Recipe: Fried Zucchini Flowers

The summer months bring some interesting ingredients to the local farmers market. I like to try picking up something a bit different, to avoid making the same every week. On a recent trip, I saw zucchini flowers. I’ve tried cooking with them before, with minimal success, but though I would give them another try. Most recipes I have found treat them as a side dish, but I wanted to use them in something more substantial. Here's the recipe I've created:

Fried Stuffed Zucchini Flowers
Ingredients:
1tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Medium Onion, diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, diced
1lb Ground Beef
Salt and Black Pepper
8oz Cream Cheese

12 large Zucchini Flowers

Vegetable Oil for frying
2 large egg yolks
1 cup ice water
1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:
In a large sauté pan, heat oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onions are clear. Add the ground beef, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook the ground beef until golden brown, then drain and set aside for five minutes. Rinse the zucchini flowers under cold water, then open the petals. Mix the cream cheese into the beef mixture, then spoon approximately ¼ cup of the mixture into each flower, then close the petals to seal the mixture in.

Meanwhile, pour 3 inches of oil into a deep fryer or heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly, then stir in the ice water and flour until the batter is the consistency of heavy cream. Dip 2 flowers at a time in the mixture, coating completely, then drop them in the hot oil. Fry the flowers for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown, then drain them on a plate with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining flowers.

Served with fresh vegetables (beets, yams, and potatoes), this was a fun and delicious meal. The flowers imparted a nice hint of flavor, and the fried batter added a crisp texture, complementing the rich creaminess of the meat and cream cheese filling. A glass of 2009 Viognier from Hawley rounded out the meal, the crisp minerality of the wine contrasting the the vegetables and deep fried flavors.

This recipe was also picked up at Wines.com,  check it out!