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5/26/12

Bloomin' Onion (or also known as Onion Blossom) with Southwestern Sauce


I had been craving an Onion Blossom (Blooming Onion) for about 2 weeks so made sure to pick up a couple extra onions during the last grocery shopping trip specifically for this recipe.  We go through a lot of onions and I wanted to make sure I had enough for all our dishes.  I posted an Onion Blossom recipe once previously, back in 2008 and I still make it basically the same except this time I didn't add cumin to the mix and I fried it both upside down and right side up.

I absolutely love these, but I rarely make them (maybe once a year - twice at most) because they are rather messy and the frying oil smells up the house (LOL).  It's much easier to quell the craving by ordering them at your favorite steakhouse restaurant.  However, I will say that I don't order them myself because I find they are usually too greasy.  The home version tends to be less greasy and you can always drain it and squeeze it a bit with paper towels to even get more of the oil out.

When it comes to cutting your onion you can use an onion blossom cutter or do it with a knife.  I actually own a blossom cutter - (I own the most basic and cheapest; Norpro Onion Blossom Maker) but it must have gotten lost in our recent relocation across the country because I couldn't find it this time so I just used a knife and sliced 16 times to make the petal without a guide.  You can do it either way and I'll put some other onion cutters at the end of the post you can check out if you want to as well.

The Southwestern Bloomin Onion Sauce: Prepare ahead of time so it has time to chill

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons ketchup
2 tablespoons cream-style horseradish sauce (I use Kraft)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
Dash ground black pepper

Prepare the dipping sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Keep the sauce covered in your refrigerator until needed.

Blooming Onion  (or Onion Blossom)

1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t ground black pepper
1/4 t dried oregano
1/8 t dried thyme
1 giant 'sweet' onion like a Vidalia

Vegetable oil for frying

Beat the egg and combine it with the milk in a medium bowl big enough to hold the onion. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, peppers, oregano & thyme.

To slice the onion - First slice 3/4 inch to 1 inch off the top and bottom of the onion. Remove the papery skin. Use a thin knife to cut a 1-inch diameter core out of the middle of the onion. Using a large knife you will now slice all the way across the onion but not down to the cutting board. You need to only cut 3/4 of the way through the onion so the bottom holds it together. You need to make 16 slices, or as many close to that number as you can to make the petals. Spread the "petals" of the onion apart gently, you'll want to separate them to make coating easier and to get the flour and seasoning mixture down into the onion base.

Dip the onion in the milk mixture, and then coat it liberally with the dry ingredients. Double dip your onions - wet, dry, wet and dry again. Then let the onion rest for at least 15 minutes to 'set' the breading.

Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep pot to 350 degrees. Make sure you use enough oil to completely cover the onion when it fries. Fry the onion upside down for about 6 minutes then right side up in the oil for 6 minutes or until it turns golden brown and the petals are done. Remove it from the oil and let it drain on a rack or paper towels.  Salt and serve with the sauce for dipping.



You can slice it without an Onion Blossom Cutter but it's tricky

After slicing 16 slices not all the way through, I flip it over and open the petals

Dry, wet, dry, wet and set 15 minutes

Frying in a deep fryer or a deep pan


Here are the Onion Blossom Cutters I said I'd post for those interested:  (click on them to go to the detail page).

                 

     



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