How to Make a Blooming Onion

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons cream-style horseradish sauce
• 2.25 teaspoons ketchup
• 0.25 teaspoon paprika
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 1.5 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
• 0.25 teaspoon dried thyme
• 0.25 teaspoon dried oregano
• 0.13 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 large onion
• 2 quarts vegetable oil for deep-frying

Instructions

1. Gather all ingredients needed for this recipe.
2. Make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, horseradish, ketchup, paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Prepare the blooming onion: In a large, deep bowl, whisk together milk and egg – enough to fully submerge the onion.
4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, and cumin.
5. Cut 3/4 to 1 inch off both the top and bottom of the onion, then remove the outer skin. Carefully remove the 1-inch diameter core from the center of the onion.
6. Using a large, sharp knife, slice down the center of the onion about 3/4 of the way. Rotate the onion 90 degrees and slice again.
7. Continue slicing each section in half until you have 16 evenly spaced sections. Take care not to cut all the way through the bottom of the onion.
8. Gently spread the petals apart, then dip the onion into the milk mixture, ensuring it's fully coated. Next, coat the onion thoroughly with the flour mixture.
9. Separate the petals again and sprinkle the flour mixture generously between them to ensure even coverage.
10. Dip the onion into the milk mixture once more, followed by another coating of the flour mixture. Place the battered onion in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes while the oil preheats.
11. Pour enough oil into a deep fryer or deep pot to fully cover the onion. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Carefully fry the onion right-side-up in the hot oil until it turns a beautiful golden brown, approximately 10 minutes.
12. Drain the fried onion on a wire rack or paper towels. Open the center of the onion wide enough to accommodate a small bowl of dipping sauce, and serve immediately while warm.

Nutrition

• Calories: 787 kcal
• Fat Content: 70 g
• Fiber Content: 2 g
• Sugar Content: 6 g
• Sodium Content: 1255 mg
• Protein Content: 8 g
• Cholesterol Content: 65 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 33 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 11 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g