AUG5

Squash Blossoms

Posted on August 5, 2012 by Devany

Squash Blossoms

Squash or pumpkin blossoms offer up multiple opportunities. While in cooking school in Mexico, we used them as a filling ingredient for quesedillas, empanadas and tacos. They were also tossed in salads and soups for color and nutrition. Of course they are also lovely when filled and fried or baked. Squash blossoms are a unique ingredient. Unless you have a big patch of squash or pumpkins, you are at the whim of the farmer who brings these highly perishable ingredient to market. At the Charleston Farmer’s Market yesterday, I spied a little box of the blooms and grabbed it. My mind was swimming with filling ideas as we drove home. I decided on some queso fresca that I bought at a small Hispanic market on John’s Island with herbs and peppers & a little marscarpone for smoothness.  

The recipe:

Ingredients

10-12 squash blossoms

1/2 cup queso fresco ( you can also use a creamy feta) allow it to warm up to room temperature

1 jalapeno or hotter pepper if you want more spice cut into small pieces

3 tablespoons marscarpone or cream cheese

a hand full of grated jack cheese

6 sprigs of cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

For batter: 

1 1/2 cups flour

1 can or bottle of beer

salt and pepper

Method

About 2 hours before you plan to serve, mix the beer and flour together with salt and pepper. Cover and leave on the counter. 

Clean blossoms by brushing off any soil, do not run under water. Pull out the stamen. 

For filling: 

Place the cheeses, cilantro, pepper and salt and pepper in the small bowl of a food processor. This can also be done by hand, but if you are doing it that way, you will need to finely chop the pepper and cilantro. 

Pulse until the filling is smooth. Using a spatula, fill a small zip lock bag. Push all of the filling down so that there is no air in the bag. Just before filling cut a small piece of the corner off and pipe the filling into the blossom, carefully wrapping the petals around the filling. Leave the top 1/2 inch unfilled and twist to enclose the filling. Refrigerate. 

In a large pot or fryer heat peanut or canola oil (at least 3 inches) to 375 degrees. 

Put a few stuffed blossoms into the batter and then place carefully into the hot oil. After about a minute of frying, turn the blossoms and allow them to fry till golden. Remove with a spider and drain. Serve immediately. 

You can find another post of mine about squash blossoms made with sourdough batter here on my Hawaii blog. 

Individual Cheese Soufflés

 I like to serve soufflés  in individual dishes. This recipe makes two generous soufflés. I used ramekins that are 5″ across. For dinner parties I like to double this recipe and use smaller ramekins. I served the soufflés with a sauteed chicken breast and brandied cranberry sauce. They would be equally good with a large herby salad. I used my friend Ron’s eggs, straight from the backyard coop. Fresh eggs are important in this recipe. Contrary to rumors, soufflés are actually very easy to make as long as you follow the instructions and do not open the oven while cooking. I also use a ceramic oven liner that retains heat and makes for even baking. Have fun with this!

 Individual Cheese Soufflés

• 1 teaspoon of Piment d’Espelette (optional; you may find this favorite seasoning of mine difficult to find)
• 3/4 cup finely grated aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus 1/4 cup for topping (used the food processor with blade for grating the cheese)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature and more for coating the ramekins
•  2 tablespoons all-purpose/plain flour
•  1/2 of a nutmeg, freshly grated
•  3/4 teaspoons sea salt
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 garlic clove, minced
•  1 cup finely grated semi-hard cheese such as Comté Manchego, Gruyère. I used Comté and did the food processor method for both the Comté and the Parm (but do make sure that there are no large lumps)
•  3 large very fresh eggs, separated + one extra white.
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (I used Meyer lemons, they are my favorite and in season now)

Get everything prepped and mise en place.

Mise en Place

Preheat the oven to 375˚F with a rack in the middle of the oven. Butter ramekins sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano to coat completely all the way to the top. Shake any excess cheese out into a bowl. Place the molds in the freezer to chill.

Melt the 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the Piment d’Espelette , flour, nutmeg, and salt; whisking constantly, cook the flour without browning, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the milk and garlic and continue to cook, whisking, at a low simmer until the mixture is smooth and thick like pudding, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the Comté and any Parmigiano-Reggiano left over from coating the molds and cook, stirring, until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat and stir in the egg yolks, one at a time. Continue stirring vigorously with a rubber spatula to cool.

Whisk the egg whites and lemon juice in a clean bowl with a Kitchen Aid Mixer beater on medium-high until they just hold a soft peak. * DO NOT not over-whip the whites, which would give your soufflé a cloudy instead of creamy consistency.

Fold one-fourth of the egg whites into the cheese mixture with a rubber spatula, carefully turning the bowl and mixing gently until the whites are streaked throughout. Add the remaining whites and fold in but don’t overmix, which can deflate the whites.

Transfer the batter to the chilled mold and scatter the remaining  Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top. Place the dish on a baking sheet/tray and set in the oven, decrease the oven temperature to 325˚F/ 165°C/, and bake until the soufflé is golden, puffed, and set but just a touch wobbly inside, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately. After a few minutes a slight deflation is normal, this is why they must be served immediately for the most impact. Enjoy!

Plated. I sauteed the chicken in a little bit of butter. The chicken was massaged with Piment d'Espelette, flour and salt.

Gremolata Topped Roasted Cauliflower

Gremolata Topped Roasted Cauliflower 

This recipe is simple and delicious and if you have someone in your household that does not like cauliflower, this may surprise them. Roasting the cauliflower, like roasting most every vegetable brings out the deep flavors of the essence of the vegetable and caramelization ads a touch of sweetness. You can use Panko Crumbs or traditional bread crumbs. I have even used crackers and potato chips to make the crumbs. Panko is ideal though. This recipe serves two as a vegetable main course, but you could probably serve 4 as a side dish. and easily double or triple it for a large group. This can also be made vegan if you omit the butter and use only olive oil for toasting the bread crumbs.

1 head (medium to large) of cauliflower
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste (about a half teaspoon of each)
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup of Panko or other bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic minced
zest of a Meyer lemon
4 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme
a squeeze of lemon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Trim the cauliflower into florets about 1.5 inches or smaller

In a bowl, add cauliflower, olive oil, salt, pepper & red pepper flakes. Toss. Place on a Silpat covered baking sheet and put in the oven for 10 minutes, remove and stir, then 10-15 minutes more, till the edges of the cauliflower have browned a little bit.

Remove from the oven.
In a frying pan, melt butter with the olive oil and garlic and then toast the bread crumbs till golden, stirring frequently. Squeeze the lemon in. Stir. Add the herbs and remove from heat.
Put the cauliflower on a serving dish or plate and top with the Gremolata.

Wordless Wednesday: My Greek Supper

Greek Lemon and RIce Soup with Meyer Lemons 

Spanakopita!!!

Jamaican Chickpea, Coconut and Corn Fritters

Jamaican Chickpea, Coconut and Corn Fritters with Sweet Chili Sauce

Ingredients:
1 16 ounce can of organic chickpeas, drained
1 medium red onion rough chopped
1 cup of flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 large eggs
6 cloves of garlic slivered
1 Tablespoon finely chopped Hawaiian (or Habanero)  peppers
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 scallions sliced finely (green and white)
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup baking coconut

1/2 cup peanut oil

Bottled Sweet Chili Sauce for dipping.

Method:

In a food processor, add all ingredients in the first section. Pulse until completely mixed.

Pour into a bowl and add scallions, corn and coconut. Fold ingredients in and allow to rest for a few minutes while oil heats in a frying pan.

Fry 2-3 minutes on each side and drain before serving with chili sauce.

*note, these can be served in 2" patties as an appetizer or in larger sizes for a veggie burger. They also go well with chipotle mayo, mustard sauce or barbeque sauce.

Spaghetti with Gorgonzola Mac Nut Sauce

Last night I made a simple and absolutely delicious dinner. Whole wheat spaghetti with a Gorgonzola Macadamia Nut Sauce. Served with a light salad and some garlic bread, it was a meatless night. The leftover sauce will also be good on a steak when the time comes to grill one!

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons Olive Oil, divided 2:4
2 shallots diced
8 cloves of garlic rough cut
A handful of fresh Italian Basil
Juice and Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3/4 cup macadamia nuts
1/2 cup Parmesan Reggiano
1/4 # Gorgonzola Cheese crumbled or cubed
3/4 cup of heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Hot cooked whole wheat spaghetti

Method:

Dry roast the mac nuts in a frying pan and allow to cool completely.

In a large skillet heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil and sauté the shallots till translucent and just tinged with gold on the ends.

While cooking the shallots place the garlic, basil, mac nuts, lemon juice and zest, parmesan, red pepper and remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a food processor and process until you have a dry pesto.

Add the gorgonzola and cream to the frying pan with the shallots. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly until the cheese has fully melted. Add the pesto to the sauce and stir, cooking on low another 2 minutes to heat through. Taste and add salt and pepper. You may not need any salt at all because the cheeses are salty and the lemon adds spark. I use lots of black pepper though.

Add to the hot pasta and toss. Dress with a bit of fresh parsley and additional red pepper.