Blooming Onion

Blooming Onion: Step by Step

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1. Cut 1 cm off the top of the onion and peel it, leaving the root end intact. Set the onion cut side down and cut it into 16 wedges from the top down, stopping 1.5 cm short of the root. Turn it over and gently fan the petals apart.

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2. Soak the onion in a bowl of iced water for 20 minutes so the petals open, then drain it and pat it very dry, including between the petals.

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3. Mix the flour, paprika, garlic granules, oregano, cayenne and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs and milk in another bowl.

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4. Lay the onion in the flour and spoon the flour between the petals. Shake off the excess, dip the onion in the egg mixture, spooning it between the petals, and return it to the flour to coat it again. Shake off the excess.

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5. Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan to 175°C / 350°F. Lower in the onion, petals down, and fry for 2 minutes, then turn it over with two spoons and fry for 5 to 6 minutes more, until golden brown. Drain on a wire rack.

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6. Mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, paprika and cayenne in a small bowl. Serve the onion at once with the sauce in the middle or beside it.

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Keep an Eye on These

1. Keep the root end whole and stop cutting well short of it. Cut through it and the onion falls apart in the oil.
2. Dry the onion thoroughly after the soak. Water between the petals makes the coating slide off and the oil spit.
3. Hold the oil steady at 175°C / 350°F. Too cool and the onion turns greasy, and too hot and the coating burns before the onion softens.

Swaps and Variations

• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

To Go With It

Steak · Cold lager · Coleslaw

Leftovers

Best eaten at once. It will not keep, but the sauce keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Quick Answers

Blooming Onion Nutrition

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.