Oven Fried Pickles with Dill Buttermilk Dip

Delicious homemade oven-fried pickles are not only delicious, but guilt-free since they weren't fried in heavy oil. The homemade dill buttermilk ranch is definitely the second best part, following close behind these oven-fried pickles. I love a little bit of dill in just about any dressing I make. It's one of my favorite herbs to add to sauces and the like. This recipe is just your everyday run-of-the-mill buttermilk ranch recipe, but with a hint of dill, it sends it into a whole new realm of flavour.

Dill Buttermilk Ranch:
1 Tbsp. fresh baby dill
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup milk
¼ cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
¼ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. white pepper, freshly ground
kosher salt

Oven-Fried Pickles:
1 (24 oz) jar dill pickles spears
½ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
2 large eggs
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup stone-ground corn meal
¼ cup plain breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, finely grated
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

Make the Dill Buttermilk Ranch Dressing:
In the bowl of your food processor or blender, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into a small bowl and cover. Place in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.

Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C/210°C fan, Gas Mark 8) and spray a large baking sheet with a non-stick spray or line with parchment paper. Set aside.

Make the Oven-Fried Pickles:
Drain the jarred pickles and place them on a paper towel-lined plate. Pat completely dry. Set aside.

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 breadcrumbs, 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.

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.

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.

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