Ultimate Onion Rings with Bacon Mayo

Crisp yeasted-batter onion rings made from sweet-pickled red onion, served with a smoky crispy-bacon mayonnaise.

Ingredients

100 g		plain flour, plus 2 tbsp
125 ml		sparkling water
½ tsp	2.5 ml	fast-action dried yeast
3		thyme sprigs, leaves picked and chopped
1		large red onion
3 tbsp	45 ml	white wine vinegar
2 tbsp	30 ml	golden caster sugar
—		rapeseed, vegetable or sunflower oil, for frying
3		rashers crispy bacon
1 tsp	5 ml	sweet paprika
4 tbsp	60 ml	mayonnaise

Put the 100 g flour, sparkling water, yeast, thyme and a good pinch of salt in a large bowl and whisk to a smooth batter. Cover and rest for 1 hr. Meanwhile, slice the onion into 0.5 cm slices and pop out the layers into rings. Place in a bowl with the vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt, and toss until well coated. Cover and set aside for at least 1 hr. (The batter and onions can be made up to 8 hrs ahead, then chilled.)
To make the bacon mayo, break the crispy bacon into pieces and pound to a breadcrumb texture using a pestle and mortar. Add the paprika and mayonnaise, mix well, transfer to a bowl and chill until ready to serve.
Pour enough oil into a large pan to come halfway up the sides - it should be at least 10 cm deep (keep a lid to hand in case the oil catches fire). Heat the oil to 170C (340F), using a thermometer to keep it consistent. Drain the onion rings, pat dry, then toss in the 2 tbsp flour. Have a plate lined with kitchen paper ready. Give the batter a whisk, adding a splash more water if it is very thick. Dip each ring into the batter to coat, then drop into the hot oil. Fry in batches of 6-10 - don't overcrowd the pan or the rings will stick together. When crisp and golden, scoop out and drain on the paper. Sprinkle each batch with a little salt as it comes out. Serve straight away with the bacon mayo for dunking.