I love stuffed artichokes, but, like most people, I hate preparing them. And a deep-fried blooming onion is super craveable and fun to share, but too labor-intensive to fry up. This recipe cuts out the work of both dishes and creates a flavorful hybrid that works great as a vegetarian main or as a side dish for the Chile-Rubbed Rib Eye
Place the onion on a cutting board and trim the top off and peel off the outer skin.
Turn the onion upside down and use a paring knife, cut vertical slits halfway through the onion at ½-inch intervals around the onion, keeping the root intact.
When you turn the onion right side up, it should open up like the petals of a flower.
Drizzle the cut sides of the onion with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place petal-side up in the air fryer and cook at 350°F for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir together the panko, parmesan, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, mustard, and garlic until incorporated into a smooth paste.
Remove the onion from the fryer and stuff the paste all over and in between the onion “petals.
” Return the onion to the air fryer and cook at 375°F until the onion is tender in the center and the breadcrumb mixture is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Remove the onion from the air fryer, transfer to a plate, and serve hot.