Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms With Heirloom Tomato Salad Food

STUFFED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• mix all the ingredients together and place in small pastry bag, or a ziplock bag with an end snipped off.
• open one end of the blossom gently and squeeze a small amount of cheese into the blossom. Due not overfill, you want enough to almost fill the blossom not to make it bulge.
• Refrigerate the blossoms for about 10-15 minutes while you get the egg mixture together.
• Lightly beat the eggs and add in milk, flour, cheese, and basil. Mix well. Egg Mixture should be about pancake mix thickness. If the mix is too thick the egg coating will be to thick and if its too thin it will run off.
• Heat a large sauté pan and then add about 1/4 inch of cooking oil to the pan.
• Dredge Zucchini Blossom in egg mixture, shed any excess egg and place into hot oil, continue the process till you fill the pan.
• Fry each side of the Blossom until golden brown, about two minutes on each side, the second side may cook faster, keep an eye on them.
• Place finished blossom on paper towels to drain off any excess oil.
• Place blossoms on serving tray and season with grated Romano cheese, sea salt and black pepper.

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.)

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.

HEIRLOOM TOMATO & ZUCCHINI SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, zucchini and peppers. In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, oil, sugar and salt until blended. Stir in herbs., Just before serving, drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat.

ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS STUFFED WITH TOMATOES AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 15x10x2-inch oval baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil. Heat 5 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add breadcrumbs and thyme and stir until breadcrumbs are lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in tomatoes, cheese, eggs, garlic, salt and pepper.
• Fill zucchini blossoms with breadcrumb mixture, using about 2 teaspoons for small blossoms and 1 tablespoon for large blossoms (be careful not to tear blossoms). Sprinkle any remaining breadcrumb mixture over baking dish. Place zucchini atop breadcrumbs in dish. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons oil over. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Bake until zucchini are tender, about 30 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Prepare the zucchini blossoms for stuffing by gently opening the leaves and pinching out the stamen inside each flower. Set the blossoms aside.
• For the filling, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Transfer to a sandwich-size resealable plastic bag and snip a small corner from one point at the bottom.
• Open the leaves of a blossom and pipe in about 1 tablespoon of filling (don't overfill). Gently twist the top of the blossom to enclose the filling. Repeat with the remaining zucchini blossoms and filling.
• Pour about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet and heat to 360 degrees F. (If you don't have an oil thermometer, you'll know the oil is ready if you drop in a scrap of bread and it sizzles on contact and begins to brown after a few seconds.) Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
• For the batter, whisk the flour, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the seltzer to make a smooth batter.
• When the oil is ready, dip the zucchini flowers in the batter one at a time, letting excess batter drip back into the bowl. Add as many as will fit in the skillet without crowding. Fry, turning once, until the batter is light, crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon to the lined baking sheet to drain and repeat with the remaining blossoms.
• Serve warm with marinara for dipping.

LEMON-THYME CHICKEN WITH HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• Put the chicken into a shallow dish. Grate the zest from the lemon over the chicken. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze over the juice. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil along with the thyme, and garlic. Mix everything together so the chicken is well coated with all the flavorings. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
• While the chicken is marinating, prepare the tomato salad: Cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces and put them into a bowl. Add the vinegar, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, tear in the basil leaves, and gently mix to combine.
• When you are ready to cook, remove the chicken from the marinade, scrape off the herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and put a thin coating of olive oil into it. Cook the chicken, working in batches if necessary, until it is golden brown and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes.
• To serve, place 2 pieces of chicken onto a plate, and spoon 1/4 of the tomato salad over the chicken. Spoon on some of the tomato juices as well. Repeat with the remaining chicken and tomatoes and serve.

ZUCCHINI STUFFED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Cut the tomatoes in 1/2 crosswise. Scoop out the centers leaving the outer thick flesh intact. Sprinkle the interior shells of the tomatoes with a couple pinches of salt and sugar, and invert them on a paper towel lined plate to drain until ready to stuff.
• With the grating attachment of a food processor or on the large-holed side of a box grater, grate the zucchini, and place it in a strainer. Toss the zucchini with 1 teaspoon salt and place the strainer over a bowl to catch the juices. Allow to drain for 5 to 10 minutes.
• In a large heavy skillet, saute the shallots in 2 tablespoons olive oil, until they begin to caramelize. Meanwhile squeeze the zucchini to release as much water as possible.
• Turn the heat up on the shallots, add the dry zucchini to the pan, and saute the zucchini with the shallots for 5 minutes.
• Add chopped parsley and thyme, and then toss the zucchini with the cheese, reserving 1/4 cup of the cheese for topping.
• Stuff the tomatoes with the filling, mounding it slightly, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place tomato halves in a flameproof baking dish and broil them until the tops are golden. Serve hot.