Crisp Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed With Goat Cheese

Sumac, ricotta, goat cheese, oregano, walnut and lime zest go into the stuffing.

Zucchini blossoms are one of those ingredients you can only get your hands on once a year. I have my sights set on them for a while. So when I finally found them at the farmers’ market, I was overjoyed. It was a rainy day last Sunday, the farmers’ market day in town. You’d think the market wouldn’t be crowded in the early morning. Despite the rain, there were enough people thinking the way I did: the early birds get the worms. Glad I was at the farmers’ market early enough to grab two cartons of zucchini blossoms. I knew exactly what to do with them: crispy zucchini blossoms  stuffed with goat cheese. The recipe came from the latest food section in the New York Times written by Yotam Ottolenghi.

He wrote eloquently: showing some reverence and consideration (for the ingredient) can be a beautiful way to cook. In this case, make a light batter and coat it on the stuffed zucchini blossoms. It doesn’t take long to do. Then we are ready to get these beautiful and delicate stuffed zucchini blossoms in the fryer. It takes a few short minutes to fry until the zucchini blossoms turn golden brown.

After cooking this, you have to start believing that Ottolenghi’s recipes can go in the direction of minimalist. Indeed, this light touch in treating the paper-thin texture of the zucchini blossom petals and quick frying them is a beautiful way to cook.

To get a good batter that has the right texture, make sure that your sparkling or soda water is very well carbonated and ice cold. Throw a few ice cubes in there for good measure. Also take the time to testing the oil a few times to get the perfect temperature (320°F to 350°F). I used a Thermoworks instant thermometer for this precise task.

The savory and tangy goat cheese flavor in the stuffing is fantastic. The walnut in it gives the extra crunch, which you can’t have enough in fried foods. The sumac is the surprised citrus twist. This is not the everyday spice I use. But it’s a palate opener and a real treat together with a much longed-for and cherished ingredient, the zucchini blossoms.

Print Recipe

Crisp Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed With Goat Cheese

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ground sumac
• Boiling water
• ¼ cup/50 grams ricotta
• 3 tablespoons/50 grams soft goat cheese
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped oregano leaves
• 2 tablespoons/10 grams chopped walnuts
• 1 lemon, finely grated to get 1 tablespoon zest, then cut into wedges (I used lime)
• Flaky sea salt and black pepper
• 8 zucchini blossoms
• About 1 1/2 cups/350 milliliters sunflower oil, for frying
• Scant 1/2 cup/60 grams all-purpose flour
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
• ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon/100 milliliters ice-cold sparkling or soda water

Instructions

1

In a medium bowl, cover 3/4 tablespoon of the sumac with 1 tablespoon of boiling water and leave to infuse for 5 minutes. Add both types of cheese, oregano, walnuts, lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a generous grind of pepper. Mix well.

2

Fill the flowers by carefully opening them and either spooning or piping about a tablespoon of the ricotta mixture into each, gently pushing the filling all the way to the bottom of each blossom but being careful not to fill them too much; if you can get someone to hold the flower open for you, it would make it much easier. Gently twist the tips of the petals to secure the filling inside and set aside until you’re ready to fry.

3

Pour enough oil into a medium (about 8-inch/20-centimeter) nonstick frying pan so that the oil rises about 1 inch/2 centimeters up the sides of the pan. Place on a high heat for 5 minutes and then turn the heat down a fraction.

4

Meanwhile, mix the flour and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Slowly pour in the sparkling water, whisking continuously to form a smooth batter.

5

When bubbles start to surface in the oil, test it by dropping some batter into the oil: if it sizzles, you are ready. (The oil should hover between 320 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit/160 and 180 degrees Celsius.)

6

Lower a zucchini blossom into the batter, turning to coat completely, before carefully placing in the hot oil. Repeat, cooking a few blossoms at a time, adjusting the temperature between batches so they take about 30 seconds on each side to turn a golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and then sprinkle with salt and the remaining 1/4 tablespoon sumac. Serve at once with the lemon wedges alongside.

Notes

Copyright 2016 - Ever Open Sauce. All Rights Reserved. Adapted from: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019415-crisp-zucchini-blossoms-stuffed-with-goat-cheese