These stuffed flowers are a seasonal delicacy from the summer garden. It is ideal to have zucchini plants in the garden to make them, although you can sometimes find zucchini flowers at produce markets. Handle them with a light touch as they do crush easily, harvesting in the morning before the heat of the day sets in. Select the male flowers only, they have long stems rather than growing at the end of a zucchini fruit. And don’t take all the flowers as they are needed for pollination to set more fruit. Unless, of course, you are ready for a zucchini break as removing all of the pollinator blooms will slow down production.
Servings 4serve as a starter
Prep Time 20 minutesmins
Cook Time 15 minutesmins
Ingredients
10-12zucchini flowers
150gricotta or soft goat cheese
3tbspfinely grated parmesan
zest of 1 lemon
1tspdried oregano or marjoram
cracked pepper
salt to taste
Batter:
1small egg
½cup75g standard flour (can use gluten-free flour)
¼cup30g corn flour or tapioca flour
½tspbaking powder
pinchof salt
½cupsoda water
olive oil or rice bran oil for cooking
Instructions
Gently plunge the zucchini flowers into a bowl of cold water to allow any garden critters to swim away. Lay the flowers on a clean tea towel to dry.
Make the filling. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, parmesan, lemon zest, oregano and cracked pepper. Add salt to taste - if using goat cheese it may not be required.
Stuff the flowers. One flower at a time, gently pry the petals open and fill with a heaped teaspoon of the filling. Lightly twist the petals to close and set aside on a plate. Repeat with the remaining flowers and filling.
Make the batter. Break the egg into a bowl and whisk until frothy. Add the flours, baking powder and salt and pour in ½ cup soda water. Whisk into a thin batter.
Using a heavy-based frying pan, pour in enough oil to come about 1 cm up the side of the pan (about 200ml depending on the width of your pan). Heat the oil over a moderate heat until a small amount of batter immediately sizzles when dropped in the pan.
Cook 3-4 stuffed flowers at a time. Dip in the batter, allow excess to drip off then carefully place in the hot oil, leaving space between each flower. Cook on both sides for 1-2 minutes until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with the remaining flowers. Scatter with salt and serve immediately.