Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
I always get Tom Lehrer’s Poisoning Pigeons in the Park stuck in my head around this time of year. “Spring is here, ah-sah-pah-ring is here! Life is Skittles, and life is beer! I think the loveliest time of the year is the spring, I do. Don’t you? ‘Course you do.”
For me, though, spring is more about ramps, fiddleheads, zucchini blossoms, and all those gorgeous things that are just now starting to appear again at the farmer’s market. I skipped lunch today for the sake of picking up some greens and yellows and just smelling everything around me over at Union Square. I had to rush the experience because I work nowhere near there, but it was worth it.
Before I stuffed and fried them, my beautiful bunch of zucchini blossoms looked more like the photo below.
Still, they were tastier once I was done with them.
Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
8 largeish zucchini blossoms (pistils/stamens removed)
For the filling
1 C ricotta
1 egg
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pinch ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
For the batter
2/3 C flour
1 C seltzer
To fry ‘em in
Half olive oil, half vegetable oil
To sprinkle atop in the end
Fleur de sel (or other coarse salt)
These are remarkably simple to put together. Wash the blossoms, remove their sexual organs, and pat them dry. Whisk together all that’s needed for the filling, and pipe it into the blossoms, then pinch their petals shut.
Heat your oil up to a good frying temperature - a relatively shallow layer in a pan will do, as the blossoms are small and needn’t be deep-fried.
Whisk together the flour and seltzer for the batter. Dip each stuffed blossom into the batter, then let all excess batter trip off. Fry until golden on both sides - this should take no time at all, so don’t even bother putting down your slotted spoon.
Drain them, then sprinkle fleur de sel (or any coarse salt, really) atop them before serving. Serve warm, immediately.
April 20th, 2006 at 12:48 am
I recently tried my first zuchini flower in a very simple pasta sauce & it was delicious, keen to try & stuff some myself - they look delicious
April 20th, 2006 at 3:54 pm
Danielle,
I love you. My family loves you. We want to adopt you. Seriously.
This post is magnificent! We’re still a ways away from zucchini blossoms but we will be enjoying them as much as you obviously do. In our books, a person that appreciates the beauty of a zucchini blossom and can treat it with the love that you have is truly a great cook. We usually dip them in batter and fry them or we stuff them with fresh mozzarella and anchovy and then fry them. I’ve heard of ricotta stuffing before but never tried it. This is on my list as soon as we get our zucchini plants in the ground and we start seeing some of those beautiful blossoms!
April 21st, 2006 at 6:42 am
Andrea - I found a recipe for pasta with zucchini blossom I’ve been wanting to try out, too. Maybe tonight! I have plenty left.
Ivonne - I am ridiculously flattered, and also envious, because you’re going to have fresh blossoms from your very own plants. Mmm, I never thought of stuffing them with mozzarella - I should try that. There’s this little Italian grocery/butcher around the corner from my apartment that makes the best fresh mozzarella I’ve ever had. And now I so very much want to stop by to meet your family (and your plants ~.^).
April 21st, 2006 at 1:18 pm
Oh man, I have a serious craving for zucchini blossoms now.
I love them so much that I even overcome my fear of
deep frying when I can get my hands on them.
Too bad, I haven’t seen any in Boston.
Yours look stunning :)
April 21st, 2006 at 5:38 pm
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April 23rd, 2006 at 10:50 pm
I’ve been dying to try zucchini flowers. Can’t find them here and now I wish I had tried them when I used to see them in the markthalles. Sigh. I love stuffed zucchini blossoms.
May 21st, 2006 at 10:56 am
I can’t believe how glorious these look. Can I please have just one?
You are incredible. Thanks for a lovely post.
May 21st, 2006 at 4:42 pm
Tanna - Stop by next spring, and you got it!
August 8th, 2006 at 8:36 am
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