Onion Ring Loaf

DEAR SOS: Would you please provide me with a recipe for Tony Roma Onion Rings? Thanks.

--AMY

DEAR AMY: The Tony Roma restaurant chain wouldn’t share their trade secret, but a close facsimile recipe was developed by Donna Deane, home economist in The Times’ Test Kitchen. Tony Roma’s staff did, however, offer a tip: Pack the onions loosely, not firmly, in the loaf pan so they will not become soggy.

ONION RING LOAF

4 to 6 mild white onions

1 cup milk

3 eggs, beaten

Salt

2 cups pancake mix, about

Oil for deep-frying

Parsley sprigs

Slice onions crosswise and separate into rings. Soak rings in mixture of milk, eggs and salt to taste in bowl 30 minutes.

Dip each onion ring in pancake mix and fry in oil heated to 375 degrees until golden brown. Pack fried onions solidly, but loosely, without pressing, into 8x4-inch loaf pan and bake at 400 degrees 10 to 15 minutes. Turn onto serving plate. Garnish with parsley. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

414 calories; 1,122 mg sodium; 164 mg cholesterol; 11 grams fat; 64 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams protein; 0.94 gram fiber.