Crisp Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed With Goat Cheese Recipes

FRIED CHEESE-STUFFED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, water and salt until smooth. Set aside.
• In a small bowl combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, heavy cream, basil, and green onion. Mix until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons filling into each blossom. Close the blossoms and gently twist the petals to seal.
• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 350 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 1 minute.) Dip the stuffed zucchini blossoms in the batter and allow any excess batter to drip off. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Allow the cooked blossoms to drain on paper towels.
• Season with salt and serve with your favorite marinara sauce or vinaigrette.

STUFFED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Prepare the zucchini blossoms for stuffing by gently opening the leaves and pinching out the stamen inside each flower. Set the blossoms aside.
• For the filling, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Transfer to a sandwich-size resealable plastic bag and snip a small corner from one point at the bottom.
• Open the leaves of a blossom and pipe in about 1 tablespoon of filling (don't overfill). Gently twist the top of the blossom to enclose the filling. Repeat with the remaining zucchini blossoms and filling.
• Pour about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet and heat to 360 degrees F. (If you don't have an oil thermometer, you'll know the oil is ready if you drop in a scrap of bread and it sizzles on contact and begins to brown after a few seconds.) Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
• For the batter, whisk the flour, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the seltzer to make a smooth batter.
• When the oil is ready, dip the zucchini flowers in the batter one at a time, letting excess batter drip back into the bowl. Add as many as will fit in the skillet without crowding. Fry, turning once, until the batter is light, crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon to the lined baking sheet to drain and repeat with the remaining blossoms.
• Serve warm with marinara for dipping.

FRIED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND ZUCCHINI PESTO

Steps:

• For the Blossoms: Carefully stuff each zucchini blossom with 1 teaspoon of the goat cheese. Fold over the petals to form an envelope. In a deep skillet or deep fryer, heat the oil to 375 degrees. Meanwhile put the flour in a mixing bowl. Pour in the seltzer a little at a time, whisking constantly to ensure a smooth batter. Season with salt and cayenne. When the oil is properly heated, dip a stuffed blossom into the batter to coat it evenly, scraping off any excess. Fry until crisp and golden, about 30 seconds per side. Remove to paper towels to drain. Repeat process with all blossoms, being careful not to overcrowd the skillet and maintaining the proper oil temperature. For the Pesto: Quarter zucchini and cut into 1 inch pieces. Blanch zucchini for 2 minutes in salted boiling water, and then shock in ice bath to preserve color. Drain well and pat dry with cloth. Place blanched zucchini, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, basil leaves, garlic, in food processor and start to puree. With the motor running, pour the olive oil through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream until the pesto emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper taste.;

GOAT CHEESE-STUFFED ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS WITH ZUCCHINI NOODLES

Steps:

• For the blossoms: Heat the oil to 375 degrees F in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
• Combine the goat cheese, Parmesan, parsley and chives in a medium bowl. Season with salt. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag; cut a hole in the bag. Gently pipe the mixture into the zucchini blossoms and pinch the ends together a bit.
• Whisk together the flour and white wine in a medium bowl. Working in batches so you don¿t crowd the pot, dip each blossom into the batter and then carefully place in the hot oil. Cook until lightly puffed and golden, about 3 minutes. Remove the blossoms from the oil and drain on paper towels. Season with salt immediately.
• For the noodles: Coat a large skillet with some olive oil, add the anchovy, garlic, oregano and some red pepper flakes, and turn the heat to medium. When the garlic gets brown and aromatic, remove it from the skillet and discard. Add the tomatoes, some salt, and 1/4 cup water. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the water is reduced by about half.
• Remove the skillet from the heat, add the zucchini noodles and toss until just wilted. Taste and season.
• Toss the arugula with some olive oil and salt and divide it among 4 dinner plates. Top the arugula with some zucchini pasta and 2 zucchini blossoms, shave some Parmesan over the tops, and serve.