One of Mrs. MM’s all-time favorites must be deep-fried squash blossoms, usually with cheese and anchovies. They have been featured on this blog before here, here and here. The batter that we seem to like best is a simple one of rice flour, club soda and salt, and ideally the batter should be chilled in the fridge prior to use.
There were super fresh squash blossoms at the market this morning so I bought two bunches. Back at home, I rummaged through the fridge and found some mini-mozzarella balls leftover and the last few slices of prosciutto. Of course we had anchovies. So we stuffed the flowers with either a mozzarella and prosciutto mixture or a mozzarella and anchovy center. Dip quickly in the batter and deep fry (we did this in a wok) until just starting to get a touch of color and drain on paper towels before serving hot. This batch was fantastic. Crisp to the bite, but the interior chewy, salty, cheesey and somewhat addictive.
If you don’t have anything to stuff into the blossoms, they taste pretty good just plain and simple. However, if you want to take them up a notch, serve them with a flavorful sauce or dip. Or a salsa. In this case, I used a store-bought salsa that went very well with the deep fried squash blossoms.
19 Responses
Would a tempura batter do? I expect you’d want it light.
I’ve read about zucchini/courgette blossoms – that are still closed buds – being stuffed as you do before deep frying, using a similar batter mixture (almost like tempura batter). But I don’t really like frying – deep or otherwise – at home. So I just stay on the look-out for these when we dine out – again of course – seasonally or else be willing to pay a steeper price (anything marked w “market price” on the menu will be more expensive off-season).
Have also seen chefs on food network, stuffing them & putting them on the grill – without batter coating of course, which for me is more do-able.
Nice!
Just wondering, why should the batter be pre-chiled? Just for storage?
LOVE this!!! also the fried kankong leaves
Gej, I am not sure myself, but I think it tends to make it crisper when fried. Vicky and christina, yes it is like tempura batter. But of all the batters we have tried, I like just rice flour, soda water and salt. Chilled. Then deep fried. It is light, almost “hardly there” but still crisp and delicious.
chilled, or if in a hurry, use ice water. in fact, my japanese friend who taught me how to cook tempura uses ice cubes. she says when very cold batter hits very hot oil, the batter does not absorb too much oil, resulting to crisp and light tempura.
i also like this stuffed with goat cheese! yummy!
Now i know what to do with those flowers instead of the usual vegetable stew called “inabraw”. Question though, how do you keep the stuffing from seeping out of the blossom? Especially as the “petals” in these photos are all open. When I fry something with cheese, more often than not, the cheese ends up in the bottom of the wok, instead of being stuffed. :)
squash blossoms is good for dinengdeng.
I love kalabasa blossoms cooked every which way. Sounds wonderful.
why CHILLED salt?
Rose5, sorry, that sentence is unclear. I meant to say the batter is chilled and consists of rice flour, water and salt. :)
did this before with minced shrimps stuffing. sarap!!
tina m, I just hold the flower petals closed after the dip in batter and gently put it in the oil, it seems to stay in even through the frying… though there is an occasional mess.
Many thanks, MM, for the tip, and all the wonderful recipes you share.It used to be that my favorite writers were Erma Bombeck and Jessica Zafra, BUT none of them can cook! That’s why you’re no. 1 now on my list. God Bless!
Thank you for the “pre-chilled batter” tip. Will definitely try this with anchovies. :-)
I remember making this when we were in baguio. We happen to have a big chunk of sharp cheddar cheese that’s almost to expire in 5 days. Bought several bundle of squash flowers and stuffed the cheddar cheese, dipped in batter and deep fried it. Served it with garlic-mayo dip.
MM, I’ve tasted bulaklak ng kalabasa tempura and it was so good, PLEASE TRY TO ADD THIS bulaklak ng kalabasa if you will cook pinakbet…oh my!!! first time ko natikman na ginawa ng ate ko, as in, i am in heaven. ang sarap!!!
this is mouth watering, binabasa ko pa lang, masarap na, deliziozo! i will definitely try it this weekend.