It’s Spring in Australia, and that means zucchini flowers are in season. My obsession with stuffed zucchini flowers started on one of my early dates with my now husband, back when we were just getting to know each other. We found ourselves in a cozy little French restaurant, and that’s when I first laid eyes on them – zucchini flowers. I’d never tried one before this date.
It was a revelation, those crispy, golden bites filled with who the hell knows what creamy, cheesy goodness. We polished them off, and from that moment on, it became our little tradition.
Now, whenever we go out to eat, whether it’s an upscale restaurant or a local restaurant, if we spot zucchini flowers on the menu, we order them without a second thought. It’s our quirky way of reliving that early date and the excitement of discovering something new together. No big declarations, just a shared love for a dish that somehow became a symbol of our blossoming love.
Stuffed Zucchini Flowers
Ingredients
- 250 g Ricotta cheese
- 50 g Goats cheese I choose a creamy mild one
- 1 small handful of Chives finely chopped
- Zest and juice of 1 Lemon adjust to taste
- 1/2 cup Corn flour
- 1/2 cup Plain flour
- 1 cup Soda water
- Ice cubes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grapeseed oil for frying
Instructions
- Remove the stamen from the zucchini flowers and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine ricotta and goat cheese, finely chopped chives, lemon zest, 1-2 tsp of lemon juice (adjust to taste), salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Place the mixture into a piping bag.
- Pipe about a tablespoon of the mixture into each zucchini flower (about half way), then twist the top closed to secure.
- Heat grapeseed oil in a pan, ensuring there’s enough to submerge the zucchini flowers.
- Create your batter by mixing corn flour, plain flour, soda water, salt, and fine pepper. Add some ice cubes to keep it ice-cold for a crisp shell. Adjust the batter’s thickness with more flour if needed; it should coat a spoon with a thin layer. An ice cold batter is key to ensure a crispy coating.
- Dip the stuffed zucchini flowers into the batter, use tongs to remove and let the excess batter drip off before placing them into the hot oil.
- Fry for a few minutes until the batter forms a thin, crisp coating. The batter will remain light.
- Remove the fried zucchini flowers and let them sit for a minute before consuming.
Notes
