Blooming Onion Recipe

Where all of Grandmother's favorite recipes are found, just like Grandmother makes them, with a little love.

Ingredients

2 very large onions
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg
1 cup whole milk

Canola Oil (as much as needed for the pot you select)

Directions

Peel the outside skins off the onions.

For each onion:

Cut off the shoot side of the onion about 2/3rd of the way through the onion. You need to cut off enough so the blooming onion will open.

Next, cut off the stem of the onion so you have a flat onion surface for the bottom.

Using a very sharp large knife, cut the onion like you are cutting pieces of a pie. First cut in half, then again and again, repeating until you have 32 sections. BE SURE TO STOP 3/4 of an inch from the base of the onion so you do not cut all the way through.

To open the onion flower gently nudge the onion buds down slightly, opening the onion only a little. Place the onion, flower side up into the refrigerator for two hours. This will help to open it up. Put each onion into a big deep bowl that allows it space to open and cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap to keep the odors from releasing in the refrigerator.

When the onion is ready remove from the refrigerator.

Stir together the flour, salt, cayenne and black peppers and the garlic powder.

Sprinkle the onion flowers with this mixture. Be sure to sprinkle between all the petals of your onion flower. Lift and turn over, gently shake off any excess.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the egg and the milk until well combined.

Dip each onion flower into this milk/egg mixture, open flower facing down, then dip it back into the flour mixture to coat again. Gently shake off any excess.

Use a small but deep saucepan and put enough oil in it that it will cover your blooming onion during cooking time.

Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Use a pair of metal tongs to carefully place the onion top down into the hot oil. After two minutes, carefully turn it over and cook for another two minutes. Do the onions one at a time.

Have ready a plate lined with paper towels and use your tongs to place it onto the prepared plate.

Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauces.