Best Stuffed Zucchini Flowers Recipes

CRISPY ZUCCHINI FLOWERS STUFFED WITH RICOTTA AND MINT

Steps:

• These stuffed zucchini flowers look and taste amazing! Make sure they're eaten straightaway, while they're still crisp and hot. If you can't get hold of any flowers you can still make the recipe using just the zucchini - it will be like an Italian tempura.
• Beat the ricotta in a bowl with the nutmeg, the Parmesan, lemon zest and most of the chopped mint and chiles. Season carefully, with salt and pepper, to taste.
• To make a lovely light batter, put the flour into a mixing bowl with a good pinch of salt. Pour in the white wine and whisk until thick and smooth. At this point the consistency of the batter should be like heavy cream or, if you dip your finger in, it should stick to your finger and nicely coat it. If it's too thin, add a bit more flour; if it's too thick, add a little more wine.
• Open the zucchini flowers up gently, keeping them attached to the zucchini, and snip off the pointed stamen inside because these taste bitter. Give the flowers a gentle rinse if you like.
• With a teaspoon, carefully fill each flower with the ricotta mixture. Or, as I prefer to do, spoon the ricotta into the corner of a sandwich bag. Snip 1/2-inch off the corner and use this as a makeshift piping bag to gently squeeze the filling into each flower, until just full. Carefully press the flowers back together around the mixture to seal it in. Then put the flowers aside. (Any leftover ricotta can be smeared on hot crostini as a snack!)
• Now for the deep-frying bit. Get everyone out of the way if you can and make sure there are no kids around. Have tongs or a spider ready for lifting the flowers out of the oil, and a plate with a double layer of paper towels on it for draining. Pour the oil into a deep fat fryer or large deep saucepan so it's about 4 inches deep. Heat it up to 350 degrees F or, if using a saucepan, put in your piece of potato. As soon as the potato turns golden, floats to the surface and starts to sizzle, the oil is just about the right temperature. Remove the potato from the pan.
• One by one, dip the zucchini with their ricotta-stuffed flowers into the batter, making sure they're completely covered, and gently let any excess drip off. Carefully release them, away from you, into the hot oil. Quickly batter another 1 or 2 flowers and any small zucchini (or parsley) leaves if you have any - but don't crowd the pan too much otherwise they'll stick together. Fry until golden and crisp all over, then lift them out of the oil and drain on the paper towels. Remove to a plate or board and sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and the remaining chile and mint. Serve with half a lemon to squeeze over. Bloody delicious. Eat them quick!
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DEEP-FRIED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS STUFFED WITH TALEGGIO AND BASIL

Steps:

• Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add blackberries, vinegar, and sugar. Cook for 15 minutes, and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl; reserve juices and discard pulp.
• Heat oil in a deep saucepan over medium-high heat until it reaches 325 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer.
• Meanwhile, place flour in a large mixing bowl and gradually pour in water, mixing constantly with your fingertips until combined; set batter aside.
• Wrap each slice of cheese with a basil leaf. Place each wrapped piece of cheese into a zucchini flower and twist top to enclose. Lightly dust each zucchini flower with flour and dredge in batter until fully coated.
• Working in batches, gently place zucchini flowers into heated oil and fry until lightly golden, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately drizzled with the reserved blackberry and balsamic reduction.

DEEP-FRIED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS STUFFED WITH TALEGGIO AND BASIL

Steps:

• Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add blackberries, vinegar, and sugar. Cook for 15 minutes, and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl; reserve juices and discard pulp.
• Heat oil in a deep saucepan over medium-high heat until it reaches 325 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer.
• Meanwhile, place flour in a large mixing bowl and gradually pour in water, mixing constantly with your fingertips until combined; set batter aside.
• Wrap each slice of cheese with a basil leaf. Place each wrapped piece of cheese into a zucchini flower and twist top to enclose. Lightly dust each zucchini flower with flour and dredge in batter until fully coated.
• Working in batches, gently place zucchini flowers into heated oil and fry until lightly golden, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with salt and pepper. 6.
• Serve immediately drizzled with the reserved blackberry and balsamic reduction.

CRAB-STUFFED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS WITH MUSTARD BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the crabmeat, crème fraîche, lemon juice and zest, and chives in a mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt, white pepper and piment d'Espelette. Using a small spoon or a piping bag, gently stuff each zucchini flower three-quarters full with the crab mixture.
• Bring the water to a boil in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until the all of the butter is emulsified. Whisk in both mustards and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set the butter sauce aside and keep warm.
• Place a large pot filled with 2 inches of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Place the stuffed zucchini flowers in a steamer insert, then set the steamer in the pot. Cover and steam until the crab filling is hot, about 3 minutes.
• Place 3 zucchini flowers on each of 4 plates. Stir the chives into the mustard butter sauce, spoon the sauce over and around the stuffed flowers and serve immediately.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS

Steps:

• For the stuffing: Mix the ricotta, cream, chives, parsley, lemon zest and anchovy, if using. Season with salt and pepper. Using a piping bag, fill the blossoms with the stuffing. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to fry.
• For the marinara sauce: Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute the garlic and onions until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Using a hand mixer, blend until the sauce is a coarse puree. Stir in the basil, chives and parsley.
• For the vodka batter: Mix 1 cup/250 ml flour with the baking powder in a large bowl. Add the club soda and vodka and stir until smooth.
• Heat the canola oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
• Dredge the stuffed zucchini blossoms in the remaining 1/2 cup/125ml flour, then coat with the batter. Fry until golden. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve the fried blossoms hot with the marinara sauce.
• Cook's Note: If you don't have zucchini blossoms, you can stuff mini bell peppers, tomatoes or mushrooms.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS

Steps:

• Make the batter. Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the water gradually, beating constantly until the mixture is smooth. Beat in the oil and salt (this can all be done in a food processor).
• Beat the egg white until thick and set aside.
• Cut the mozzarella into small pieces. Season with pepper.
• Stuff the flowers with cheese and a little anchovy, folding over the petals to enclose it.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet.
• Beat the batter, fold in the egg white and dip each flower into it, scraping off the excess on the side of the bowl. Put the flowers a few at a time into the hot oil and cook, turning once, until they are golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS

Steps:

• Gently pull the stamen out of each zucchini flower. Set the flowers aside.
• Beat the flour, eggs, and salt together in a bowl until they are smooth. Beat in the milk. Set the batter aside.
• Mix the mozzarella, capers, tomato and basil together and fill the inside of each zucchini flower with some of this mixture. Fold the ends of the petals over the filling to enclose it.
• Heat the oil to a depth of 2 inches in a heavy saucepan or a wok.
• Dip the stuffed flowers into the batter, allowing any excess to run off. Fry the flowers until they turn light gold, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain them on absorbent paper as they are done. Sprinkle them lightly with salt and serve them while they are warm.