Stuffed zucchini flowers
June 29, 2013 • Category: Mezze/Appetizers
Even though these flowers are not used here in Lebanon (wonder why), I could not bear dumping them. They are easier to stuff than, say, grape leaves. I dipped them in a quick batter after stuffing them and fried them for a few minutes.
I discovered that in Turkey, these flowers get stuffed just like grape leaves, with rice and herbs; (check out Sare’s post)
INGREDIENTS: 6 servings (appetizer)
- 3 cups zucchini flowers
- 1 cup cottage or ricotta cheese (I used areeshe cheese, a Lebanese equivalent, found in a small dairy in the mountains), drained overnight
- 1 white onion, chopped or 4 scallions
- 1 Tbsp dry mint powder
- dash white pepper
- 2 cups frying oil
Batter: 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, a dash of salt and paprika, 1/2 cup beer or water, one egg (if desired); mix all the ingredients until smooth.
1. Mix the stuffing in a bowl, insert one tablespoon in each flower (check the pistils first to see if they are fresh or wilted and yucky; if they are limp and dark pull them out and discard)
2.Heat the oil; mix the batter; right before frying, dip each flower in the batter vertically and only halfway. Dip in the hot oil and fry a few minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve.
Comments
17 Comments • Comments Feed
sare says:
You are great, Joumana. Thank you.
Full of ricotta, wonderful taste… Afiyet olsun.
Last time I stuffed these flowers with marineted fish, They were fascineted three of of, my small family.
On June 29, 2013 at 1:31 am
Jamie says:
Aren’t these just beautiful! Almost too pretty to eat… almost! I love the filling. I have always been sad that it is just too difficult to find zucchini flowers at our markets here and I never understood why. Another reason to buy a house with a yard and start a garden. Wonderful recipe and photos, Joumana!
On June 29, 2013 at 2:02 am
Diane says:
I keep saying I will cook these flowers but I have not got around to it yet. This post will spur me on as there are plenty of flowers down the garden! Have a good weekend Diane
On June 29, 2013 at 2:05 am
Rosa says:
Scrumptious and refined tasting! That filling is wonderful.
Cheers,
Rosa
On June 29, 2013 at 3:07 am
Belinda @zomppa says:
These are little works of art!!
On June 29, 2013 at 5:26 am
Nidal says:
Joumana,
Bien que ce dernier sujet, très raffiné, de ton super blog ne traite pas du « Laban Ummo », je tenais à te faire part de ma grande gratitude et de mes remerciements pour m’avoir permis, enfin, de comprendre et de réaliser cette super recette de cette belle sauce qu’est le « Laban Ummo ».
C’est une base essentielle de la cuisine moyenne orientale qui a permis à ma mère, à mes tantes, à ma grand-mère, à nos hôtes, à ma sœur… de me catapulter dans les sphères les plus savoureuses et les plus raffinées de cette belle cuisine.
Cette « sauce blanche au yaourt cuisiné »…m’a fait succomber au charme du grandiose et sublime Shish Barak (Un de mes plats supers préférés), au Kebbeh bel Laban, au Moukhchi (petites courgette farcies à la viande hachée d’agneau, cuite dans la sauce Laban Ummo, mais sans riz dans la farce), un autre plat qui fait partie de mon univers culinaire le plus paradisiaque…
Et je n’oublie pas de citer ta resette de Laban Ummo avec de l’agneau, tes recettes à base de cette même sauce pour accompagner une déclinaison infinie d’aubergines grillées, d’aubergines poêlée, avec de la viande hachée, en salade, en entrée…..
Bref, tu as sans doute compris que cette sauce….Cela fait très long temps que je cherchais à la réaliser. Et c’est en suivant, à la lettre tes consignes, que j’ai fini par « l’avoir » cette sauce.
La semaine dernière, je l’ai préparée pour accompagner une poêlée de fèves fraîches de saison (coupées en morceaux et cuites avec leur peau), il y avait également de l’oignon, de l’ail et bien entendu de beau morceaux choisis d’agneau…Le tout accompagné de riz.
Pour tout te dire, c’est le plat que je choisirais si je devais partir vivre sur une île déserte…
Et si l’île en question devait être peuplée…Je choisirai, aussi, ce même plat…
« Petites fèves en gousses au Laban Ummo et à l’agneau ! »
Ce soir…Je refais le même plat ! A l’identique.
Merci, car c’est vraiment grâce à toi que j’ai eu, enfin, accès à cette sauce…MAGIQUE que j’adore…!
On June 29, 2013 at 10:09 am
Joumana says:
@Nidal: tu me combles! ça me fait plaisir de te lire et je savoure ces plats en pensée avec toi! 🙂
@Mark: I have made it before and posted about it. I am amazed at all the old-world stuff you know about! 🙂
On June 29, 2013 at 11:50 am
Nadji says:
On a envie de mordre dedans à pleines dents.
A bientôt
On June 29, 2013 at 11:23 am
Lisa the Gourmet Wog says:
These are all the rage in Sydney at the moment! Restaurants sell them for $15-$20 for 4 stuffed flowers!!!! I’d rather make my own, with this great recipe. Thanks for sharing 🙂
On June 30, 2013 at 7:19 am
Mark Wisecarver says:
Oh gosh this is so awesome!
You know it is not hard to make Areesh, right?
This is something that I still do after many years, among the many things I ferment constantly. You’re the best. 🙂
On June 30, 2013 at 7:47 am
Liz says:
Hello Joumana… than you for the post, as always!
For some reason, I do not get your post emailed to me anymore 🙁 I do check in often to your blog – but would love to have them emailed again… I tried registering again but
it says my email is already a registered user… they are not going into my spam either – so not sure what to do… hope to get it resolved because I so enjoy received your wonderful stories and recipes!!!
On July 1, 2013 at 12:06 am
Oui, Chef says:
You’re absolutely right, Joumana, these beauties are too good to waste!
On July 1, 2013 at 5:34 am
Lea Ann (Cooking On says:
Do you know that I can never find zucchini flowers for sale anywhere? So this year, I have planted a zucchini plant just so I can have some. Pinning this recipe.
On July 1, 2013 at 12:24 pm
bellini says:
Look at those beauties with their crispy coating.
On July 2, 2013 at 7:56 am
Tim Vidra says:
I absolutely love squash and zucchini blossoms! Beautiful!
On July 5, 2013 at 6:41 am
Nuts about food says:
Hey, look what I just came across! Didn’t realize you had just posted these too as I have been absent for a few weeks (vaction, flu etc. got in the way!). Truly delicious!
On July 12, 2013 at 3:34 am
Jina @ Soy & Ginger says:
Wow I’m really loving your beautiful blog, and I can’t wait to try some of these recipes! Thank you for sharing your culture with us 🙂
On August 11, 2013 at 9:50 pm