Edible Flowers: Recipe

In the store today I saw a display of beautiful orange flowers. I've seen them before so I knew what they were but my husband was with me and he had never seen them nor did he realize one could actually eat them. So I promptly purchased them (what else would I do?) and sought advice from a book I have that I truly love (The Herb Farm Cookbook by Jerry Traunfeld).

As it states in the book, these blossoms actually taste like the zucchini themselves. They are referred to as squash blossoms and they are wonderful to look at and even more fantastic to eat. The book describes two different types of blossoms - a male and a female version - and goes into how you can tell the difference and how the plant produces so many of them. The thing I found most interesting was the fact that they are only at their peak for one day. So if you come across these it is worth purchasing them but be sure to use them quickly. You can stuff these, fry them, or chop them up and use them in a salad. I decided to deep fry them in a light batter for easy eating - and they were terrific.

Deep Fried Squash Blossoms
6-8 large male squash blossoms
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
several grindings of pepper
3 cups olive oil

In a deep pot - cast iron is a terrific choice - heat oil over a very high flame until a careful sprinkle of water makes the oil pop and sizzle.

Meanwhile, gently wash the blossoms and dry them on paper towels. Mix together remaining ingredients and drop each blossom into the flour mixture until well coated (shake off any excess flour). Once the oil is hot enough, carefully drop each blossom into the oil and fry about 3-4 minutes. With a large slotted spoon remove the blossoms and drain on brown paper bags. Sprinkle lightly with salt.