Paleo Bloomin' Onion with Spicy Dipping Sauce

I have been working really hard on improving my food pictures. My friend Rachel let me come over a cook, and then she helped me style my food! I am so excited how these photos turned out. They really do the recipe justice. I have come along way since my green chevron print with red plates. I need to go back and reshoot some of my first recipes. Even though I cringe a little at the old pictures, it shows me I have come a long way!

OMG I am freaking in love with this recipe! I love Bloomin’ Onions from Outback. It is one of my favorite things that I never thought could be made paleo. Ever since I made fried okra with pork rinds this summer, I have been wanting to use that method again. While this onion isn’t fried like Outbacks, all the flavor components are there. I ate half of this onion myself with absolutely no guilt! 

Ingredients

1 large sweet onion

2 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup pork rinds

1 tbls flavor god spicy seasoning

sauce

1/2 cup paleo mayo, recipe to follow

2 tbls tomato paste

1 tbls horseradish sauce

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/8 tsp oregano

1/2 lemon, juiced (3 tsps) 

mayo

1 egg

1/2 meyer lemon, juiced

1 cup macadamia nut oil

*If you don’t have flavor god spicy, use this spice blend.

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Now cut the onion. This is the important part. Cut about a 1/2 inch off from the non-root end of the onion and peel off the outer later. Turn this side down to help stabilize the onion. Make cuts approximately 1/4 inch apart and 1/2 inch down from the root into the middle of the onion. You don’t want to get too close to the root of the pieces will fall apart too easily. If this is confusing, there are lots of great tutorials on youtube! 

Pulse pork rinds and seasoning in a blender until fine powder and then measure out the 2/3 cup. Place foil on a backing sheet and flip you onion over with the root side down. If the onion isn’t staying upright, create a foil ring to set the onion on. Carefully fan out the onion pieces. Using a pastry brush, coat the bottom two layers of onion first then sprinkle on pork rind seasoning. Now do the top pieces in the same manner. Slowly make your way around the onion until all pieces are coated. This will take a bit of time. 

Tent onion with the foil and place in the oven for 15 minutes. Un-tent and cook for 10 more minutes. Then re-tent and cook for another 5 minutes until onion is fully cooked. 

To make your mayo, you will need an immersion blender.Crack egg into tall jar wide enough to fit your immersion blender. Squeeze in lemon juice. Pour in oil and let egg settle to bottom of jar. Place blender into the jar until it hits the bottom. Blend for 30 seconds then slowly pull the blender up until all the oil is incorporated about 30 more seconds. Make sure you turn the blender off before pulling it out of the jar. You will only need 1/2 of this portion for the recipe. Save the remaining in an airtight container. It is good for a week after the date on your egg carton. Mix all sauce seasoning in with 1/2 cup mayo. 

Recipe adapted from here.

Enjoy!

x vanessa 

Food styling by: Rachel Apple