Zucchini And Squash Blossom Soufflés Food

ZUCCHINI AND SQUASH BLOSSOM SOUFFLéS

Steps:

• Butter ramekins well and set aside. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Make a thick béchamel sauce: Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Stir in flour and cook together over medium heat for a few minutes, without browning. Slowly add milk or half-and-half, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Add thyme sprig and bay leaf and simmer over very low heat for 15 minutes, whisking occasionally, and adding a little more milk or half-and-half if the sauce gets too thick. Remove and discard thyme sprig and bay leaf. Season sauce well with salt and pepper, then add cayenne and nutmeg. Remove from stove and let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, sprinkle grated zucchini with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and mix well. Put zucchini in a colander and let drain for 15 minutes. Working with one handful at a time, squeeze all excess liquid from zucchini. Discard liquid or use for another purpose (such as soup).
• Pour egg yolks into béchamel sauce and beat until smooth. Add zucchini, chopped chile and grated cheese and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add a bit more salt and pepper, then add chives, basil and squash blossoms. Mix to distribute.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Stir 1/4 of the beaten whites into the zucchini mixture to lighten it, then carefully fold in remaining whites. Quickly spoon soufflé batter into ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Lower heat to 350 and rotate baking tray. Bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until tops are nicely browned and a small knife inserted emerges dry. Serve immediately.

ZUCCHINI SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Sift flour and baking powder together into a bowl. Lightly beat eggs, and mix them into the flour with the oil. Stir in the onion and zucchini, and season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into a well-greased 9x13 inch baking dish, and sprinkle with paprika and parsley.
• Bake in preheated oven for one hour.

SAUTEED BABY ZUCCHINI WITH SQUASH BLOSSOMS AND LEMON BASIL

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini; sauté until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in basil. Season with fleur de sel. Transfer to plate. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in skillet. Add squash blossoms and cook until barely wilted and still bright orange, about 2 seconds per side. Arrange atop zucchini and serve.
• *Available at farmers' markets and some specialty foods stores.

ZUCCHINI SOUFFLé

Steps:

• Butter four 1 1/2 -cup ramekins or one 6-cup soufflé dish. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; when it's hot, add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until very tender, another 10 to 12 minutes. If you prefer, substitute a 10-ounce bag of spinach, chopped and cooked the same way. Drain the vegetables if there is excess liquid, and let cool.
• In a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and cheese with some salt and pepper. Add the vegetables and parsley and stir. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites until they are light and fluffy and just hold soft peaks; stir about a third of the whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining whites, trying not to deflate them much.
• Pour the soufflé mixture into the ramekins or dish. Bake until golden and puffy, 30 to 35 minutes, and serve immediately.