Cooking From the Garden: Fried Squash Blossoms
Since August 8th is National Zucchini Day, otherwise known as Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day, I’m featuring a recipe that uses zucchini blossoms. Any large squash blossoms will work, but the zucchini flowers are the tastiest and least fragile.
Freshly Picked Squash Blossoms
When my garden is at peak production, it’s not unusual to find a dozen flowers on the zucchini and squash plants every morning. They are best picked early in the day, before the flowers close, and cook them that same day. I find they will last overnight in the crisper if stored in a vented plastic bag. The blossoms above are from green and yellow zucchini and squash vines.
When picking the flowers, watch out for bees, they will often get drunk on the nectar and fall asleep in the flowers. And only pick the male flowers, unless you don’t want more squash. Seriously, there are male and female flowers. The male flower sits on a long, slender stem. Most flowers are male. The female flower will be attached to a tiny squash plant and have a large pistil in the center of the flower.
Farmer’s markets often carry the blossoms, but get there early because they usually go fast, and they are pricey.
Recipe: Fried Squash Blossoms
Ingredients
• 2 dozen squash flowers
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• A handful of chopped parsley
• Course salt and ground pepper
• 2 eggs
• Vegetable oil or light olive oil
• Approx one cup of water
Preparation
Rinse the flowers and remove the pollen stem from the inside. Gently pat dry.
Mix together the flour, parsley, a few pinches of salt and a dash of pepper in a small bowl. In a separate bowl. Lightly beat the two eggs. Add the cup of water and the eggs to the flour mix and whisk until all lumps are gone.
Add about one inches of oil to a skillet and heat.
Dip the flowers one at a time in the batter and cook in batches on medium-high heat for about a minute on each side, or until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.
Fried Squash Blossoms
There are many variations of this recipe, and I have posted others that I like, but today I’m making one of the simpler versions using a basic egg, flour and water batter. The last time I made them, I substituted beer for the water and left out the eggs. The flowers can also be stuffed with ricotta cheese and then fried.
They can be served hot or at room temperature, as an appetizer or as part of a meal.
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That’s a beautiful picture of zucchini blossoms! I’ve never noticed how beautiful they are. Thanks for the recipe. I like zucchini, but I’ve never eaten the blossoms.
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I’ve never had anything like that but I am intrigued and want to try one now.
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Theses look very good! I’ve never tried zucchini blossoms–how creative!
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Hate that extra ‘s’!
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Well this certainly is a new one to me. Looks great though.
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Although I’ve eaten fried squash blossoms, I’ve never made them myself — I hate dealing with all that hot, splattery oil! Your simple version looks yummy.
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The frying is the worst part, especially when some moisture gets trapped inside the blossom and it splatters. I always fry them outside – my grill has burner on the side. And clean-up is much easier.
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I have always wanted to try zucchini blossoms but never had the opportunity. One of these days…
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I love fried squash blossoms, but I’ve only had them in restaurants. I’m impressed with that beautiful frying job you did at home! And that’s hilarious about the bees!
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Thanks. I grew up eating these. My mom and grandmother would make them every summer.So I’ve had years of practice. And now I see them served in restaurants!
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This is my man’s favorite way to eat ‘squash’. Sometimes we add a small sliver of cheese inside the blossom before battering and frying. Great pics!
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I’ve never tried these, it seems a bit odd to eat a flower 🙂
Happy Weekend Cooking
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What a great job you do with these- your years of practice shows. I’ve only had them once- in a restaurant, and I wasn’t wowed I must admit. I like growing zucchini- they’re so easy- and so delicious, but I’ve never cooked the flowers myself. I should try it. I always thought you had to stuff them- you make it look so easy.
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