Stuffed Courgette Flowers Food

STUFFED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Slice zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out insides leaving about 1/4-in shell.
• Finely chop zucchini pulp; set aside. Saute onion in oil in large heavy skillet. Add mushrooms, garlic and reserved chopped zucchini; cook over medium heat until most of moisture evaporates.
• Add cream cheese, egg, Parmesan, parsley, and pepper.
• Mix well; cook for about 10 minutes.
• Cool filling slightly and fill zucchini shells.
• Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese. Place on jelly roll pans; bake for 30 minutes at 350°F until bubbly and golden brown on top.

STUFFED COURGETTE FLOWERS

Steps:

• To make the batter, whisk the egg, flour and bicarb together in a wide bowl. Gradually pour in the iced water, whisking continuously, until you have a smooth batter the consistency of double cream. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, beat all the filling ingredients together with some seasoning until well mixed. To make the dressing, mix all the ingredients in a third bowl with some seasoning and set aside.
• Gently open up each flower and remove the stamen if there is one. Place spoonfuls of filling inside. Close the flower, twisting the ends of the petals to seal. Heat a deep-fryer to 180C. (If you don't have a deep-fryer, see right.) Working in batches so you don't overcrowd the pan, dip the flowers in the batter and fry for 2 mins, then use a slotted spoon to carefully flip them and fry for another 2 mins until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and leave in a warm place while you fry the rest. Sprinkle with a little salt and serve 2 flowers on each plate with a circle of dressing around the outside of the plate.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS

Steps:

• Place the zucchini flowers in cold water to open and make the preparation easier.
• In a large mixing bowl place the rice, all the chopped and grated ingredients, half of the olive oil and lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well. With a small spoon, take small amounts of the stuffing and fill the zucchini flowers. Fold over the ends to seal the stuffing inside.
• Place the flowers on the bottom of a large saucepan, with the openings facing the bottom. Pour in enough water to cover. Add 1 pinch of salt, 1 pinch of pepper and the rest of the olive oil and lemon juice. Cover and simmer gently for about 40 minutes until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.

FRIED CHEESE-STUFFED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, water and salt until smooth. Set aside.
• In a small bowl combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, heavy cream, basil, and green onion. Mix until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons filling into each blossom. Close the blossoms and gently twist the petals to seal.
• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 350 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 1 minute.) Dip the stuffed zucchini blossoms in the batter and allow any excess batter to drip off. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Allow the cooked blossoms to drain on paper towels.
• Season with salt and serve with your favorite marinara sauce or vinaigrette.

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.