Fried Zucchini Blossoms are one of my all time favorite things to eat. I do not make them all the time because it’s hard to find beautiful, fresh zucchini flowers. You can occasionally find them at good Farmer’s Markets, or even at Whole Foods. The one’s I used were handpicked at Underwood Farm in Moorpark, California. This farm is opened to the public and has great produce. The advantage of picking them yourself is the freshness of the flower. Zucchini flowers have to be fresh, and preferably used within 48 hours of picking.
There are many variations on this recipe. You can experiment on using different types of cheeses, herbs, etc. The list is endless on what you can stuff into a zucchini blossom. I stuffed mine with Bufala Mozzarella and anchovies. I kept it simple and tasty! They are perfect as an appetizer or side dish and go great with ice cold beer or a light bodied wine. Enjoy!
Freshly picked zucchini blossoms!
Clean and prepare the blossoms by carefully brushing out the dirt and any insects. You can also lightly rinse and pat dry thoroughly with paper towel. Keep in mind that the blossoms are very delicate. You don’t want to break the petals. Make sure to remove the inner stamen. If your flowers have stems, they can be left on.
Time to stuff the flowers. I used Bufala Mozzarella in some blossoms and Parmigiano Reggiano in the remaining blossoms.
I used 6 anchovy fillets, cutting each fillet into three pieces. Gently stuff the blossom with a cube of cheese and a little piece of anchovy fillet. If you’re not a fan of anchovies, then skip that part. They are also great with just cheese.
All stuffed and ready to be battered.
Now for the batter, use 1 cup of flour, sprinkle with herbs and a pinch of salt. I used Herbes de Provence.
Add 2 lightly whisked eggs.
Add 3/4 to 1 12 ounce bottle of Pilsner beer. If you don’t have any beer, you can substitute it with club soda.
Whisk batter well.
Heat a heavy bottom frying pan with 1 to 2 inches of vegetable oil. I like using Safflower oil. It has a high heat level without burning, does not add any flavor and has many health benefits.
Once your oil is ready, start dredging the blossoms into the batter, making sure to let the excess batter drip off before placing into the frying pan.
Carefully lay the blossoms into the hot oil. Make sure not to crowd them and cook in batches. Flip them over once and cook until golden in color, about 2 – 3 minutes total.
Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Ingredients:
12 – 16 zucchini blossoms or zucchini flowers
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 12 ounce bottle of beer, preferably Pilsner or Lager beer
2 eggs
Salt
Herbes de Provence
12 – 16 cubes of Mozzarella cheese
6 anchovy fillets, cut into thirds
Vegetable oil for frying
Cooking method:
Prepare zucchini blossoms by carefully cleaning the dirt and insects out of them. If it makes you feel better, lightly rinse and pat dry very well. Remove the Stamen that’s in the center of the flower.
Gently place a little cube of mozzarella and a little piece of anchovy fillet inside the zucchini blossom and close. If you don’t like anchovies, you can skip it.
Now time to make the batter. In a mixing bowl, add 1 cup of flour, a couple of pinches of Herbes de Provence and a pinch of salt. add 2 whisked eggs and 3/4 to 1 bottle of beer. Whisk all together until smooth.
In a heavy bottom frying pan, heat the oil. I like using Safflower oil. You want your oil nice and hot. You can test the oil for it’s readiness by dropping a little drop of batter into the pan. If it sizzles around the edges, then it’s ready to use. Dredge the stuffed blossoms in the batter, making sure to to let the excess batter drip off before placing into the frying pan. Carefully lay the blossoms into the hot oil. Make sure not to crowd them, and cook in batches. Using a slotted spoon, flip them over once and cook until golden in color, about 2 – 3 minutes total. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Serves 6
Debra says
Amazing! I am going to try this for Thanksgiving. I will skip the anchovies though.