Zucchini Blossoms

I found zucchini blossoms in the marché in Thionville, France on Saturday. The vibrant yellow colour and the chance to make something so delicate and seasonal were irresistible. I brought some home. I have been eyeing them in my neighbour’s garden with envy. It is so rare to see them in markets since they are so fragile.
Zucchini is a vegetable that seems to multiply in gardens – a little goes a long way or you will be looking to give a lot of it away to friends and neighbours. Eating the female blossoms could be a good way to curb the population. Trust the Italians to come up with a way to use every part of the zucchini, even the flower.
Only use firm, fresh blossoms that are slightly open (the lighter yellow ones). Do not eat the darker spent (wilted) flowers. An example of how it is advantageous to get to know your marché merchants in France so that you will get the “good” produce. Male zucchini blossoms have stems and stamen; female ones are attached to tiny zucchini and have pistils.

I chose to deep fry the flowers coated in a light tempura batter. Maybe next time I will chose to stuff them.
To clean the flowers, use a damp cloth rather than rinsing under running water as this can damage them.

Zucchini Blossom Tempura

Serves 4

1 egg
250 mL (1 cup) ice water
250 mL (1 cup) all purpose flour, sifted
12 zucchini blossoms

Prepare the of zucchini blossoms by trimming stems and removing pistils or stamen; wipe gently inside and out with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or insects.
Beat the egg in a bowl; add ice water and stir to mix. Add flour and mix lightly (batter should be lumpy).
Dip zucchini blossoms in batter and deep fry until golden; drain on absorbent paper and serve hot.