Stuffed zucchini flowers are a delightful and versatile dish that can be enjoyed as an appetizer or main course. They are made by stuffing zucchini flowers with a variety of fillings, such as cheese, rice, vegetables, or meat, and then frying or baking them. The result is a crispy, flavorful dish that is sure to please everyone at the table. The stuffed zucchini flowers have a delicate taste and are the perfect vessel for a variety of fillings. They can be prepared using fresh zucchini flowers, or store-bought ones. The preparation is a bit time-consuming, as the flowers need to be stuffed one by one, but it is worth the effort.
Here are our top 4 tried and tested recipes!
STUFFED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS
Steps:
- Gently pull the stamen out of each zucchini flower. Set the flowers aside.
- Beat the flour, eggs, and salt together in a bowl until they are smooth. Beat in the milk. Set the batter aside.
- Mix the mozzarella, capers, tomato and basil together and fill the inside of each zucchini flower with some of this mixture. Fold the ends of the petals over the filling to enclose it.
- Heat the oil to a depth of 2 inches in a heavy saucepan or a wok.
- Dip the stuffed flowers into the batter, allowing any excess to run off. Fry the flowers until they turn light gold, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain them on absorbent paper as they are done. Sprinkle them lightly with salt and serve them while they are warm.
STUFFED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS
Chuck Hughes perfectly combines the freshness of zucchini flowers with rich ricotta cheese stuffing for this easy, yet impressive, appetizer.
Provided by Chuck Hughes
Categories appetizer
Time 1h20m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 22
Steps:
- For the stuffing: Mix the ricotta, cream, chives, parsley, lemon zest and anchovy, if using. Season with salt and pepper. Using a piping bag, fill the blossoms with the stuffing. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to fry.
- For the marinara sauce: Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute the garlic and onions until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Using a hand mixer, blend until the sauce is a coarse puree. Stir in the basil, chives and parsley.
- For the vodka batter: Mix 1 cup/250 ml flour with the baking powder in a large bowl. Add the club soda and vodka and stir until smooth.
- Heat the canola oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
- Dredge the stuffed zucchini blossoms in the remaining 1/2 cup/125ml flour, then coat with the batter. Fry until golden. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve the fried blossoms hot with the marinara sauce.
- Cook's Note: If you don't have zucchini blossoms, you can stuff mini bell peppers, tomatoes or mushrooms.
STUFFED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS
Steps:
- Make the batter. Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the water gradually, beating constantly until the mixture is smooth. Beat in the oil and salt (this can all be done in a food processor).
- Beat the egg white until thick and set aside.
- Cut the mozzarella into small pieces. Season with pepper.
- Stuff the flowers with cheese and a little anchovy, folding over the petals to enclose it.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet.
- Beat the batter, fold in the egg white and dip each flower into it, scraping off the excess on the side of the bowl. Put the flowers a few at a time into the hot oil and cook, turning once, until they are golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 251, UnsaturatedFat 10 grams, Carbohydrate 17 grams, Fat 16 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 10 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 323 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 0 grams
SABINE'S STUFFED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS
We found zucchini flowers, just picked that morning, at the market in a little town called Céreste, and we snatched them up. You can use the same filling for stuffed tomatoes. The bread is soaked in milk, so if you have some stale bread lying around, this is a great use for it.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories side dish
Time 1h30m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Toss the bread and milk together in a bowl and leave for 15 minutes or longer, until the bread has absorbed all the milk. Squeeze out excess milk and mash the bread with a whisk, fork or wooden spoon.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a baking dish large enough to accommodate the flowers or tomatoes. If using zucchini flowers, very gently open them out and pull out the stamens. If using tomatoes, cut them in half along the equator, gently squeeze out the seeds, and scoop out the flesh. Set it aside for another purpose. Set the tomato shells upside down on a rack set over a sheet pan to drain.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a medium skillet and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it is tender, 3 to 5 minutes, and add a generous pinch of salt, the garlic and the zucchini. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini is tender and the mixture very fragrant, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Beat in the bread, onion and zucchini mixture, and the fresh herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. To fill zucchini blossoms, carefully pull apart the petals and fill the cavity inside, then let the petals close up around the stuffing. Lay the flowers on their side in the baking dish. Or spoon the filling into the hollowed-out tomatoes and place in the baking dish.
- Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of oil over the vegetables and place in the oven. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is lightly browned. Serve hot or warm.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 128, UnsaturatedFat 5 grams, Carbohydrate 12 grams, Fat 7 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 5 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 118 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams
Tips:
- Choose the right zucchini flowers: Select male zucchini flowers, as they have a longer stem and are less likely to contain a zucchini fruit inside.
- Prepare the flowers carefully: Gently remove the pistils and stamens from the inside of the flower to prevent bitterness.
- Stuff the flowers lightly: Overstuffing can make the flowers difficult to close and may cause them to burst during cooking.
- Use a light batter: A heavy batter can weigh down the flowers and make them greasy. A simple batter made with flour, eggs, and milk is a good choice.
- Fry the flowers in hot oil: This will help to create a crispy coating and prevent the flowers from becoming soggy.
- Serve the flowers immediately: Stuffed zucchini flowers are best enjoyed when they are hot and crispy.
Conclusion:
Stuffed zucchini flowers are a delicious and versatile appetizer or side dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With a little planning and preparation, you can easily make this dish at home. So next time you're looking for a unique and flavorful dish to serve, give stuffed zucchini flowers a try!
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