Courgette flower power

It's been a while since I've wrote up any of my recent culinary conquests, it's quite time consuming writing a thesis.. such an inconvenience! That's not to say I haven't been in the kitchen slicing my fingers with a peeler and getting burnt from splashing oil. 

One of my latest purchases has been quite a revelation, the Salt Yard book. It's now one of my most used, the mackerel escabeche a particular delight. Something I wanted to try out was the courgette flowers that I have every time I go back to Opera Tavern, however trying to source them is a absolute pain. Until I randomly came across them at a farmers market opposite UCL. Check Wildco out HERE if you want to know where they are, got some nice cavolo nero from them as well.

The recipe is fairly simple as long as you are delicate with the flowers, if buying make sure you check the integrity, and few packets had flowers that were pretty much decimated. Not ideal, especially at £2.50 for 4.

For 2 people
4 x courgette flowers
4 x 10g Goat's cheese or sheep's milk cheese (I used Sainbury's So Organic Goat's cheese )
Honey

Batter
200ml sparkling water
1 teaspoon baking powder
75g plain flour
pinch of salt

It's a great recipe to try and will definitely give you extra brownie points if doing it at a dinner party, or night in with a partner, for reasonably little effort. It makes for a great starter

To start make up the batter. It shouldn't be that thick as want it very light similar to tempura. Mix up the ingredients so there are no lumps and leave to rest for about half an hour.

to prepare the stuffed flowers, carefully remove the stamen from inside. Try not to rip the petals as the cheese will leak out. Put a ball of goat's cheese in the middle and twist the petals around it and fold them over to contain the cheese. After this dip in the batter so completely covered and fry for around 3 minutes at 180C. Make sure to put it in head first and hold for a few seconds to seal the flowers.

After this drain any excess oil on a paper towel, plate up and drizzle with honey. Enjoy. Simple

Owen

Or if you want to see it done by a pro:



Ben Tish prepares Salt Yard's signature dish: Courgette Flowers stuffed with Monte Enebro cheese. from We Are The Scavengers on Vimeo.