Deep Fried Pickles with Old Bay and Buttermilk

Ingredients

• 3 cups pickled cucumbers, sliced 1/8 inch thick
• 1 quart peanut oil
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup fine- or medium-ground cornmeal
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground

Directions

1. Dry the pickle slices well with a salad spinner or paper towels, until the surface feels dry and a little sticky. Warm the oil in a wok or Dutch oven over medium high heat until it reaches about 375 degrees F. Cover a counter or sheet pan with several layers of paper towels so the fried pickles have a place to drain.
2. Arrange two wide dishes, bowls, or pie plates for breading. Mix the panko, cornmeal, and Old Bay in one dish, and blend the buttermilk with the nutmeg in the other.
3. Put five pickle slices into the buttermilk, then lift them out and let the extra liquid fall back into the dish. Move them into the crumb mixture and gently coat them all over, using forks or chopsticks if you want to avoid breaded fingers.
4. Add the pickle slices to the hot oil one at a time, and cook until they turn golden brown, about 1 minute. As that batch fries, coat the next batch. Transfer the fried pickles with a strainer or slotted spoon to the paper towels, and let them cool for five minutes. Serve with mayonnaise and hot sauce.