Zucchini flower recipes

Zucchini flowers can be tossed in a pasta sauces, steamed, blanched, baked or even wrapped in prosciutto and quickly cooked on the barbecue

Because of their delicate nature, the zucchini flower needs minimum cooking time, but are certain to delight any food lover.

Zucchini flowers in tempura batter

Naughty but so tasty!!

6 zucchini flowers

Batter
50gms corn flour
150gm plain flour
2 free range eggs
400ml iced water
salt

Wash & trim stalks at the base of flowers.

To make batter:
Sift the flour & corn flour together. Beat eggs with iced water & salt. Add the flour and stir quickly until the lumps disappear. Extra water maybe added to keep the batter light. Pour Olive oil into large saucepan 3cm deep or heat deep fryer to 170°C Roll the flowers in flour & dip into your batter. Cook for approximately 4 mins, ensure the batter maintains light color

Barbecued zucchini flowers

Quick and tasty

8 zucchini flowers
8 slices prosciutto
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ brown onion, finely chopped
2 sprigs of oregano, chopped
½ tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Wrap flowers in prosciutto and set aside. In a bowl mix garlic, onion, oregano, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Place the flowers in mixture for 30 minutes. Heat the hot plate and grill flowers on medium heat for 5-8 minutes, trying to keep flower ends away from direct heat.

Zucchini flowers tossed in pasta with olive oil sauce

a quick and healthy meal

6 zucchini flowers
300gm fresh pasta (spaghetti works well)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juiced

Separate zucchinis from the flowers.

Slice the baby zucchini into small rounds. Marinate in the crushed garlic with a splash of olive oil for 30 minutes. Slice flowers into quarters.

Cook the pasta until al dente (fresh pasta will take 3-5 minutes to cook and dried pasta will take around 5-8 minutes).

Sauté onions in olive oil until they are translucent then add zucchini and garlic mixture and cook slowly until tender. Toss in cooked pasta, thyme, flowers, lemon juice and salt & pepper.

Zucchini flower, goats cheese and chive quiche

A delight!

serves 8
12 zucchini flowers
6 free range eggs
1 brown onion
150g goats cheese fetta
½ bunch chives
2 tablespoons white sugar
300ml cream 2sheets of puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place a fry pan on the stove with sugar and carefully caramalise til golden, in the meantime peel and cut the onion in half and thinly slice. Once the sugar has carmalised stir in the onion and slowly cook until soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Set aside.

Take pastry sheets from the freezer and allow a few minutes to thaw. Using a 25cm flan tin, butter the insides then line with one sheet of pastry, allowing to overhang. The second sheet can be cut to fill the gaps, also allowing to over hang. Then line the pastry with a sheet of foil and fill with blind baking beans and bake for 20 minutes. Take from the oven and remove foil and beans. Smear the pastry case with the cooked onion, then fan the raw zucchini flowers around, followed by the goats cheese. In a bowl whisk together the eggs, cream and chives. Pour the mix over the flowers and cheese and then back into the oven at 180°C for 25 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, you can cut the pastry edges off if desired, then slice and serve with your favourite salad.

Baked zucchini flowers stuffed with rice

A healthy alternative to frying

If you’d like to try stuffed zucchini flowers, but would prefer not to fry them, this recipe is a healthier alternative. You can also experiment with the stuffings by trying a risotto instead of plain rice or different cheeses and herbs for example goat’s cheese and thyme.

4 baby zucchinis, 2 finely cloves of garlic, 1½ cups of cooked rice, 16 zucchini flowers (females or males are suitable) 1 bunch ofchopped flat leaf parsley, 100g provolone cheese- cut into 1½ cm cubes, olive oil salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 190° C- Sauté the baby zucchinis with garlic until just soft and season with salt and pepper. Now combine cooked zucchinis with chopped parsley and cooked rice. Take a zucchini flower and open the flower and stuff approximately one teaspoon of mixture inside each flower. Then place a cube of provolone in the mixture inside the flower and twist ends to close. Place stuffed zucchini flowers on a lightly oiled oven-proof dish. Bake them for about 15 minutes.

Zucchini flower risotto

A filling and tasty meal

350g Arborio rice, 1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped, 3 slices prosciutto, chopped, 6 zucchini flowers, flowers and zucchini chopped, 55g butter- olive oil -1.7 litres chicken stock, simmering, ¼ bunch parsley, chopped , 55g Parmesan, freshly grated - salt & pepper to taste

In a heavy based saucepan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and half of the butter and sweat the onion, prosciutto and the garlic.Then add the rice and carefully coat in the butter, turning with a wooden spoon. When the rice is well and truly coated and begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, start adding some of the boiling stock. Only add a ladle at a time and continue to stir. Continue adding the stock until the rice is almost cooked, which should take about 15 - 20 minutes.Now add the chopped zucchini flowers and parsley and more stock and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the rice to absorb the last of the liquid. The risotto should have a creamy consistency, but rice should be al dente (slightly firm to bite). Before serving, stir in the rest of the butter and Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

Prawn, ginger & basil stuffed zucchini flowers with avocado salsa

great dinner party starter!

serves 3
10 raw prawns
10 zucchini flowers
2 tbls cream, 1 tbls ginger (chopped), 5 basil leaves (julienne)
plain flour, 1 egg (beaten), milk, breadcrumbs

½ avocado, diced, ½ red onion, finely chopped, ¼ cucumber, cut into ½ cm cubes, 1 spring onion, finely sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Peel prawns and chop 5 as finely as possible. Place in a bowl and mix in the cream, ginger and basil. Chop the remaining 5 prawns more coarsely and fold through mixture to give texture. Add salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into zucchini flowers - then dust the yellow flowers in a little flour followed by egg and breadcrumbs. Mix avocado, onion, cucumber and finely sliced spring onions, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Deep fry the zucchini flowers and serve with avocado salsa.

Zucchini flowers filled with eggplant and cous cous

a hearty vegetarian option

serves 3
1 small eggplant
¼ cup cous cous
¼ cup vegetable stock
1 tablespoon butter
breadcrumbs
2 cloves garlic, slightly crushed
1 sprig rosemary
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
6 zucchini flowers
100g wild rocket
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
batter: ¼ cup corn flour, ¼ cup plain flour, pinch salt, pinch bi carbonate soda, 1 cup heavy beer (cold)

Cut the eggplant in half and score the flesh without cutting through to the skin. Placed garlic cloves, rosemary and a sprinkle of salt into the cuts. Drizzle with oil and wrap in foil and bake in 180ÚC oven for 30 minutes until flesh is soft. Scoop flesh from the skin and finely chop. In a bowl combine the cous cous, butter and a pinch of salt. Bring the vegetable stock to the boil and pour over the cous cous. Stir well and the cover with cling film – allowing to stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Break up the cous cous with a fork the fold through the eggplant, tomato paste and coriander. Spoon into flowers.

Put dry batter ingredients together then whisk in cold beer. Dust only the yellow flower in flour then dip into batter and fry. Serve flowers with dressed rocket.

© Ashley Harvey 2006

Zucchini flowers filled with pumpkin and fetta in coconut batter, curried yoghurt

bursting with flavour!

serves 6
12 zucchini flowers
1 Butternut pumpkin, small
1/2 bunch basil, chopped
200g fetta cheese
1 free range egg
200ml natural yoghurt
2 tsp curry paste
1/2 cup corn flour
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup cup plain flour, for dusting
200ml coconut milk, 1 lemon, juiced, fry oil, salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 200oC. Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds and dice. Add salt, pepper and a dash of oil. Bake on a tray for 20 minutes or until soft. Remove, place in bowl and mash slightly, then add fetta, basil and egg. Mix well and place a spoonful of mixture into each flower. To make a batter, in a large bowl, whisk together plain and corn flour, lemon juice and coconut milk with a pinch of salt. If necessary add more coconut milk. Carefully heat oil to 170oC, dust the zucchini flower with flour, then coat in batter, fry for 2-3 minutes. Place onto paper towel to drain. In a bowl mix the yoghurt and curry paste together. Serve with flowers and rocket leaves.

© Ashley Harvey 2009

Barbecued chicken and bacon zucchini flowers with chilli noodle salad

Asian inspired barbecued dish packed with summer flavours

serves 3
1 chicken breast
1 egg white
2 tablespoons chilli sauce
¼ bunch coriander, chopped
3 bacon rashers
6 zucchini flowers
100g fresh thin egg noodles
¼ red capsicum, finely sliced
2 spring onions, finely sliced
zest of ½ lemon

Slice chicken in half and finely chop one half like mince. Place in a bowl and with a spatula slowly stir in egg white. Cube the rest of the chicken into ½ cm. Mix into minced chicken with chilli sauce, coriander, salt and pepper. Stuff mixture into flowers then wrap the flower with ½ rasher of bacon and use a tooth pick to hold in place. Then grill on a medium heat barbecue. Combine capsicum, spring onions with noodles and lemon zest. Serve zucchini flowers on a bed of noodles.

© Ashley Harvey 2006