Category Archives: General
A Summer Treat
It’s so nice to have friends as passionate about food as I am. Last week, I got an email from my friend Pat saying that she had an excess of squash blossoms, but they had to be cooked that day. Was I interested? How exciting! I’d never cooked, or even eaten, squash blossoms before.
The first time I saw squash blossoms was at a farmers’ market more than a decade ago. They were being sold by the dozen, $1 per flower. That was too dear for me. The next summer, I invested in a 99¢ packet of seeds and planted some zucchini, solely with the intention of harvesting the blossoms and trying. In typical Betsy fashion, I got distracted and lost track of the plant’s cycle. I missed the window where the flowers were ready. We had plenty of zucchini, but no flowers.
I swung by Pat’s house after work. She gave me a container of squash flowers, their stems in water, and some advice. These blossoms weren’t from zucchini, like the ones I had tried to grow, but a special variety of squash that produces lots of flowers. Given that squash flowers don’t have much flavor on their own, she recommended a flavorful filling and batter. Pat also showed me her technique for filling the blossoms, cutting a small slit in the side, rather than trying to come in from the top.
I asked Howard to pick up some goat cheese on the way home. I mixed the cheese with a handful of chopped herbs fresh from the garden (oregano, lemon balm, thyme and parsley) and some olive oil to make the filling. For the batter, I forgot to ask Howard to pick up milk. I found a simple flour and seltzer batter and went with that.
The recommended cooking method was deep frying. Have I mentioned that I’m afraid of frying? I’m nervous about all that hot oil, and I don’t like the splatter. The closest I come is our annual latke night for Hanukkah, but that’s just plain frying with a fraction of an inch of oil in the pan. For the flowers, we’re talking inches. I took a deep breath and carried on.
So, I slit and stuffed the flowers. I lost a few, as Pat warned me, as they were a little fragile. Then, I whisked up the batter and heated up the oil. Once the oil was hot, I dipped and twirled the flowers in the batter (the stems make great handles), let the excess drip off, and dropped them in the oil. I cooked them until the batter turned golden. On a few, I lost some of the filling, but mostly, they stayed intact. I drained them on paper towels, a sprinkle of salt, and they were ready to serve.
The verdict? Squash blossoms are interesting. Pat was right about them being basically bland, and the flavor coming from the filling and batter. They were special because the flowers are so seasonal and hard to come by. I enjoyed the novelty and finally having the experience of cooking and eating squash blossoms for the first time. Thanks, Pat, for the sharing this memorable summer treat!
Fried Squash Blossoms
18 fresh squash blossoms (expect to lose a few)
5 oz goat cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (oregano, lemon balm, parsley, thyme, or whatever suits you)
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
1 cup flour
2/3 cup cold seltzer
Olive or vegetable oil for frying
Coarse salt
Prepare filling: Whip the goat cheese, herbs, and olive oil together until well combined. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
Lightly rinse the squash blossoms and dry them off. Cut a small ¾ inch slit in the side of each flower. Cut out the stamen, if you wish (I did).
Stuff the flowers. Using the slit, with a small spoon, place a generous tablespoon of filling inside the flower.
Prepare batter: Whisk together flour and seltzer until combined.
Heat 2 inches (or more if you dare) of oil in a large pot. Heat until a drop of batter immediately starts to sizzle and brown. (I’m not sure what the exact temperature should be.) Working in batches, dip each flower in the batter, let the excess drip off, then place the flower in the hot oil. Repeat until the pot is full, but not crowded. (I did 5 or 6 flowers at a time.) When the batter turns golden brown (3-5 minutes), use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried flowers to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat until all the flowers are cooked. Sprinkle generously with coarse salt.
Cold Eats for Hot Days
It’s been a hot July. I can take the cold weather in the winter, but I’m not the best trooper when it comes to bearing up to a summer heat wave. I do my best, but you can only take so many clothes off.
Cold frosty drinks like strawberry daiquiris, frozen margaritas or even lemonade can help, but what about eats? Grilling keeps the heat outside. Watermelon is both refreshing and thirst-quenching. Many of my beloved side salads can be done without heat, especially if you start with canned beans.
My current favorite solution is cold soup. I’ve always been a big fan of gazpacho. Here’s the way I usually make it. I like that it can be made without turning on the stove.
This year, my favorite cold soup seems to be vichyssoise. I start with my usual hot potato-leek soup, add a pint of light cream, and chill it overnight. It’s filling without being heavy, creamy without being too rich. I’ve been making the hot version (without any cream) for decades, but was only inspired to try a cold version this summer. I’m glad I experimented because I’m pleased with the results.
What’s your favorite thing to eat when the weather is steamy?
Vichyssoise
Serves 6-8
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cups sliced leeks, white and light green parts only (3-4 leeks)
4 cups diced peeled russet potatoes (2-3 potatoes)
1 quart chicken broth
½ tsp nutmeg
2 tsp salt
2 cups light cream
Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the leeks, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
In several batches, puree the soup in the blender. Add the cream and combine well. Add nutmeg and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
Chill overnight.
A Plateful of Happiness 