Squash blossoms

[QSis]

I planted a bush variety of Italian zucchini (Genovese), mainly to try frying up the squash blossoms.

BT nicely explained to me how to tell the difference between the male and female blossoms, and now I can see for myself!

I have two medium-sized pots with 4 squash plants in each, and one smaller pot with 2 squash plants.

At that, it looks as if I will have a lot of blossoms AND zucchini!

COOL!!

The first photo is of the impressive foliage of the plants in the larger two pots. The second photo is a close up of male and female blossoms (with and without fruit, respectively).

Did I mention that this is the first time I've ever grown squash? I feel as if I've just had the "birds and bees" conversation! LOL!

Lee

[Adillo303]

Oh! You meant the kind on flowers.

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:lCn-1XG0ImI4KM:http://www.americanindianjewelry.com/images/NAVTSet27a.jpg

[Leni]

Oh, Adillo303, I collect native Amercan jewelry and have since I was nine years old. I even have a very good friend that owns White Pelican, a jewelry shop in the harbor at Dana Point. That's a very nice squash blossom from what I can see of it in the picture.

[lilylove]

Qsis, ENJOY!! Stuffed blossoms are yummy! What will you stuff them with? We've used everything from Mashed taters to a meat and rice mixture.

[QSis]

Qsis, ENJOY!! Stuffed blossoms are yummy! What will you stuff them with? We've used everything from Mashed taters to a meat and rice mixture.

Trish, I am open to suggestions!

I was first thinking meat and rice, but then I read that the blossoms were quite fragile and delicate, so I was thinking something with cheese.

But then, I thought I might like to try them plain, just battered and fried.

I'm a little hesitant about the whole project - I almost never fry anything in more than a thin coating of oil!

Lee

[Adillo303]

I missed a train here someplace, When you posted about squash blossoms, I just thought they were to eventually become squash. You mean that you stuff and eat the flowers?

I have never seen or heard of this before.

[QSis]

Oh, I will eat some of the squash, too, Andy, but my primary purpose of planting the squash in my garden was to try frying the blossoms, with and without stuffing.

Check out this simple recipe from this woman's blog. The picture is mouth-watering, and I love that she ate the fried blossoms with pea soup and bread! YUM!!!

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TjEuxE_yL1g/SRLr2UcaIeI/AAAAAAAACBE/iaSxFgLg6FI/s400/squash%2Bblossoms%2B005.jpg&imgrefurl=http://nofearentertaining.blogspot.com/2008/11/farmers-market-1st-of-season.html&usg=__zG3iFdgIOSfAVombHQ1_A8cc8Ig=&h=300&w=400&sz=29&hl=en&start=3&itbs=1&tbnid=RK-ZDeoBoIiWKM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsquash%2Bblossoms%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2 %26tbs%3Disch:1

Lee

[Maverick2272]

The wife has had squash blossoms before, I don't think I have though. She had them at City Scapes, a guest chef there made them in a light tempura batter and fried them very quickly in hot oil.
I look forward to the squash as it makes an excellent squash soup, plus I can keep the shell intact and use it as a bowl.

[Adillo303]

Live and learn, thank you Lee.

[QSis]

I picked my first blossoms the other day, washed and dried them, and put them in a paper towel and a plastic bag until I got home from work.

To cook them, I made a thin slurry of 1 cup of water with 2/3 cup of sifted flour.

Heated up a couple of inches of grape seed oil, dipped the blossoms in the slurry, fried and carefully turned them over, drained on paper towels, salted.

They were good, but just tasted like potato chips. They were very fragile and crunchy on the outside, sort of a creamy consistency in the middle.

I should have dabbed the tops of them with paper towels as they were draining, because I thought they were a little too greasy.

I battered and fried a few sage leaves, too, while I was at it. They tasted like potato chips, too, LOL!

So, next time, I think I'll try a real tempura batter, with the egg yolk. And then move on to STUFFED and fried blossoms.

Stay tuned! :smile:

Lee

[Cooksie]

How cool! They sure are pretty. I've never tried them.

[Sass Muffin]

Those make a very attractive dish Lee :)
I've never had them before either.

[QSis]

Update: For my second attempt, I stuffed the blossoms with ricotta and chopped chives and basil.

Dunked them in a simple batter of 1 cup of beer (a little more) mixed with one cup of flour. Fried until golden.

DELICIOUS!!!

Lee

[mhend]

QSis, those look wonderful!

[SilverSage]

Those look fantastic! I have never tried them either, but seeing yours makes me want to try them.

:applause: