Tempura Mushroom Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms Food

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 BLOSSOMS WITH HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, toss together the mozzarella, Parmesan and 2 tablespoons of the basil chiffonade. Gently stick your finger inside the flower all the way to the base where the flower meets the stem and carefully break off the stamen. When doing this be careful not to rip through the flower. Squeeze 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella mixture into an oblong shape and gently stuff it into each flower. Squeeze the flower around the cheese to close. Reserve.
• Toss the tomatoes together with the scallions and remaining basil in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and add a drizzle of red wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil. Taste to make sure it is delicious and adjust seasoning, if needed.
• In a small bowl, combine the flour and 1/2 cup of white wine. Mix until it becomes a loose batter adding more white wine, if necessary.
• Add peanut oil to a saucepan until it reaches a depth of 1-inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Test the oil by dropping a couple of beads of the batter into it. When they float instantly the oil is ready. If the oil begins to smoke, it is too hot. Set up a paper towel drying situation before frying the flowers.
• Dip the flowers, 1 at time, into the batter and carefully drop them into the oil. Fry on both sides until they are golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the flowers from the oil, drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Continue with the remaining flowers.
• Arrange the tomato salad on 4 salad plates and top each plate with 2 flowers.
• What a delicious flower!

SHRIMP FILLED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Rinse the blossoms under cold running water gently and dry on paper towels.
• Combine the chopped raw shrimp with the shallots and tarragon. In a separate bowl combine the cream with the French bread and the salt and pepper and, using the back of a spoon or your fingers, mix until pasty.
• Mix this bread paste with the shrimp and combine well.
• Split the flowers open using a paring knife, insert a teaspoon of the shrimp paste inside, and fold the flower closed.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Mix the flour and water together with a fork and add more flour if the batter is looser than heavy cream.
• Dip each flower into the batter and then fry in the hot oil until crisp and golden.
• Serve immediately.

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.

STUFFED MUSHROOM TEMPURA

Steps:

• Soften shiitake mushrooms in water for 45 minutes. Squeeze the water out with your hands and pat dry. Remove stems and discard them.
• Wash shrimp, remove shells, devein, and chop into small pieces. Add salt, chopped green onions, and seasonings. Mix well.
• Dust the inside of one mushroom with cornstarch and put 1/4 of the shrimp mixture on top. Dust the inside of another mushroom and put it on top of the filled mushroom. Continue to make four mushroom sandwiches.
• Mix the batter ingredients.
• Dust each mushroom sandwich with flour, plunge into batter, and deep fry in heated oil over medium heat until batter turns slightly golden. Serve hot with tempura dipping sauce of your choice.

TEMPURA MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and chop the stalks finely. Mix with the marinade ingredients; pour this mixture over the mushroom caps and leave for 3-4 hours.
• Prepare the batter by beating together the egg white and flour, then adding the water gradually, still beating, until the batter has the consistency of heavy cream.
• Heat 1 inch oil in a deep skillet.
• Drain the mushrooms, dip them in batter and deep fry, about 6 at a time, for 2-3 minutes.
• Drain on paper towel and keep warm while cooking the remaining mushrooms.
• Serve immediately on a bed of shredded Chinese celery cabbage garnished with watercress.