Oven-Fried Pickles with Homemade Ranch Dip

Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

Dill Buttermilk Ranch Dip

1 tablespoon fresh baby dill

½ cup mayo

¼ cup plain Greek yogurt

¼ cup milk

¼ cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

salt, to taste

Oven-Fried Pickles

1 (24 oz) jar dill pickle spears

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

½ cup Panko bread crumbs

½ cup stone-ground cornmeal

¼ cup plain bread crumbs

1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. In the bowl of your food processor or blender, combine all of the ingredients for the ranch. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into a small bowl and cover. Place in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.

2. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F and spray a large baking sheet with a non-stick spray. Set aside.

3. Drain the jarred pickles and place them on a paper towel-lined plate. Pat completely dry. Set aside.

4. In one shallow bowl, add the flour. In another shallow bowl, add the eggs and whisk to combine. In a third shallow bowl, combine the panko, corn meal, regular bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Toss the ingredients until evenly distributed. You shouldn’t need any more salt, as the pickles are already extremely salty. If you need more salt, then feel free to salt away.

5. Starting with one pickle, dredge in flour, then coat in the whisked eggs, and then transfer to the bread crumb mixture. Toss the pickle to make sure it is evenly coated, pressing to adhere where it is needed. Place on the prepared baking sheet and repeat this step for the rest of the pickles. Spray the pickles with a non-stick canola oil spray.

6. Place the pickles in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating them halfway through. Spraying again with a non-stick canola oil spray. Make sure they are crispy before pulling them from the oven. This may take more or less time, so keep a close eye.

7. Serve immediately out of the oven with homemade dill buttermilk ranch.