GET STUFFED ZUCCHINI FLOWERS
The Zero F*cks Cookbook: Best Food Least Effort By Yumi
Stynes (Hardie Grant Publishing)
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Okay, I’ve included this recipe to show off more than anything
else. Finding zucchini flowers at the same time as actually being
in the mood to deep-fry them and also having some fresh ricotta
lying around seems as unlikely as fitting a camel through the eye
of a needle. Still. If you happen to have all three of these factors
coincide, this is the only recipe you’ll ever need. Simplicity is the
key to unlocking the best from these very good ingredients.
20 zucchini (courgette) flowers, with baby zucchini attached
Canola oil, for deep-frying
Filling
250 g (1 cup) ricotta
¼ bunch parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped spring onions (scallions), green
tops only
Batter
250 ml (1 cup) cold
Water, plus extra if necessary
125 g (1 cup) cornflour (cornstarch)
150 g (1 cup) self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
To serve
Salad leaves
Lemon wedges
Sea salt flakes
Combine all the filling ingredients together in a bowl. Stuff
the flowers by carefully opening up the petals and putting a
generous blob of the filling mixture inside, then closing them up
and giving the petals a light twist to seal.
Make the batter by combining all the ingredients in a large bowl.
The batter should be nice and light, about the consistency of a
yoghurt drink – if it’s looking too thick, add a splash more water.
Fill a large saucepan with oil and heat it to 180°C, or until the
point where a chopstick or spoon lowered into the oil bubbles
away merrily.
Dip the zucchini flowers into the batter to coat, then hold them
above the bowl to allow any excess batter to drip off before
lowering them into the sizzling oil. (Around this point you will
probably start to realise that zucchini flowers are more robust
than they appear and can take the handling and frying!) Fry
for 2 minutes per side, then remove them with a slotted spoon
and drain on paper towel. Serve immediately with a light salad,
lemon wedges and fancy salt.
78 | Pindara Magazine ISSUE 13 | 2018