The first time you make this recipe, it does seem like it’s a fair amount of work. But you soon realize that it’s not much more than making homemade French fries. A quick bit of chopping and a bath, then into a dredge and fry it up, is all it takes to be enjoying this yummy appetizer. I haven’t served this one up to any guests yet because I’ve been selfishly enjoying it myself too much! I’m sure I’ll need to have the recipe handy for when I do, though. Thanks again go to Macheesmo for creating such a simple way to enjoy a blooming onion.

 

Ingredients

2 pounds cipollini onions, peeled and sectioned

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Vegetable oil, for frying

 

Onion Dip:

1/4 cup mayo

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon ketchup

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Pinch of salt and pepper

Mix these dip ingredients together and set aside.

 

Instructions

Prep onions by slicing off the root end. Slice off as little as possible. Carefully peel onions. Use a sharp knife to cut the onion into eighths, vertically, being careful not to cut all the way through the onion so it stays together. I think it’s best to leave what was the tip end intact.

After you slice each onion, press on it gently to separate the sections. Toss all the prepped onions in the buttermilk and egg mixture. Let them sit for at least 5-10 minutes to soak.

Stir together flour with paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne. Remove onions from buttermilk mixture and dust heavily with flour mixture. Be sure to get it in all the cracks of the onions so they “bloom” a bit as they fry. Move coated onions to a clean plate.

Heat frying oil to 350 degrees F. Fry bite-sized onions for about 4 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove onions and let drain for a minute. Serve while hot with dipping sauce!

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Quick tip: You could also prep the onions in advance up to incorporating them into the buttermilk and egg mix, and let them marinate overnight.

Recipe and image courtesy of Macheesmo