Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

Zucchini Blossoms

I only have my friend Jen to vouch for this recipe.  My zucchini blossoms did not survive past a day, making it impossible to deep fry the HELL out of those suckers.  Jen has assured me the the recipe is a smashing success.  And even though she may hate mushrooms as much as I do pickles, we still tend to agree on food.

She found this recipe while browsing around the internet looking for a reason to buy some zucchini blossoms at the farmers market.  She may not have deep fried hers like the recipe calls for, but we’re not all perfect.

Ricotta & Garlic-stuffed Zucchini Blossom Recipe (from Taste Buddies)

12 zucchini blossoms
1 cup of ricotta cheese
1 large free-range egg
1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 clove of garlic, minced
4 fresh sweet basil leaves, finely chopped
3/4 tsp of sea salt
2/3 cup & 1/8 cup of all-purposed flour
1 cup of soda water
1 1/2 cups of vegetable or canola oil

Mix together the ricotta, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, chopped basil, egg and sea salt.  Keep mixing until the cheese forms a smooth consistency. Place the mixture into a piping bag. If you don’t have one, use a freezer bag and then cut a corner off and use it as a make-shift piper. Do this just before you stuff the flowers.

Slice the stems off the male flowers. If you need to clean the flowers, gently wipe them with a damp paper towel. Slice the baby zucchinis into strips ensuring the head is still attached to the flower.

Now whisk together the soda water and flour. The mixture will seem quite frothy, this is normal: it just needs to relax. Set aside. Gently open the petals. It may take a few tries as they can be entwined. Remove the pistil by snipping it off with some scissors. Gently pipe about 2 tbs of filling into the flowers. They will swell up as you fill them. Twist the top of the petals together to close the flowers.

Set the flowers aside. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Turn on the oven to a very low heat to keep the cooked zucchini blossoms warm. Dip each flower one by one into the batter. Hold it over the bowl to let the excess batter drip off. Test the oil to see if its ready by dropping a little batter in. It’s ready if the batter sizzles to the top. Place the coated flower on a slotted spoon and gently lower it into the hot oil. Cook the flowers until they are lightly crispy for about 2-3 minutes.

Remove flowers from oil with slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet in the oven while you cook the remaining flowers. Once all the flowers have been cooked, serve immediately.