While I generally don’t like to deep fry things (hating the smell of stale oil), I love stuffed zucchini flowers. This is a compromise between deep-fat frying and pan frying. Use a high sided pan with a little less oil and it will work fine. The batter is great, light and so easy. To prep the zucchini (or squash blossoms), gently open the flower, reach in and pull out the little bump in the center. Adapted from Food Network.
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup sparkling water (seltzer is fine)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
- 1/3 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream (I used about 1 ½ tablespoons crème frâiche)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
- 3 tablespoons chives, finely chopped (you could use a scallion)
- Black pepper
- 8 zucchini blossoms
- Vegetable oil, for frying (I used a mix of olive oil and vegetable oil)
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, water and salt until just smooth. Set aside.
In a small bowl combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, heavy cream or crème frâiche, basil and chives. Mix until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Gently open the petals and spoon 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of 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 2″ deep. 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, serve and enjoy!
