Bloomin’ Onion Bites with Comeback Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 small bags frozen pearl onions (Thawed and fully drained; approximately 28 oz total if using 14-oz bags.)
• vegetable oil (For deep frying; heat a couple of inches to 350°F (175°C). Amount depends on the size of the pot. Most oil is not consumed.)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder (For the breading.)
• 0.5 tsp black pepper (For the breading.)
• 0.125 tsp cayenne pepper (Use up to 1/4 teaspoon, according to taste.)
• 2 large eggs (For the egg mixture.)
• 1.5 cups milk
• salt (For seasoning the fried onions while warm, to taste.)
• 0.5 cup mayonnaise (For the comeback sauce.)
• 2 tbsp ketchup (For the comeback sauce.)
• 2 tbsp sriracha (For the comeback sauce; adjust to taste.)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard (For the comeback sauce.)
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (For the comeback sauce.)
• 0.5 tsp garlic powder (For the comeback sauce.)
• 0.25 tsp onion powder (For the comeback sauce.)
• 0.25 tsp black pepper (For the comeback sauce.)

Steps

1. 1

   Thaw the frozen pearl onions completely and drain them very well. Excess moisture can cause the hot oil to splatter and can make the breading less crisp.

2. 2

   Pour vegetable oil into a deep, heavy pot to a depth of a couple of inches. Heat it over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C), checking the temperature with a deep-fry or instant-read thermometer.

3. 3

   In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, dried oregano, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.

4. 4

   In a second shallow dish, beat the eggs. Whisk in the milk until the mixture is smooth.

5. 5

   Working in batches, place a handful of drained pearl onions into the egg mixture. Turn them to coat, then lift them out and let the excess egg drip back into the dish.

6. 6

   Transfer the egg-coated onions to the seasoned flour. Toss until thoroughly coated, then shake off excess flour so the coating does not fall off in the oil.

7. 7

   Carefully lower one batch of breaded onions into the 350°F oil. Fry for about 4–5 minutes, moving them gently with a slotted spoon so they do not stick together, until the coating is deep golden and crisp. The transcript says “45 minutes,” which is treated as an apparent timing error because pearl onions would burn during a 45-minute fry.

8. 8

   Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried onions to a paper-towel-lined plate. Let excess oil drain, then season with salt while the onions are still warm.

9. 9

   Make the comeback sauce by whisking together the mayonnaise, ketchup, sriracha, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth.

10. 10

    Serve the crisp bloomin’ onion bites warm with the comeback sauce for dipping.

Notes

Work in batches so the oil temperature does not drop too far and the onions have room to crisp. Keep the oil at approximately 350°F throughout frying. Serve immediately for the best texture.

Nutrition per serving

• appetizer
• snack
• fried
• vegetarian
• spicy
• party food
• American comfort food