THE BUDDIN’ ONION
By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in… Secret Make Alike Recipes [Revised] (Secret RecipesTM, Marysville, MI; May 1997, p. 26).
Whether it’s the Blossom at Chili’s or the Bloomin’ Onion at Outback or the Onion Ring Loaf at Tony Roma’s – it’s a technique not a recipe that makes these franchise food specialties special!
THE ONION MYSTERY
INSTRUCTIONS:
First, slice from the top of the onion about a ½-inch piece and discard it. Then peel the paper coating away.
Place root end down on a small cutting board in the sink and under cold running water (to deter the need for tears as you cut), use an apple corer and slicer device you can buy in most supermarkets for about $3, to press firmly down, cutting only to within 1 inch of the core area.
Then, with the tip of a sharp knife, cut to divide in half each of the “petals” that the corer/slicer left when you carefully removed it – working it upward as you do.
Next comes the part that requires the patience. You must refrigerate the cut onions, covered in cold water (root and down), about 24 hours. You will see how it has opened up to a bloom shape.
From there, you must dust it lightly in a plain seasoned flour coating and, again, the patient’s part… Allowing it to hang upside down until all of the excess flour mixture has fallen away, leaving only the cut petals lightly but evenly coated. Then [dip it] into a wet batter, such as our “Archer Teacher Fish Batter” [below].
Again, you must let the onion hang upside down to let all excess wet batter drip off. This might take a few hours. Hang it over a pie rack or broiler pan (over the drip insert of that pan). You must never touch that coating or it will not stick to the onion.
Used tips of two paring knives to move onion when necessary. When pretty well free of excess coating, plunge onion into deep, hot fat (375°F in deep fryer) or in a Fry Daddy (equal to 1 cup of food since it does not give you actual temperatures to work with).
I give it 10 minutes upside down in the hot oil in a Fry Daddy. If you do not use a deep frying basket, remove from hot oil with tips of two paring knives and set up right in small foil pie tin – removing core section from onion and setting small cup of onion dipping sauce (from this book) in that spot. Serve hot.
NOTE: Be sure to use only RICE FLOUR for best results!
ARCHER TEACHER FISH BATTER
Next, combine 1 teaspoon sweet basil powder, 1 teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic salt, 3 cups boxed pancake flour, and stir in about 2-3 cups club soda – to the consistency of buttermilk (rather thick but still pourable)! Do not be fussy about club soda – even beer will work!
See also…
