Frying

Lots of recipes for fried foods (like fried calamari or fried chicken) call for placing them on paper towels, brown paper bags, or even newspaper to drain excess oil, but unfortunately, this doesn’t help keep that nice crispy texture you worked so hard to achieve. There’s an easy way, borrowed from restaurants that deep-fry food every day, to keep your fried foods crispy and delicious! The best way to keep fried foods crispy? Just place them on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet.

Have you ever had fried capers? Crispy, nutty, and briny, these little blossoms add big impact to salads, pasta, meat, and vegetable dishes.Fried capers take just seconds to make, yet they add such a wonderful, unexpected dimension to even the simplest dishes. Check out Jacques Pépin’s tutorial and some recipes for inspiration.

Plus, five other brilliant latke tips from the author of Sababa, Adeena Sussman.

Soggy capers are a thing of the past.

If what you crave is crunch, look to the pantry for a container of crispy fried onions. We’re bringing the classic casserole topping to ramen with equally savory results. Crispy fried onions bring a welcome contrast to the tender bite of the noodles. As they soften into the broth, the onion flavor creates another layer of savory richness. Prepare the instant ramen according to the package instructions. Pour into a bowl and top with up to 1/4 cup of crispy fried onions.

Q: My partner and I were given a deep fat fryer for Christmas. Having never owned one before, I’m stumped: What do I cook in it other than chips? Can anyone recommend a good recipe source? Sent by Hannah Editor: I’m seeing lots of chips, fries, doughnuts, and all sorts of extra-crispy foods in your future. A deep fat fryer is a fun tool to have in the kitchen; it allows you to make numerous foods at home that you’d otherwise have to go out and purchase.