onion center…why? 

Because we can, who knows…but it’s kind of fun, right?

Two things: 1) the importance of having the potatoes completely coated; no holes please, or the mashed potatoes will pour out of the holes once they hit the oil. 2) the importance of the rings being frozen solid before entering the oil…it just helps with the frying, that’s all. 

Finally, since ranch is pretty much good with anything it only seemed natural to pair these savory, fried treats with a quick and easy homemade ranch sauce.

Ingredients

3 large russet potatoes, cleaned peeled and chopped into large pieces
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick), softened
½ cup caramelized yellow onions, chopped
3 tablespoons chives, thinly sliced
2/3 cup  all purpose flour
1/3 cup rice flour
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste
2 quarts vegetable oil

buttermilk ranch sauce

1/2 cup light mayonnaise
¼ cup low-fat buttermilk
1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, minced
1 tablespoon chives, thinly sliced
1 teaspoons dill, minced
½ teaspoon dry mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill with water.

Bring to a boil on medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, 20-25 minutes.

Drain the potatoes into a colander and pour back into the pot.

Pour the cream and butter over the potatoes and mash with a potato masher until smooth (Add more cream 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed).

Fold in the caramelized onions and chives until fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper and stir.

Spread the mixture onto a sheet pan, about ½ inch thick and place in the refrigerator until the mixture has cooled down and hardened, 2-3 hours.

While the potato mixture cools place both flours, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika into a shallow dish and stir together until fully combined. Set aside.

When the potato mixture has cooled, remove from the refrigerator and using 1-1 ½ inch circle cutters, cut out as many circles as possible (usually makes about 32-40).

Using a ½ inch circle cutter, cut out a ½ inch circle from every 1-1½ circle, creating a small donut shape.

Dip the potato rings into the flour mixture followed by the egg mixture and finally again in the flour mixture (make sure the rings are completely coated).

Place the coated rings onto a clean sheet pan, lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer and allow the rings to freeze completely, 4-6 hours.

Once the potato rings are frozen, preheat the oil, in a large pot, to 375°F.

While the oil heats up, place the ingredients for the dipping sauce into a mixing bowl and whisk together. Season with salt and pepper.

When the oil is hot, carefully drop a few of the rings into the oil and fry for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown.

Drain onto a large plate lined with paper towels and season with salt with pepper.

Repeat with the remaining potato rings and serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

Comments and suggestions are ALWAYS welcome.