Squash Blossoms
Fried Zucchini Blossoms | Squash Blossom Risotto
Storage
Squash blossoms should be used the day they are picked. If you must store them, they keep best in the refrigerator in a plastic bag or container lined with a dry paper towel for a day or two.
Recipes
Fried Zucchini Blossoms
Zucchini blossoms are the edible male flowers of any plant in the squash family. Popular in Italy, where this simple preparation comes from, they are also well-loved in Mexico, where they are sautéed and stuffed into quesadillas. They are also briefly sautéed and used in a variety of Italian rice and pasta dishes.
- 12 zucchini blossoms, brushed of dirt and emptied of critters
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup sparkling water or beer
- 1 tsp salt
- olive or canola oil for frying
Mix the flour, water, and salt together to form a thin batter. Heat about ¼ inch of oil in your favorite skillet. Coat each flower lightly with the batter and fry till crispy and golden on both sides. It is best to do them in batches of two or three. Serve them as an appetizer with drinks. For added flourish try stuffing them with a cube of fresh mozzarella and an anchovy or leaf of basil before battering and frying them.
Zucchini Blossom Risotto
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 1 bunch spring onions, minced
- half a glass of white wine
- 8 small zucchini, halved and sliced
- 10-20 zucchini blossoms, torn in pieces
- 7-8 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- salt and pepper
- half a stick or more of butter
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 Tbsp parsley, minced
Bring stock to a boil and keep warm. In a thick-bottomed pot, gently sauté onions in 2 Tbsp. butter until soft. Add rice and stir a minute, until rice turns opaque white. Add wine and stir until evaporated. Add boiling stock 1/4 cup at a time, stirring until completely absorbed before adding more. Halfway through, add zucchini, blossoms, salt and pepper. Continue, always stirring, until rice is cooked but still firm, not mushy. Add a last bit of stock so rice is loose, not stiff, and stir in the rest of the butter and cheese. Adjust the salt and pepper. Sprinkle each serving with parsley and pass the parmigiano.
