Deep Fried Zucchini Flowers Stuffed With Taleggio And Basil Recipes

DEEP-FRIED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS STUFFED WITH TALEGGIO AND BASIL

Steps:

• Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add blackberries, vinegar, and sugar. Cook for 15 minutes, and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl; reserve juices and discard pulp.
• Heat oil in a deep saucepan over medium-high heat until it reaches 325 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer.
• Meanwhile, place flour in a large mixing bowl and gradually pour in water, mixing constantly with your fingertips until combined; set batter aside.
• Wrap each slice of cheese with a basil leaf. Place each wrapped piece of cheese into a zucchini flower and twist top to enclose. Lightly dust each zucchini flower with flour and dredge in batter until fully coated.
• Working in batches, gently place zucchini flowers into heated oil and fry until lightly golden, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately drizzled with the reserved blackberry and balsamic reduction.

FRIED CHEESE-STUFFED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, water and salt until smooth. Set aside.
• In a small bowl combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, heavy cream, basil, and green onion. Mix until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons filling into each blossom. Close the blossoms and gently twist the petals to seal.
• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 350 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 1 minute.) Dip the stuffed zucchini blossoms in the batter and allow any excess batter to drip off. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Allow the cooked blossoms to drain on paper towels.
• Season with salt and serve with your favorite marinara sauce or vinaigrette.

CRISPY ZUCCHINI FLOWERS STUFFED WITH RICOTTA AND MINT

Steps:

• These stuffed zucchini flowers look and taste amazing! Make sure they're eaten straightaway, while they're still crisp and hot. If you can't get hold of any flowers you can still make the recipe using just the zucchini - it will be like an Italian tempura.
• Beat the ricotta in a bowl with the nutmeg, the Parmesan, lemon zest and most of the chopped mint and chiles. Season carefully, with salt and pepper, to taste.
• To make a lovely light batter, put the flour into a mixing bowl with a good pinch of salt. Pour in the white wine and whisk until thick and smooth. At this point the consistency of the batter should be like heavy cream or, if you dip your finger in, it should stick to your finger and nicely coat it. If it's too thin, add a bit more flour; if it's too thick, add a little more wine.
• Open the zucchini flowers up gently, keeping them attached to the zucchini, and snip off the pointed stamen inside because these taste bitter. Give the flowers a gentle rinse if you like.
• With a teaspoon, carefully fill each flower with the ricotta mixture. Or, as I prefer to do, spoon the ricotta into the corner of a sandwich bag. Snip 1/2-inch off the corner and use this as a makeshift piping bag to gently squeeze the filling into each flower, until just full. Carefully press the flowers back together around the mixture to seal it in. Then put the flowers aside. (Any leftover ricotta can be smeared on hot crostini as a snack!)
• Now for the deep-frying bit. Get everyone out of the way if you can and make sure there are no kids around. Have tongs or a spider ready for lifting the flowers out of the oil, and a plate with a double layer of paper towels on it for draining. Pour the oil into a deep fat fryer or large deep saucepan so it's about 4 inches deep. Heat it up to 350 degrees F or, if using a saucepan, put in your piece of potato. As soon as the potato turns golden, floats to the surface and starts to sizzle, the oil is just about the right temperature. Remove the potato from the pan.
• One by one, dip the zucchini with their ricotta-stuffed flowers into the batter, making sure they're completely covered, and gently let any excess drip off. Carefully release them, away from you, into the hot oil. Quickly batter another 1 or 2 flowers and any small zucchini (or parsley) leaves if you have any - but don't crowd the pan too much otherwise they'll stick together. Fry until golden and crisp all over, then lift them out of the oil and drain on the paper towels. Remove to a plate or board and sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and the remaining chile and mint. Serve with half a lemon to squeeze over. Bloody delicious. Eat them quick!
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DEEP-FRIED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS STUFFED WITH TALEGGIO AND BASIL

Steps:

• Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add blackberries, vinegar, and sugar. Cook for 15 minutes, and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl; reserve juices and discard pulp.
• Heat oil in a deep saucepan over medium-high heat until it reaches 325 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer.
• Meanwhile, place flour in a large mixing bowl and gradually pour in water, mixing constantly with your fingertips until combined; set batter aside.
• Wrap each slice of cheese with a basil leaf. Place each wrapped piece of cheese into a zucchini flower and twist top to enclose. Lightly dust each zucchini flower with flour and dredge in batter until fully coated.
• Working in batches, gently place zucchini flowers into heated oil and fry until lightly golden, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with salt and pepper. 6.
• Serve immediately drizzled with the reserved blackberry and balsamic reduction.

FRIED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS

Steps:

• Clean flowers and dry with a paper towel.
• Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Whisk eggs, milk, and olive oil together in a separate bowl; stir in flour mixture until batter is smooth.
• Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium heat.
• Dip flowers in the batter and fry in the hot oil until golden and crispy, 2 to 5 minutes, working in batches as needed. Transfer fried flowers to a paper towel-lined plate; sprinkle salt over each.