Post by DianeEfried orange
squash blossoms
Fresh Approach Cooking
Recipes and whatnot from a not-so-typical L.A. girl
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Fried Squash Blossoms
Oooh, la-la. And I do mean La-LA! If there is anything in this life more
delicious than deep fried food, well, I am at a loss as to what that
could be. Sure, the strawberries I am eating right now are natural
perfection, but in the world of cooking, deep-fried is the way to go.
Sigh.
Here I am typing away and wistfully staring at the photos of food-gone-
by, wishing there were a way to bring the night back, (minus the part
where we threw pebbles at the Ombudsmans darkened window for 15
minutes, to the chagrin of his neighbors. Oops.) the way we laughed and
ate with such abandon.
But I am ahead of myself
I was at the gloriously abundant Hollywood Farmers market bright and
early Sunday, and I bought some squash blossoms. What an amazing,
delicate thing they are. Flowers big enough to fill with any random
assortment of savories, and then, oh yes, then they are deep-fried.
I fed this delight to my dear, dear friend who has been referred to on
this site as Ms. McGee, along with my typical bizarre assortment of
vittles. (Pot stickers, a plate of radishes and some smoked nuts. Mmm.
Smokey.) And it was good. Oh yes, it was. The blossoms were delicate and
crispy, salty, flavorful and the ultimate paring for the merlot we drank
(perhaps too much of?). And lemme just say this about that woman, lordy,
she is a funny, funny girl and the best kind of friend. She never balks
at a coffee table groaning under the weight of plate after plate of
food.
But back to the blossoms. Dealing with the flowers is a little bit like
playing Operation. They need to be handled with the gentlest touch, the
petals pried open just so, the pistils removed, and stuffed (not too
much kiddies, just a bit) a quick twist and into the batter they go.
When they emerge, golden brown and bursting with flavor. Oh peaches, you
really must make some today. I went for a Mediterranean mixture, but the
filling, as long as its flavorful, is extremely flexible and open to
options. Try this, and enjoy!
16 squash blossoms (squash attached or not, your choice)
Πcup ricotta cheese
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon capers
pinch of chile flakes
Πcup green olives
1 anchovy filet
assorted minced herbs (I used mint)
Pine nuts to taste
1 egg
Pepper
Salt
Πcup corn starch
Πcup flour
cold water or beer
(For a vegan version, use tofu instead of the cheese, and omit the egg)
in a large bowl, stir together the corn starch, flour and water/beer,
until it is a slightly thin batter. Set aside for at least 30 minutes in
the fridge.
Mince the garlic, capers, olives, herbs, pine nuts and anchovy together.
Mix with the cheese and taste. Adjust the seasoning, then stir in the
egg.
Stuff the blossoms, twist to seal (I know, it sounds like they wont
seal, but they are sticky flowers and it works.) and set aside. You can
make them up to four hours in advance.
Heat vegetable oil (about 1 œ inch depth) over medium high heat. Dip the
stuffed blossoms into the batter and gently lower into the oil. After 2
minutes turn and continue to fry. They will take about 4 minutes. Remove
with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, sprinkle with coarse salt
and serve.
_____________________
Squash blossoms come in varying shades of yellow and orange, with
flavors that hint of the squash itself. They can be found from late
spring through early fall in specialty produce markets. Squash blossoms
are naturally soft and somewhat limp, but choose those that look fresh,
with closed buds. They're extremely perishable and should be stored in
the refrigerator for no more than a day.
Ricotta - Traditional, creamery, whey cheese made from cow's milk.
Grey Poupon mustard was named for Grey and Auguste Poupon. Grey invented
a device that made mass production of fine-textured mustard possible. He
joined forces with established mustard-maker Auguste Poupon around 1886,
forming the Grey-Poupon firm.
Labels: Entree, Side-Dish, Vegetarian