Squash Blossoms Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the hot coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only to medium-high heat. Heat about 4 inches of oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over direct heat until it reaches 350 degrees F.
• Combine the ricotta, parsley and lemon zest in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Place a tablespoon of the filling into each zucchini blossom, sealing them by bringing the petals up around the filling and giving them a little twist.
• Season the flour with salt and pepper, then dredge the blossoms first in the flour, then in the eggs and then again in the flour, being sure to shake off any excess flour.
• Working in batches if needed, carefully drop the blossoms into the oil. (Make sure not to overcrowd the pan.) Cook until golden brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the blossoms to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and season lightly with sea salt. Serve immediately.
• (Alternatively, you can fry the blossoms over medium-high heat on a stovetop.)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan over medium heat; add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chard and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add basil, salt, and pepper, and cook until basil is soft, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely, about 15 minutes. Place cooled chard mixture between 2 towels and press to remove excess moisture.
• Stir chevre and chard mixture together in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Fill zucchini blossoms about 3/4 full with the goat chevre mixture, and pinch the ends closed. Place filled blossoms in a roasting pan; drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Roast in the preheated oven until blossoms are hot, about 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Use your fingers to carefully dig a hole on the side of the zucchini flower, opening it enough to dig out with you pointer the pollen stem that is inside. Gently rinse the flowers under a sprinkle of cold water, paying attention not to damage the thin petals, then lay on a rag and pat dry.
• Fill a piping bag with the ricotta cheese and pipe 2 to 3 tablespoons of the ricotta into each flower. Twist the petals to close tightly so the cheese doesn't escape during frying.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, parsley, a couple of generous pinches of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Slowly start pouring the beer into the mix, using a whisk or a fork to make the batter; mix to eliminate any lumps.
• Add the vegetable oil to the bottom of a heavy skillet until it comes up the sides 2 inches, making sure the oil is not more than halfway up the sides. Heat the vegetable oil until hot.
• Dip the filled flowers through the batter then carefully add to the hot oil. Fry, flipping halfway through frying, until the blossoms are golden and crisp, 2 minutes.
• Remove and place on a large dish lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt to taste while still hot.

Steps:

• Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice-cold water. Drop squash blossoms into the boiling water until slightly wilted, 30 to 45 seconds; transfer immediately into the cold water to chill. Remove to paper towels to drain.
• Mix goat cheese, egg yolk, Gruyere cheese, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl; stir until smooth. Spoon filling into a heavy, resealable 1-quart plastic bag, squeeze out the air, and seal the bag. Cut a small corner off the bag.
• Gently insert the cut corner of the bag all the way to the bottom of the open end of a blossom and pipe about 1 tablespoon of filling inside. Pick up petals and drape them up over the filling, covering filling completely. Fold any excess petals over the top of the filled blossom to keep them out of the way. Refrigerate filled squash blossoms until cheese is set and firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Combine self-rising flour and cornstarch in a mixing bowl; whisk in ice-cold water, a little at a time, until batter is smooth and has the thickness of pancake batter.
• Pour vegetable oil to a depth of 1 inch into a heavy skillet (such as a cast iron pan) and place over medium heat. Heat oil until a thermometer placed into the oil, not touching the bottom, reads 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). A drop of batter carefully dripped into the oil should sizzle immediately.
• Remove squash blossoms from refrigerator and dust lightly with all-purpose flour on all sides. Shake off excess flour and dip blossoms in batter. Let excess batter drip off.
• Gently lay coated squash blossoms in the hot oil on their sides; cook about 6 at a time until pale golden brown, 1 minute on the first side and 30 seconds to 1 minute on the remaining sides. Let cool slightly before serving.

Steps:

• Make tomato sauce:
• Cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil in a 2-quarts heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, water, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Prepare squash blossoms:
• Stir together ricotta, yolk, mint, 1/3 cup parmesan, and 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
• Carefully open each blossom and fill with about 2 rounded teaspoon ricotta filling, gently twisting end of blossom to enclose filling. (You may have filling left over.)
• Whisk together flour, remaining 1/3 cup parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and seltzer in a small bowl.
• Heat 1/2 inch oil to 375°F in a 10-inch heavy skillet. Meanwhile, dip half of blossoms in batter to thinly coat. Fry coated blossoms, turning once, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes total. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain. Coat and fry remaining blossoms. (Return oil to 375°F between batches.) Season with salt. Serve with tomato sauce.