Basil Stuffed Squash Blossoms Food

SQUASH BLOSSOMS STUFFED WITH RICOTTA

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.

STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOMS

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.)

SIMPLE SQUASH AND BASIL SAUTE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, squash, zucchini, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and basil and cook, stirring, until tender, about 1 minute more. Serve immediately.

BASIL-STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Put ricotta in a fine sieve set over a bowl. Let drain in refrigerator 3 hours or overnight. Discard liquid.
• Season ricotta with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper; stir until smooth. Transfer to a large pastry bag fitted with a coupler. Pipe 1 tablespoon ricotta onto 1 basil leaf. Place a small piece of bocconcini on top of ricotta; pinch leaf closed. Carefully open 1 squash blossom; place stuffed basil leaf inside blossom. Press gently to seal. Repeat with remaining basil leaves and squash blossoms.
• Heat about 3 inches oil in a medium heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until it registers 365 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Put eggs and cornmeal in separate small bowls. Dip 1 stuffed blossom into the eggs, then into the cornmeal to coat. Fry in batches of 2 to 3 until golden, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels using a slotted spoon; let drain. Season with salt. Serve immediately.

OVEN ROASTED STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOMS

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.

FRIED STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOMS

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.

STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOMS WITH CREAM CHEESE AND BACON

Steps:

• Put the cream cheese in a bowl to soften for a few minutes before you start.
• Combine basil, bacon, salt, pepper, onion, and cream cheese.
• Spoon about 1 tsp or a little more of the cream cheese mixture into the blossoms, depending on their size.
• Gently twist the ends of the petals together.
• Combine flour and cornmeal, with a little salt if you like.
• Whisk egg white into water thoroughly.
• Dip each blossom into the egg white mixture, keeping petals twisted, then roll it in the flour/cornmeal.
• Place filled blossoms in the fridge for 7-10 minutes.
• Heat 1-2" oil in a sturdy pot, to about 350 degrees F.
• Fry blossoms until golden brown, turning occasionally.
• Drain on paper towels and serve!