Eat Your Flowers Kids!

Squash blossoms are beautiful but are better when stuffed, battered, and fried. These large orange and yellow flowers grow on all types of squash vines. The bigger the squash is the bigger the flower. And in this case, bigger is better. Bigger flowers allow for more stuffing which everyone thneeds (like Truffala Trees)!

The flowers have almost no taste but provide a perfect yet delicate vessel for whatever you want. Most people stuff the flowers with a combination of cheese, herbs, and peppers. Don’t afraid to get creative because we all know that anything stuffed and fried is going to be delicious so experiment. Honestly, I think that the South has deep-fried everything but shoelace, and even that I’m convinced could be delicious if breaded and fried.

The only downside is this tasty treat can be hard to find. You can find them at farmers markets during late summer or grow your own. Lucky for me, they grow in my backyard. I just pick them in the early morning while they’re still open and refrigerate these babies till I’m ready to stuff and fry. As for the rest of you, if you see them at your farmer’s market- don’t be afraid. BUY THEM!!

I chose to stuff my flowers with ricotta cheese, lemon zest, mint, and pepperoncini and then fry them in a beer batter. Feel free to use my recipe as a template and make your own substitutions. ☺

Ingredients:
8 Flowers ( Take out the stamen inside the flower.
1 Cup of Ricotta
1 Tb Lemon Zest
1 Tb Chopped Mint
1 Tb Pepperoncini

Beer Batter:
2 cups Self Rising Flour (if not then add baking soda)
½ beer (add beer until the mix is like pancake batter, thick but runny)
4 cups Olive Oil (use an oil of your choice decide the amount whether you are using a pan or pot)

Mix ricotta, zest, mint, and pepperoncini. Add seasoning such as salt, pepper, and garlic as needed. ALWAYS TASTE! Fill the mix into a ziplock back and cut the tip to make a piping bag. Pipe the filing to the top of the well, the part where the petals begin to divide. Close the tips of the flower.


Mix the flour, baking soda if necessary, and beer in a separate bowl. Dip the flowers gently in the batter. Twirl the flower in the palm of your hand and make sure they stay closed. Set aside. Fry until golden brown (approx 2 mins each side). Drain and cool on a paper towel before serving.


Tips: Use a softer cheese because it melts easier, but be careful because it will melt out easier too! You can use a egg and flour/breadcrumb batter if you like but it will be heavier on the flower. If the flowers are closed when you get them, soak them in cold water before trying to open them.

My favorite stuffing is goat cheese with sage and jalepenos.


Zucchini Flower