Crisp Stuffed Zucchini (Courgette) Flowers

Written by http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/crispedzucchiniflowe_7191 on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 01:21PM
Filed in: Recipes Recipes
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Ingredients

For the ratatouille

  • 50ml/1½fl oz extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve

  • 1 small onion, peeled, diced

  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed

  • 1 red pepper, diced

  • 1 aubergine (eggplant), diced

  • 1 zucchini (courgette), diced

  • 250ml/8fl oz ready-made tomato concasse

For the stuffed zucchini flowers

  • 500g/1lb soft goats' cheese

  • 60g/2½oz capers, drained, chopped

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 18 zucchini (courgette) flowers

  • plain flour, for dusting

  • 200-250ml/7-9fl oz beer batter (made by whisking together flour and beer until the mixture forms a thick batter with the consistency of single cream)

  • cottonseed or vegetable oil, for frying

Method

  1. For the ratatouille, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and garlic and fry gently until softened but not coloured, about 10-15 minutes.

  2. Add the diced pepper and fry for a further 4-5 minutes.

  3. Add the aubergine and zucchini and fry for a further 4-5 minutes, stirring well.

  4. Add the tomato concasse and continue cooking for a further 15 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.

  5. Meanwhile, for the stuffed zucchini flowers, mix together the soft goats' cheese and capers until well combined. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

  6. Place the cheese and caper mixture into a piping bag. Carefully unfurl the petals of each flower and squeeze the mixture into the flowers. Close each filled flower and gently twist the petals to reseal them.

  7. Half-fill a heavy-based saucepan with the oil. Heat the oil until a breadcrumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Sprinkle the flour onto a plate.

  8. Dredge the stuffed zucchini flowers in the flour, then dip them into the batter until coated. Carefully lower the stuffed zucchini flowers into the hot oil in batches. Fry for 3-4 minutes, or until crisp and golden-brown. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper. Repeat the process with the remaining stuffed zucchini flowers.

  9. To serve, spoon some of the ratatouille onto each of six serving plates. Drizzle over a little extra-virgin olive oil. Place three stuffed zucchini flowers on top of each portion of ratatouille.

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