Recipe: Onion Blossoms/Blooming Onions (3)

Dear Angela, I don't know if any of these are the Outback recipes, but maybe one of them comes close. - Happy Frying, Betsy

ONION BLOSSOM

1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion
2 tb all-purpose flour
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 c saltine cracker crumbs
vegatable oil
1/2 ts salt (optional)
commercial dark honey-mustard or
Ranch-style salad dressing

Peel onion, leaving root end intact. Cut onion vertically into
quarters, cutting to within 1/2 inch of root end. Cut each quarter
into thirds. (If you mess up on the cutting technique, you can chop
that onion for another use and start again with a new one)
Place onion in boiling water 1 minute; remove and place in ice water
5 minutes. Loosen "petals" if necessary. Drain onion, cut side down.
Place flour in a zip-top plastic bag; add onion, shaking to coat. Dip
onion in egg.
Place cracker crumbs in plastic bag; add onion, tossing to coat.
Chill 1 hour.
Pour oil to depth of 3 inches into an electric fryer or heavy
saucepan, and heat to 375 degrees.
Fry onion 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown; drain on paper towels.
Sprinkle with salt, if desired. Serve onion with dark honey-mustard or
Ranch-style salad dressing.

BLOOMING ONIONS
Recipe By : TOM VIA MARGIE VIA SILVER DOLLAR CITY IN BRANSON, MO.
Serving Size : 6

6 small onions
1 cup pancake mix, complete -- prepared as directed
1 quart vegetable oil

Cut one end of the onion into a tulip shape; dip in prepared pancake mix;
let excess drip off.
DEEP FRY TILL GOLDEN BROWN.
UPDATED DIRECTIONS: Select a well-rounded onion. Peel outer shin off.
Leave root intact; cut off any hanging roots. Using small, sharp knife,
divide onion into four sections by making 2 cuts crosswise, begining at
the top and cutting toward root, stopping about 1/2 inch away. Cut each
section twice. Place onion in bowl of enough boiling water to cover it
and leave for 5 minutes. The sections, or "petals" will begin to open.
Remove onion from hot water and immerse into ice water, to help opening.
drain well by turning upside down on paper towel. Put 2 tblp flour into
paper bag, add onion and shake gently to coat with flour. Roll floured
onion in beatten egg. Place cracker crumbs or coating mix in paper bag,
add onion and shake gently to coat. Refrigerate for one hour - then deep
fry for 3 to 5 minutes. May keep in a warm oven.
FOR A SPECIAL DIP: Combine 1/2 c Mayonnaise, 1/2 c Sour Cream, 1/2 c
Thousand Island Dressing and two tblp. Horseradish.

NOTES : AN UPDATED RECIPE SAYS TO USE VIDALIA, SWEET, TEXAS, OR WALLA WALLA ONIONS.
Thomas & Calvin in Maryland

Onion Flowers
sometimes called "Awesome Blossoms"
Servings: 5

5 med onions
4 cups flour
5 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp greek seasoning
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
oil for deep frying

Cut off and discard the top half inch of the onions. Peel them but do
not cut off the root end. Place each onion, root end up, on a cutting
board. With a sharp, pointed knife, make vertical cuts all around the
onion about a quarter inch apart.
Start the cut a quarter inch from the root for small onions or a half
inch from the root for very large ones. Make sure the knife goes into
the center of the onion.
Place all the onions in a large bowl of cold water, add ice cubes, cover
and refrigerate several hours or overnight. The onions will open up
like mums. Drain upside-down when ready to proceed.
In a large bowl,
mix together thoroughly the flour, baking powder and spices. In another
bowl, beat together the eggs and milk.
Dip the onions one by one into the egg mixture, opening the petals with
your fingers; let the excess drip off, and place in flour. Work the
flour mixture into the center gently with fingertips. Shake off excess
flour and repeat egg dip and flouring, shaking off the excess
thoroughly.
Half fill a deep fryer or large, deep, heavy pot with oil.
Heat the oil to 360F or until a small piece of dry bread turns deep gold
in 15 seconds. Fry the onions without crowding them (one at a time for
large ones) keeping them submerged with a spatula or by placing the
frying basket on top of them. Plunge them in root end up and turn them
over once.
To serve at once, fry large onions for about six or seven minutes, small
ones for five minutes, or until deep gold. Drain upside down on paper
towels; then invert on a serving plate. Keep warm in a low oven while
frying the others. Remove the centers of large onions with a very sharp
knife.
Small onions may be left whole or the center can be scooped out
with a melon-ball cutter. If serving the next day, fry the onions until
pale gold; do not fry completely. Let cool. When ready to serve,
reheat the oil to 380F and fry the onions just long enough to heat and
brown, about 15 seconds. Drain and serve.
To get the same taste
without making mums, simply cut onions vertically to make "petals" or
crosswise and separate into rings. This can be done ahead and the petals
or rings kept in ice water. Egg, flour and fry as above.

Awesome Blossom Sauce/Dip
Servings: 6

8 oz sour cream
8 oz salsa
8 oz softened cream cheese
garlic to taste
salt to taste

Mix and put in refrigerator to thicken for a day. Enjoy!
(From: Mike Dutton, posting to rec.food.recipes)