Tasty Bouquet - Fried Squash Blossoms anyone?

[oldcoot]

A Mexican friend recently gushed about fried squash blossoms. So, having a pumpkin plant and a couple of squash plants in full bloom, tonight I decided to try frying up a couple and checking out the flavor. My expectations were low: those big yellow blossoms don’t look particularly appetizing. But I was pleasantly surprised to find they have a really nice aroma. I guess I’d never bothered to get down and sniff one before.

Well, I whipped up a simple, moderately thin batter – you know: flour salt, a little corn starch, and water. Dipped the flowers in that and laid them in a skillet with a little hot (about 350 F) oil. Let ‘em sizzle until a nice, golden brown on both sides, then on to the plate with a tenderloin medallion and a baked (white rose) potato. (A fruit compote and a glass of Merlo rounded things off).

Imagine my surprise when I tried a bite of flower: really GOOD! Flavor reminiscent of eggplant, but a little sweeter.

If you haven’t tried squash flowers, do it: definitely worthwhile!

 

[kitchenelf]

I'll have to give them a try oldcoot - I have a recipe somewhere where they are stuffed with goat cheese then fried - I guess that's really all you would need to know! LOL

I'll have to give them a try.

 

[ironchef]

squash/pumpkin blossoms

i wonder if they are similar to zucchini blossoms? probably they are though. the goat cheese stuffing sounds good...you could even mix in chives and minced almonds, then maybe finish it off with a balsamic syrup.

 

[oldcoot]

I expect a squash blossom is like Stein's rose: " a squash is a squash is a squash..." Blossoms, that is.

The flavor is mild, so I would caution about the inclusion of savory stuffings, for fear of loverwhelming the taste of the blossom. At least initially. Then, having experienced that subtle flavor, adding others might prove interesting.

Pity me, folks: in a few minutes BW and I are off to Kuwaii for our 50th - which means a week of - ugh - restaurant food!

 

[ironchef]

kuwaii....you mean kauai?

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, 'Chef - senility crept in there: Of course it's Kauai.

And I must retract my remark about restaurant food - at leat partially. We were extremely fortunate to have dined at several locales there where the quisine was simply excellent. I would never have believed Scallopni Marsala could be that good, or beef tenderloin that literally melt-in-your-,outh tneder. And a simple dish of prk, onions, and cabbage in a roadsided cafe proved delicious!

Kauai didn't quite live up to it's title as "the Garden Island", but evidently then have some great cooks over there!