Zucchini Blossoms

[jende]

I bought a whole bunch of beautiful zucchini blossoms at the farmers market this weekend, but I'm not quite sure what to do with them. I know they're usually stuffed with a cheese mixture and fried, but I don't know how to do this without the cheese running out.

I also bought some lovely fresh peas in the pod, so I'm wondering if there's a way to incorporate both maybe into a risotto or some such.

Also, does anyone know how long the zucchini blossoms will last in the fridge? I've had them in a paper bag since Saturday and probably won't be able to cook them until Wednesday.

[Busboy]

I'd be surprised if your blossoms last until Wednesday, but maybe you'll get lucky. My wife and I make a wash of egg whites and a dribble of milk, and dredge the blossoms in flour, then the wash, then corn meal, before frying. Put a little baking soda and salt in both the flour and the meal. Sometimes my wife wraps a basil leaf around a little goat cheese and stuffs the blossoms with that before she fries them. These are inspired.

In Nice, France, where fried zucchini blossoms seem to be a source of fierce local pride and an anchor of "cuisine nissarde" they use a batter dip and the blossoms are often referred to as "beignets." This recipe looks pretty good for that type of preparation (though I haven't tried it) (though I will).

I spotted the chef of Nice's legendary -- if not universally beloved -- La Merenda buying squash blossoms from this lady in the market one morning. They grow 'em bigger over there.

[Pontormo]

While it would take a little patience to track down established threads on zucchini blossoms in the cooking forum, here's one rather long one in the Italian forum.

I prefer simple, dipped in a light tempura-like batter and deep-fried as is or stuffed w a light, fresh cheese as mentioned above.

Serve as is or as filling in a thin sandwich on good crusty roll, just w a slice or two of an equally good ham.

There's a Greek recipe in RecipeGullet, too. Try using the search engine for further ideas since it is too late, I fear, to stuff your blossoms. Better to use the wilted flowers picked several days ago as you would zucchini or another vegetable: as an ingredient in a frittata or risotto, for example, if not the Greek recipe.

In the future, plan on buying the blossoms on a day you'll be able to cook them. They're fragile (and pricy where I live) and best enjoyed while fresh as a daisy.

[russ parsons]

zucchini blossoms really need to be cooked the same day. unfortunately they are extremely delicate. i've cooked them a couple of different ways this summer: basic "pastella" batter: flour and water to make a thin batter about the texture of heavy cream, then beat in an egg (helps browning). i do this a lot and later in the season, when i've had them often enough, i'll start stuffing the flower before dipping: a dab of goat cheese (basil's a good idea), a small piece of fresh mozzarella (maybe with a little bit of salted anchovy). I've also cooked them in a frittata--really simple base of sauteed green onions in butter, beat the eggs and add the zucchini blossoms; cook; when almost set top with grated parmigiano and finish under the broiler.

[gfron1]

In From Here You Can't See Paris (which is a super book for foodies BTW), I vaguely recall the chef steaming them or braising them stuffed with smoked trout mousse.

[Anna Friedman Herlihy]

I've successfully stuffed and fried zucchini flowers up to 5 days after they've been picked. However, they were picked in my garden and immediately refrigerated, so I'd imagine the ones you bought would not last that long. In fact I have 4 sitting in my fridge right now (3 from yesterday's garden check and one from today).

One of my fave recipes with zuc flowers is to toss them with pasta and a bit of olive oil, black pepper, and pecorino (this is a fairly standard Italian recipe that I've had in restaurants in Italy). You could incorporate your peas into this too. The heat from returning the pasta to the pot with a bit of the cooking water and oil is enough to cook the flowers. The peas I'd blanch for a minute or so.

BTW--I've never had a problem with the cheese leaking out. If it starts to leak, it forms a hard crust (just like any fried cheese), and that keeps the rest in the blossom.

[jende]

Thanks everyone. I didn't realize they were so perishable -- I fear to peek into the bag when I get home! Even though I won't be home until late tonight, I'm going to make them today for fear of losing them. Granted they're still in decent shape, I'll stuff them with a little goat cheese and basil and make a light frying batter (lovely suggestions).

If I find them over the hill, though, I'll make the pasta that Anna suggested. In this case, would you chop the blossoms at all or just cook them whole? They aren't as large as in that beautiful photo above, but still fairly substantial.

[Pontormo]

Granted they're still in decent shape, I'll stuff them with a little goat cheese and basil and make a light frying batter (lovely suggestions).

←

Quasi-chauvanistic, but in the long thread I linked, even Bleudavergne (French resident & extraordinary, sophisticated cook) agreed that chevre's pronounced flavor can easily detract from the delicate taste of zucchini flowers rather than complement it unless your cheese is very, very mild. If you have access to a really good ricotta, I'd go with that and trust those who give the summer squash its most familiar name.

[jende]

I ran home between meetings to check on my blossoms (I'm a geek) and they were wilted, as predicted. So I guess I'm going the pasta route.

[madtowner]

I just got some blossoms last Saturday at the Farmer's Market; I had never had them before. I stuffed them with a garlic herb cream cheese and used a pilsner batter to deep fry. They were great, but perhaps I lost the delicate flavor of them as mentioned with the strongly flavored cream cheese. Interestingly, they still had the 2-3" zucchini attached, which, while the smooth skin lost most of the batter, turned out nice.

One of my Mexican friends/employees said that his Mom used to make quesadillas with the blossoms, to which he waxed nostalgically.

I assume the blossoms are just a springtime thing? tim

[weinoo]

I bought a whole bunch of beautiful zucchini blossoms at the farmers market this weekend, but I'm not quite sure what to do with them. I know they're usually stuffed with a cheese mixture and fried, but I don't know how to do this without the cheese running out.

I also bought some lovely fresh peas in the pod, so I'm wondering if there's a way to incorporate both maybe into a risotto or some such.

Also, does anyone know how long the zucchini blossoms will last in the fridge? I've had them in a paper bag since Saturday and probably won't be able to cook them until Wednesday.

←

Ask Judith .

Click Aroma Cucina

[michael_g]

While not French in the least, I've enjoyed them in quesadillas with mild cheeses, like queso fresco or blanco. Once we used a not-too-ripe brie with good success.

Last time I saw them at the market (July 2006, Brookline, MA), I ran into someone planning to stuff them with lobster -- must be good.

[Maureen B. Fant]

The Roman Jewish way is to (carefully) take out the inside parts, cut off the stems, then put a piece of mozzarella and anchovy in each. The mozzarella should not be too wet, so if it's quite fresh, blot it on a tea towel or paper towel. When they are all stuffed and ready, make a batter of just flour and water, a pinch of salt, and a splash of vinegar. It should be liquid but thick enough to coat your finger. Heat some olive oil pretty hot for frying. Then pick up a flower by the top (the open side) and dip it in the batter. If you've torn any flowers during the stuffing phase, you can use batter to sort of patch them up. I always give a sort of twist to the top too. Then lay them gently in the oil and fry till golden brown. Drain on papers towels and eat quickly. Some people use egg and/or yeast in the batter, but in our house we like it like this. And we fry in extra-virgin.

You could throw flowers and peas in a risotto together, but it would be sort of a waste of the flowers. I find them too bland for risotto, but many people like it. Likewise, they're considered great in frittatas, but I prefer zucchini, that is, zucchine romanesche, the variety with the light-green flutes. They are also used in Rome on pizza with anchovies and mozzarella, no tomato. Ristorante Paris in Rome (and after them, others) makes pasta with scampi (i.e. langoustines) and fiori di zucca.

I'm surprised they're only wilted and not turned to mush. You might get away with frying. Good luck.

Edited June 26, 2007 by Maureen B. Fant (log)

[Marya]

Jende,

I know it's too late for this batch of flowers, but I raised two daughters who are downright nostalgic about the prolific crop of zucchini flowers we had each summer. No matter how I prepared them, their most favorite was when I sauteed them in lightly browned butter. It needed nothing more than a light sprinkling of salt. Heavenly!