Blooming Onion

BLOOMING ONION

1 large Vidalia onion
Peanut oil for frying

BATTER OR DRENCH INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs
2 cups milk or beer of your choice

DRY OR DREDGE INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons Kosher or Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

DIPPING SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup mayonnaise (Dukes brand)
2 teaspoons ketchup
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon horseradish
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorns (Tellicherry)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Cut about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch off the top of onion. Peel outer layer. Do not cut the root or bottom of onion otherwise petals will become detached from the core. If you have a blooming onion cutter, slice the onion from the top down until onion cutter bottoms out and gently push the onion back through the cutting tool being careful not to place fingers onto the cutting blades. If you do not
have a blooming aka blossom onion cutter, use a regular kitchen knife and slice 1/2 an inch off the top of the onion and peel one outer layer. Turn onion over with the root side up and slice straight downward about 1/2 inch from the edge of the onion root to your cutting board. Slice into quarters, then into 1/8s. Repeat this until you have cut the onion into 14 sections. Spread the "petals" of the onion apart and place in a container of ice water for at least one hour prior to using to allow onion petals to fully open and retain their shape while deep frying.

Mix the dredge ingredients in a flat bottom 8 inch dia. cake pan or any flat bottomed container and mix drench ingredients in a narrow high walled container larger enough to hold the onion and sit aside. Mix the dipping sauce and place in refrigerator to chill.

Remove onion from the ice cold water and shake off excess water. Place onion root side down in the pan of dry or dredge ingredients. Lightly sprinkle or sift seasoned flour on top of the onion. Turn onion onto its side. With one hand, gently spread the petals apart. With the other hand, lightly sprinkle mix onto every petal. Be sure to completely cover each layer of petals with dry mix. While still on its side, rotate the onion until all the petals are covered with dry mix. Turn the onion root side up and shake off any excess mix.

With the root side down, place the onion into the batter (drench). Gently push petals down and separate each petal with your fingers to allow the wet batter to get in between each layer. Next, rotate the onion so the petals are facing downward. Let the onion remain in the wet batter for 10-15 seconds. this allows the wet batter to cover the whole onion. Take the onion and turn it root side up, allowing any excess batter to drip back into bowl. Remove the onion from the wet batter and place into the dry or dredge mixture and thorough coat.

Heat peanut oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees F. and carefully lower onion into hot oil petal side down using a large slotted spoon and fry about 3 minutes and turn onion over and deep fry and additional 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from deep fryer and place onion on a metal cooling rack over paper towels and allow excess oil to drain.

Remove the center core and place a small container of the dipping sauce in the center of the blooming onion. Serve while hot with the dipping sauce.

YIELD: 2 to 4 servings

Below blooming onion done on 03-10-13:

NOTES: This recipe is a compilation of various internet recipes. Vidalia onions are the best to use and I could only locate regular white sweet onions and of the three, each had multiple center cores which did not work that well. I will do a retake on this recipe when the Vidalia onions are in season and available locally and follow my own directions since I did not soak the sliced onion in ice cold water prior to the dredge and drench. Nevertheless, the blooming onion's taste was excellent

I did a retake on the blooming onion using a large white onion on 03-10-13 and added some additional thumbnail pixs. I sliced the onion with my chef kitchen knife instead of using the onion cutter and also let the onion soak in ice cold water in the refrigerator for a couple hours.

Click on the following sequence thumbnail pixs for a larger screen view:

Web published by Bill aka Mickey Porter 03-04-13 and updated pixs on 03-10-13. I did a retake on the blooming onion and it came out wonderful. My bride and myself consumed the blooming onion with the home made blooming onion sauce of which was too horseradish hot for her and got out a favorite standby, Kraft Thousand Island Dressing which complemented the blooming onion very well. I believe you have to do a few of these blooming onions to get proficient with the petals properly separated for great eye appeal. Many restaurants soak the sliced onions in ice water overnight in a cooler and that might be the edge one needs to get them perfect.

LEAVING ON A SPIRITUAL NOTE

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please take this moment to accept him by Faith into your Life, whereby Salvation will be attained.

Ephesians 2:8 - 2:9 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Open this link about faith in the King James Bible.

Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

Open this link of Bible Verses About Salvation, King James Version Bible (KJV).

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

IN GOD WE TRUST - GOD BLESS AMERICA - "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE" JOHN 3:16 KJV