Market Stuffed Squash Blossoms
By: Sommer
Published: Thursday, July 8, 2010 - 6:00am

Ingredients




10 squash blossoms
4 garlic-scapes, chopped (could substitute garlic or 
2 tablespoons chopped dried cherries
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup soft goat cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup seltzer or club soda
Oil for frying

Preparation

1 Set a large skillet over medium heat. Add a pat of butter, chopped scapes and chopped cherries. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. 2 Add the panko and stir for 1-2 minutes until the panko has toasted. Turn the heat off and stir in the goat cheese and basil. Salt and Pepper to taste. 3 Spoon the filling into the squash blossoms and gently twist the petals together to seal. 4 Wipe out the skillet with a damp paper towel. Then pour in enough oil to thoroughly coat the bottom of the skillet. Return the heat to medium-high. Mix the flour, white pepper, curry and salt in a small bowl. Whisk in the club soda. 5 Dip each blossom in the batter. Shake off the drippings and carefully place in the hot oil. 6 Pan-fry for 1-2 minutes per side. I usually turn mine 2-3 times. Remove from the pan the drain on a paper towel. Repeat if needed. 7 Serve alone as an appetizer, with aioli, or over a salad as a light meal.

About


The most common preparation for squash blossoms is stuffing them. You can fill them with any flavorful concoction you choose, then simply twist the petals together and pan fry them! I like to dip them first in a thin, tempura-like batter, to keep all the filling from working its way out. This week I also found garlic scapes. They sound (and look) odd, but are actually just the stalks of the garlic bulb. Scapes have a milder garlic flavor and can be chopped up like a scallion. I decided to throw them in the filling, along with local goat cheese, and some of my enormous basil leaves. I served the squash blossoms over a salad of endive-frisee, arugula, and basil leaves, lightly dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. The result was divine! My husband said it might even be his favorite thing to eat--which is saying a lot, because it was a meat-free meal for a mid-western man!