Select a well-rounded onion. Peel outer skin off. Leave root intact; cut off any hanging roots. Using small, sharp fnife, divide onion into four sections by making 2 cuts crosswise, beginning at the top and cutting toward root, stopping about 1/2 inch away. Cut each section twice. Place onion in bowl of enough boiling water to cover it and leave for 5 minutes. The sections, or "petals" will begin to open. Remove onion from hot water and immerse into ice water, to help the opening. Drain well by turning opside down on paper towel. Put flour into paper bag, add onion and shake gently to coat with flour. Roll floured onion in beaten egg to cover. Put cracker crumbs or coating mix in paper bag, add onion and shake gently to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour before deep frying in oil to golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Cooked onion may be kept for a time in warm oven. The "Outback Steakhouse" serves this with a delicious hot-hot sauce to dunk in. They also add hot spices to the flour and/or coating mix. Posted to MC-Recipe Digest by Walt Gray on Mar 03, 1998