Nov 18, 2010

outback (MoFo 11)


After making these dishes from Outback, it is no wonder that this restaurant is at the top of the 'Worst Food for You," list. The restaurant conveniently places a calorie-nutritional value calculator on their website so you can see exactly how many calories you are shoveling in. The only additional thing they should add next is something to calculate the next pants size you will need after eating their creations.

Here we go:

The Bloomin' Onion is vastly popular. So much so that you can purchase a gadget set that will assist you in cutting the onion and dipping it in the batter. I've only seen them. To purchase one takes too much commitment, too much dedication to constant frying. 

Naturally, this was a hit. It takes a little finesse to cut the onion just right (without aforementioned gadget) and to get it coated well. I have created a How-To Breakdown for this, just in case you look at the pic and must have one of your own. It is great to do this with a large onion (~3/4#), but I tackled it with a small one because I figured it is easier for everyone to obtain a smaller onion than a larger one. The dip is a mayo-based concoction.

Now for the main meal: Outback's menu is 60% beef, but they manage to torture a few birds as well. I chose the Alice Sprigs Chicken to reinvent because it is a signature dish of theirs and, let's face it, it is covered in cheese. I must be too close to the Wisconsin border. 

And to accompany the bird, I present to you Outback's-and-possibly-the-world's-worst-food-only-being-beaten-by-KFC's-Double-Down (but that's another post): 
The Aussie Fries
Deep fried potatoes (you know, the kind that the public school system considers a vegetable), covered with a fair amount of salt, bathed in two different cheeses, and topped with crushed bacon.
Eh, yum..?

I used a mixture of shredded Daiya and Follow Your Heart Cheddar, but success can be had by using any bought or homemade nondairy cheese. To melt the cheese on both the chick'n and the fries, microwaving is your best bet; broiling does not melt vegan cheese as well as you would like - ooey, gooey. Nuke it.

Who is it who gets paid to think up stuff like this? The chicken is marinated in a honey-mustard sauce, grilled and topped with sauteed mushrooms, bacon (more?), and cheese.

 I used Tender Seitan cutlets, marinated them in maple-Dijon sauce, topped with sauteed mushrooms and Tofu (or Seitan) Bacon [see this post for the recipe and How-To Breakdown for the 'bacon'), and melted the Daiya/Follow Your Heart cheeses on it.

Making one or the other here and there is doable and even tasty (vegan, that is), but to have all three in one sitting at Outback can be downright dangerous!

To make me feel better, I am giving away Skinny Bitch in the Kitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. It is an adorable little book packed with recipes. To enter, just leave a comment. Contest ends around midnight on Tuesday morning, Nov. 23, and is open to North American and UK residents.

Cost Breakdown:

onion:
onion: $2
flour, spices: $1
cashew, almond milk: $1
dip: $1
Total to make 2 onions:
$4.00

fries:
fries: $3
FYH/Daiya: $2
'bacon': $1
Total to make 4 servings:
$6.00

chick'n:
seitan: $3
Daiya/FYH: $2
Dijon, veganaise, maple: $2
'bacon': $2
mushrooms: $3
Total to make 5 servings:
$12.00

Bloomin' Onion



Alice Sprigs Chick'n Plate


Aussie Chick'n

Aussie Fries






18 comments:

  1. You've got me cravin' some Aussie Fries now! Thanks for the giveaway. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I can feel my arteries hardening as I look but I totally want those fries!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've been loving your posts lately! I won't be making these ones but I've got my eye on the Bruschetta Burger from Red Robin.

    Thanks for hosting a giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  4. As soon as I saw this post of yours on my side bar, I got giddy. I was like, how the Heck is she gonna pull this one off?!
    Score! I love it, especially the Aussie Onion stacked thing, which I too have never been brave enough to try. I do however loooooove onions almost as much as I loath fried foods! Did I miss how you cooked the onion? Did you fry it or bake em or what?
    anyhow, I'd love a Skinny Bitch cookbook so throw me in the ring!

    ReplyDelete
  5. This meal is...insane! Part in a good way, part definitely bad for the health!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I found this through stumbleupon...and I'm drooling. :) I want to try the bloomin' onions dipping sauce with some sweet potato fries!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I want a bloomin' onion for a Buffy marathon and this looks...amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am right there with all of you! I want them - but, I know how bad they are. That is part of the addiction with fried foods. It has the three components that make food addictive: salt, sugar (carbs) and fat.

    Totally aside from the health risks - these were good.

    Yes, Gwen, unfortunately I fried them. But like I said before, December is for Detox. The kids are sooo looking forward to that!

    Welcome, Amanda!

    Thanks, Nichole! Some of my choices are good in taste and health, some just taste.

    Thanks for visiting, Mo, Vegan Wheekers, Erin and Becky.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh boy, everything looks delicious!

    Thank you for running this contest! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I just found this by clicking. Those fries look so naughty but delicious. :D

    ReplyDelete
  11. A vegan bloomin onion. I'm there (as soon as I've recovered from my fried food extravaganza).

    ReplyDelete
  12. Whoa! That onion is crazy... and I want some right now.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh. That onion looks... wow. I feel like if I made one I'd feel sick for a week from all the grease, but it may just be worth it.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks, Aly!

    Welcome, DJ Siberia!

    I know how you feel, Tender Branson.

    HeyitsBeth and Jody - you can have it as soon as you make it :)

    You just might be, Victoria - but it is really, really good.


    Thanks everyone for participating in the contest!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. We used to think that the Bloomin Onion was Vegan!!!! HA! We about died when we learned they fry in lard....gag!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Lard? Oh, double gross! Did not know that! I thought they just used eggs...

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi,
    I'm writing on behalf of an Indian newspaper, Mint, which is a publication of the national daily, Hindustan Times. We're carrying an article for which we needed a picture of the dish Blooming Onion and I stumbled across this image on your blog! I was wondering if this image was shot by you and if you could give us permission to use it for our article (with due credit to you, of course!). I would appreciate it greatly if you would let us know at the earliest! My email id is divya.b@livemint.com

    Best,
    Divya

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your comment! I'll check if it's spam and post if it is not. I appreciate your time and effort for commenting! ~ Zsu