"Bloomin Onion"

[tricia]

Have just returned from Canada where, on our last night we ate at an Australian restaurant 'The Outback'. As a starter for 4 persons we ate a "Bloomin Onion". This was a huge onion which had been cut so that it resembled a flower which was then - presumably - somehow dipped in batter and deepfried so that each of the battered petals opened like a flower in bloom. It was absolutely delicious and I'm tempted to try this at home. My questions are, how would the batter be persuaded to adhere to the shiny surface of the onion - what type of batter should be used and how long would the onion need to be deep-fried to ensure that the 'petals' were cooked through?

[Wellie]

Tricia,

I know exactly what you mean. Did it look like a spikey Dahlia ?

Trousers and I reckon you'd cut the onion, 'score' it down to the root-base, keeping the root in-tact, to keep the whole flower together, then maybe soak it in a bowl of water until all the petals open. Then drain it really really well on kitchen paper, 'flour' it once dry, then dip it into a beer batter and fry until golden.

Does that seem to come close ?

[Tigger]

I think that sounds about right Wellie, but I'd try iced water for soaking - that's what I remember using in the sad seventies when we made radishes into flowers as a garnish.

[tricia]

Thanks Wellie and Tigger. I 'googled' over the holiday and found the same recipe you mentioned. I'll be having a go at it very soon .

[Marge]

I believe you can buy a gadget from Lakeland to make onion blossom. It cuts the onion up in order to create the flower shape and it aids in the frying too.