Gather Your Tools and Ingredients
You only need a few items to get started with your red onion flower. Once you have the following items in hand, move on to the fun part:
- Cutting board
- Kitchen knife
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper
How to Make a Red Onion Flower
The red onion flower is a healthier version of the batter-fried blooming onion that you often see in restaurants. Rather than frying the onion, you bake it with a dressing made from balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Follow these steps to make your red onion flower:
- Cut off about one-half inch of the pointy onion top.
- Peel the dry papery coating off the onion.
- Trim the bottom of the onion, so it will stand.
- Slice down the center of the onion from the top to about one-half inch from the bottom.
- Slice down the other side of the onion in the same way. You now have four quarters.
- Slice the quarters down the middle, so you end up with eight pieces that are joined at the bottom. You can leave them like this or cut each segment in half again for 16 pieces.
- Place the cut red onion in a saucer or bowl. Pour a mixture of one tablespoon olive oil and one table
- Pour a mixture of 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
You can also add herbs, such as rosemary, thyme or bay leaves. Using melted garlic butter is another option you can use in place of olive oil.
How to Roast Red Onion Flowers
Once you’ve coated the onion, place it in an oiled baking pan. If you make more than one onion, leave enough room between them for each onion to open into a flower. Cover the onion with foil, and bake it at 425°F (220°C) for about 25 minutes. The onions should be opened and tender. Uncover the onion and bake for 10 more minutes. One onion serves one person.
The finished onion will have the appearance of a gorgeous, purple and white chrysanthemum.
