Bloomin' onion and dilly beans

[squirrel]

Howdy all!

I'm on a junk food kick today and I wanted something fried, spicey and garlicy. Being close to Vidalia, GA, I recently got ahold of the motherload onion:

I mixed up some flour, salt, pepper, dried egg powder, garlic powder, onion powder and a hint of cayenne pepper. I then proceeded to "bloom" the onion by cutting it just so. You don't have to have one of those fancy little gadgets to cut a bloom, just don't cut all the way through and open up your "petals" very gently. I soaked it in ice water for about 15 minutes to help open her up a little more.

The key to getting a good crunchy onion is to dip it in the dry flour mix, getting it all in between the petals, then mix some of the flour with a little water to make a soupy batter, dip the onion in that, then back to the dry mix. Let it rest for 5 minutes.

Drop it in the hot oil, 375F, for about 5-6 minutes, drain and there ya go.

Make a dipping sauce by mixing mayo and your favorite spicey BBQ sauce. I also had some dilly beans I made a few days ago, yummy, crunchy, garlic love.

 

[rdknb]

wow that looks good, that you for the detailed lesson

 

[mythmaster]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!

I still have family in Vidalia  -- my cousin Angela who is 10 days younger than me.  We both had blond hair and blue eyes growing up, and everyone that didn't know us thought that we were twins.  I love her so much.  She's a pharmacist and is married to another pharmacist, and they own a pharmacy in town  They have a couple of gorgeous daughters, too, whom I love very much but haven't seen since the oldest one was just knee-high and the youngest was still an infant.  I think that they're both teenagers now.  Sucks that I couldn't be around for them.

I also have a Great Aunt and a 2nd cousin in Lyons, which is where I grew up.  I love my Aunt Jerry so much, she would always hug me no matter what.

Also, my Dad's parents (my grandparents) lived right behind us, and we lived in a house that Grandad had built, and he had a vegetable garden between us.  I would help him plow it and snap beans, etc.  He was so good to me.  They're both gone now due to cancer, though

My only point is that I love me some Vidalia Sweet Onions, and I have a pretty good understanding about them since that's exactly where I grew up.

 

[pineywoods]

That onion looks awesome thanks for the step by step

The beans are gonna be good to I'm sure

 

[roller]

Your onion looks real good thanks for the qview...Try dipping those beans in the batter and frying them...there so good.

 

[fftwarren]

WOW, how much of a retard am I. We have a vidalia, lousiana and up until this post, I thought thats where vidalia onions came from. 

 

[meateater]

Great, quarter after nine pm and i want a blooming onion.

 

[squirrel]

myth - That is a great story! I didn't know you were a Georgia boy! Blonde hair and blue eyes huh? We might be related!

LOL Warren! Yep, I think there's some sorta law that states only a limited number of counties in the state of GA can grow the "trademark" vidalia onion.

Georgia is also the three "P" largest grower - peanuts, peaches and pecans

I can certainly beleive the pecan part, in the county I live in you can't drive from one end to the other without seeing a large, beautiful pecan tree, heck I have nearly thirty on my property!

 

[wildflower]

Love PPPPPecans 

 

[rio_grande]

Dang Lady you just gave an Indiana boy an Idea for the cookout we have next weekend. But of course I will have to make a few test batches :)

 

[old poi dog]

Hello Lady Squirrel,

I'm going to try it with Maui Onions.  I hope it comes out half as good as the one you made.

 

[scarbelly]

Great looking post Squirrel - that is a good looking onion for sure - making me hungry !!

 

[mballi3011]

Now that's so cool there cheryl you are still pulling off some really good looking recipes. I just have to try this one as soon as I can find a onion that as big as my head. Thanks for the recipe and the step by step directions I need it sometimes. Hey if the wife says it's OK will you move down here in Florida. Heck I'll even let you rout for the Bulldogs sometimes.

 

[squirrel]

LOL Mark! A bit ironic since I am sitting here reading your post with my new Gator t-shirt on! Thanks again buddy!

Tonite is my last night posting for a while and I'm trying to reach the 300 mark! LOL!

 

[richoso1]

Good pics, good instructions, and great food. Congrats and a thumbs up for your thread.

 

[jaxgatorz]

LOL Mark! A bit ironic since I am sitting here reading your post with my new Gator t-shirt on! Thanks again buddy!

Tonite is my last night posting for a while and I'm trying to reach the 300 mark! LOL!

A girl after my own heart

 

[realtorterry]

Since cowgirl won't marry me maybe you will cause I'm in love with your cookin:):)

 

[pandemonium]

That looks great!! i had a kit to make them my ex wife bought and they didnt come out looking like yours, nice job. The kit thing was a pita and it said you had to soak the damn onion over night, who wants to wait that long for a greasy treat? Now i want to try one again!!

 

[pandemonium]

i am making one of these now and he res a good recipe for the sauce it tastes like the restaurants

• Dipping Sauce:
•  
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 tablespoons cream-style horseradish sauce
• 1/3 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper

 

[squirrel]

I hope you're gonna post some pics! That's a great sauce recipe, thanks for sharing!