Blooming Onion with Dipping Sauce

This post is for Nicole.  A self-proclaimed massochist who desired that I post this as my next blog update because seeing the Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies with Salted Peanuts in my Nest signature was too much to bare.  Honestly I don't know if this is that much healthier but it's fried and who can argue with fried?

Bloomin' onions are a signature appetizer from Outback Steakhouse and I thought the flavor of the crispy batter and spicy dipping sauce from this recipe is dead on.  Paying outrageous prices for fried onions will become a thing of the past because now you can just do it at home!  The directions look compliated but I was surprised by how easy it was to do.  Truly the only thing you're doing is doing lots of cutting like spokes in a bike wheel.  My only complaint (other than the greasy fried smell that it leaves in your house...yuck!) is that the petals were a bit hard to pull off.  This is completely my own fault as I was too lazy to remove the core of the onion.  There's apparently an actual blooming onion tool that you can buy online but it's just as easy to do with a regular old knife (and my knife skills suck...).  If you're feeling extra lazy and don't care about the blooming presentation feel free to just cut them into onion petals or rings.

For best results, gently pull apart the petals and put the onion bloom side down in a ice water bath for at least 30 minutes.  This helps the onion to bloom.  I also found it easiest to use a deep fryer but a deep pot filled with oil will work just as well.  Just make sure you heat your oil to the correct temperature - too hot and it'll burn before the onions is cooked; too cold and you'll end up with a soggy exterior.

I made a double batch of this and a pan of Clone of a Cinnabons for our Restaurant Copy Cats Themed Dinner Club (a fantastic theme, by the way.  Perhaps my favorite!).  Photo credit goes to Emily, again.  I'd suggest making this one for your football parties or game night.  It's sure to impress!

Need more Game Food inspiration?  Try Pizza Bites, Pretzel Bites, Classic Chili or one of my dips.   Also stay tuend for a post on my Snackadium.  Not sure what that is?  Check out this page to learn more!

One Year Ago: Baked Sausage Ziti and Sushi

Blooming Onion with Dipping Sauce

Photo Credit: Emily H.

Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients

For the Blooming Onion:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/3 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 large sweet onion
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil for frying

For the Dipping Sauce:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 tablespoons cream-style horseradish sauce
• 1/3 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

1. To make sauce: In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, 1/3 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon oregano, a dash ground black pepper and cayenne pepper; mix well. Keep sauce covered in refrigerator until needed.
2. To make the batter: In a medium bowl, beat egg and add milk. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, ground black pepper, oregano, thyme and cumin; mix.
3. To slice onion: slice 1 inch off of the top and bottom of the onion and remove the papery skin. Use a thin knife to cut a 1 inch diameter core out of the middle of the onion. Now slice the onion several times down the center to create 'petals': First slice through the center of the onion to about three-fourths of the way down. Turn the onion 90 degrees and slice it again in an X across the first slice. Keep slicing the sections in half, very carefully until the onion has been cut 16 times. Do not cut down to the bottom of the onion.
4. Spread the 'petals' of the onion apart. To help keep them separate you could plunge the onion into boiling water for 1 minute and then into ice water.  Keep the onions bloom side down in the ice bath for at least 30 minutes to allow onion to bloom. 
5. Dip the onion into the milk mixture and then coat it liberally with the flour mixture. Again separate the petals and sprinkle the dry coating between them. Repeat with a second layer of milk mixture and follow again with flour coating.
6. Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep pot to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Make sure you use enough oil to completely cover the onion when it fries.
7. Fry the onion right side up in the oil for 10 minutes or until it turns brown. When the onion has browned, remove it from the oil and let it drain on a rack or paper towels. If desired, open the onion wider from the center so that you can put a small dish of the dipping sauce in the center.

Source: All Recipes