Herbed Stuffed Squash Blossoms
We’re nearing the end of summer. I mean, I know we’ve officially hit fall, but here in L.A. County, it still feels like we’re in the middle of summer. As a matter of fact, we’re about to be hit with another heat wave. I hate the heat. I can’t stand taking a shower and needing another five minutes later. I’d much prefer the cold. There is one benefit to this warmer weather though: the spring and summer produce lasts a little longer. Yup, we still have plenty of heirloom tomatoes, plums, peaches and squash blossoms to carry us through the next few weeks.
I love squash blossoms. They’re so dainty and pretty. Those bright yellow and orange blossoms just scream summer. Plus, a flower you can eat? Yes, please! Now here’s the thing about squash blossoms, there are two kinds. There’s the male, which is just the blossom with a stem and then there’s the female which has a little baby squash attached to it. I prefer the females (no, not because I’m a girl) because you can eat the baby squash along with your stuffed blossom. Those little baby squash are so good. They’re light and crunchy and have a delightful subtle flavor that compliments the blossom nicely. In other words you can eat the entire fruit. With the male blossoms you can only eat the flower, which means you have to go through and discard all the stems. While it can be done, it’s a time consuming pain, which is why I always buy the females.
While it’s true you can eat the blossoms sautéed or deep fried all on their own, they’re much more interesting stuffed. Cheese is the most common option. It’s usually ricotta, goat or cream cheese. I prefer ricotta because of its subtle flavor. That subtlety enables you can to add any flavors you like from herbs to citrus to just plain, salt. For this recipe I went with some fresh herbs and a little lemon zest to brighten up the cheese. Don’t get me wrong, plain old ricotta would be delicious, but I like a little pizzazz, so…
Once the blossoms are stuffed, you have to decide how to cook them. Dredging them in flour and frying is the most common choice, but I like roasting my blossoms. First of all it’s soooo much healthier. But secondly, and more important, the flavor is so much better. Roasting the female blossoms makes the baby squash sweeter and really heightens the overall experience. Don’t get me wrong, I love frying things, but the batter and oil isn’t just messy, it takes away from the wonderful herbal flavors of both the flower and its stuffing. So, before winter really sets in, run out and grab some squash blossoms. Not only do they look beautiful on your table, they taste amazing!
Ingredients
- 1 cup skim ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 squash blossoms
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a large baking sheet and set aside.
- Whisk together the first 8 ingredients (through the salt) in a large bowl. Spoon the ricotta mixture into a small ziplock bag and snip off a corner. (Now you've created a makeshift pastry bag.)
- To stuff the blossoms, take one flower, carefully open it up and break off the stamen in the center. Then take the bag of herbed ricotta and squeeze a small amount into the middle of the blossom. Twist the flower at the top to hold the cheese in and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining blossoms.
- Brush the blossoms with a little olive oil and sprinkle with about a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Roast for 12 - 15 minutes and serve immediately.
