Tempura Battered Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Mozzarella and Basil

Squash blossoms have intrigued me this season. For the first time ever hearing about them, I've seen them at all of the farmer's markets, Oyamel is having their 2nd annual squash blossom festival, and Michelle Obama is eating them (at Oyamel). Plus, they are beautiful, and just scream summer. If someone hadn't thought to eat them, I'd put them in a vase.

Once I got up the nerve to buy a container of the delicate yellow and orange blossoms at the Dupont Farmer's Market (I always try to buy one thing I've never cooked before at the markets each week), I set out on a researching expedition. Squash blossoms don't have a long shelf life, so I had to work fast. I ultimately decided on stuffing and deep frying, as that seemed to be the most popular preparation, but I soon learned that it was possible to use the blossoms in sauces, soups and even quesadillas.

I found a Wolfgang Puck recipe for tempura battered squash blossoms, but I decided to incorporate my own stuffing - some fresh mozzarella and basil (from my Aerogarden, of course). A little East meets West. Now I was faced not only with the prospect of cooking with squash blossoms but embarking on my first deep frying experience. Without a deep fry thermometer. True culinary challenges, indeed. I'm proud to say that I didn't burn the house down and that I thoroughly enjoyed the final product.

Tempura Battered Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Mozzarella and Basil

(printable recipe)

Tempura Batter

1/4 cup rice flour

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 TBS baking powder

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 TBS salt

1 tsp cayenne

3 cups soda water

Squash Blossoms

squash blossoms (cleaned with stamen removed)

mozzarella

basil

vegetable oil for frying

To make the batter, sift together all of the dry ingredients. Whisk in the soda water, a little at a time, until the right consistency is achieved. The batter should coat the back of a spoon, but some excess batter should run off the spoon. Allow to rest in the refrigerator at least 1 hour before use.

Once batter has rested, heat vegetable oil to 350 degrees. I placed about a half inch in a deep pot and heated until a small drop of batter browned nicely. In the meantime, stuff squash blossoms with one piece of mozzarella and one leaf of basil. Twist ends of blossom to seal and dip into batter. Fry in oil, turning once or twice, until golden brown on all sides.

Enjoy!

Above is the best looking tempura fried squash blossom from my batch. A perfectly light and crispy coating, with a bit of zing from the cayenne. Oozing mozzarella and fragrant basil complete the package. Consider it a grown-up mozzarella stick. The squash blossoms don't have much taste on their own but act as a light and unobtrusive vessel for the other flavors.

Zucchini Cakes

There comes a time in every cook's life when she is faced with an abundance of one ingredient. And then she commences to cook that one ingredient in every possible form known to mankind.

Enter zucchini. Lots of it. My husband is lucky to have a boss that has something between your typical backyard garden and an abundantly productive farm and lately he has been bringing in zucchini. By the bucketful. While I will never turn away a fresh squash, I've lately been worried I might turn into one.

I've been sauteeing, adding to salads, even making up recipes (which involved brie and breadcrumbs and were not so good). Tonight I tried Paula Deen's Squash and Zucchini Cakes (with just the zucchini, of course). I also halved the recipe and used Italian flavored breadcrumbs, thus eliminating the need for Italian seasoning and I served the cakes with a tomato salad rather than the marinara sauce. Although they may not be the most beautiful dish, the result was something like a latke, nicely flavored, and would make a great dinner party hors d'oeuvres. To see how pretty Paula Deen's turned out, click here.

Squash and Zucchini Cakes

Serves 6

3 medium zucchini

3 medium yellow squash

1 cup toasted bread crumbs

1 cup shredded Parmesan

1/3 cup minced Vidalia onion

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 jar store-bought marinara sauce

Grate zucchini and squash with a fine grater. Press between paper towels to remove excess moisture (this took more time than I thought).

In a medium bowl, combine grated zucchini and squash and next 7 ingredients. Shape mixture into 2-inch patties, pressing together firmly.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook squash and zucchini cakes 3-4 minutes per side until lightly browned.

Place on a serving platter and serve with marinara sauce.

Enjoy!

From the Market Part 3 - Spanish Tortilla with Chorizo and Garlic Scapes

I am so glad that I was convinced to make this dish twice in one week, because the pictures from this round turned out much better than the first photo shoot. 

Whenever we receive an issue of Cook's Illustrated in the mail, it is usually a fight to the finish as to who can get his or her hands on it first. We like to pick out recipes trying to show each other up with complicated techniques or meals that take the better part of the day to make. And this month, when I saw a recipe for Spanish Tortilla, I knew it would be the one that I try.

Turns out, its really not difficult and takes less than an hour to make. The result, though, is impressive and quite tasty too. The best part about a Spanish tortilla is that it is excellent in its original form (potato, onion and egg) but can also serve as a blank canvas for experimentation - in this case, adding garlic scapes and buffalo chorizo spiced with chipotle. 

Spanish Tortilla with Chorizo and Garlic Scapes

(adapted from Cook's Illustrated, May/June 2009 issue)

6 TBS + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 pounds potatoes (Yukon Gold)

1 small onion, halved and sliced thin

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

8 large eggs

2 links of chorizo (casing removed) or 8 oz of cured chorizo, cut into small cubes

1 garlic scape sliced into thin rounds (or two scallions sliced the same way)

Toss 4 TBS of oil, potatoes, onion, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper in a large bowl making sure that potatoes are coated and separated. Heat 1 TBS oil in 10" non-stick skillet on medium high. Add chorizo and saute until browned. Reduce heat to medium-low, add potato mixture to skillet and set bowl aside without washing. Cover and cook, stirring every 5 minutes for 20-30 minutes, until potatoes offer no resistance when poked with a paring knife.

Meanwhile, whisk eggs and remaining 1/2 tsp of salt in reserved bowl. Fold in garlic scapes. Return skillet to medium-high heat, add remaining TBS of oil and heat until oil just starts to smoke. Add egg and potato mixture, stirring and folding constantly for 15 seconds. Smooth top of mixture with rubber spatula. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook, gently shaking pan every 30 seconds for two minutes until top of tortilla begins to set and bottom is golden brown.

Using rubber spatula, loosen tortilla from pan, shaking back and forth until tortilla slides freely in pan. Slide tortilla onto a large plate. Invert another plate on top of tortilla, flip, and slide tortilla back into pan, cooked side up. Tuck edges of tortilla back into pan with spatula, cover and cook, gently shaking pan every 30 seconds for two minutes until second side is golden brown. Slide tortilla onto serving plate and allow to cool at least 15 minutes. Cut into slices or cubes to serve.

I personally prefer my tortillas room temperature and they are even great cold the next day.

Enjoy!

Party Food: Turkey Sliders and Homemade French Fries

This post comes from my friend, John, another old friend from high school (Props to Motown. So many recipes on this site have come from my childhood friends!). I think this post brings up a good point. That not all meals have to come from written recipes. John tells me that the idea for this meal just "formulated on the Metro on the way to the grocery store last night." Fortunately, I was able to have him jot down the basics so I could share it with all of you. I share the recipe in John's words - because for party food, who needs a formal recipe? Just have fun with it!

Homemade French Fries

Idaho potatoes (1 potato equals 1 serving)
vegetable oil for frying
cayenne pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
salt, to taste
cajun seasoning, to taste

Take a bunch of Idaho potatoes. Chop them into fry-like shapes (I can’t remember what you actually call that shape – finger shaped?) with skins on. Fry them in a skillet filled with vegetable oil until all sides are golden-brown (don’t forget to turn them!). Once cooked, drop them in a bowl of paper towels to drain the oil, then top with cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, and cajun seasoning to taste.


Mini Turkey Burgers/ Sliders

1 lb ground turkey
egg
salt/ pepper to taste
Bone Suckin' barbecue sauce
1/4 - 1/3 cup bread crumbs

Take your ground turkey, add an egg, salt/pepper, some Bone Suckin’ barbecue sauce for flavor, and probably like ¼-1/3 cup of bread crumbs, hand blend, then stick in the fridge for a half hour-ish. Throw them on the grill, flip them only once. Top with Irish cheddar and bacon. For the buns, use one of those 25-30 minute Pillsbury Italian bread loafs, cut it into a sufficient number of pieces. Throw on some tomatoes, lettuce, and onion, and enjoy! (Makes 8 mini burgers)

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to everyone and welcome to 2009! I hope you had a nice celebration last night. If your day is anything like mine, today is a lazy day of relaxing and eating lots of leftovers. We pulled out a few old time favorites and tried a few new dishes and as always, had way too much food. But, I did remember to take pictures of everything, so I am happy to share with you our New Year's Eve feast - complete with links to each recipe. Of course, the dishes can be made for any occasion and I know that I'll certainly be pulling these out again.

Enjoy!

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil

Grown Up Ham and Cheese Finger Sandwiches

Grilled Beef Tenderloin on Focaccia Toasts

French Onion Soup

Pear and Walnut Salad

Beef Bourguignon

Potatoes au Gratin

Banana's Foster

(recipe provided and cooked by Betsy and flambeed by Mike!)

Wild Mushroom Crostini

Wow. I was so thrilled to log on today to see that the blog had received several comments and a few more recipes to post!

This one comes from Elyssa, who I think did one of the coolest things and traveled with her mother to Provence for a week of cooking classes. Lucky me, we're in the same book club, and I got to sample her new cooking talents during our summer discussion! Delicious!

About the Wild Mushroom Crostini, Elyssa writes:

I made this appetizer for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it! It's probably going to become my new "go to" party appetizer. The flavors are delicious and simple. Some of the mushrooms can be pricey---I'm sure this recipe would work fine if you substituted the more expensive mushrooms for cheaper ones. The other nice thing is you can make a lot of the steps in advance. Bon Appetit!

Wild Mushroom Crostini

Yield: Makes 36

• 36 1/3-inch-thick baguette slices
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup chopped shallots
• 2 1/4 cups chopped oyster mushrooms
• 2 1/4 cups chopped stemmed shiitake mushrooms (about 6 ounces)
• 1 1/4 cups chopped chanterelle mushrooms (about 4 ounces)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1 cup grated Fontina cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 3/4 ounces)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange baguette slices on rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven until golden, about 9 minutes. Cool. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; sauté 1 minute. Add all mushrooms; sauté until beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in garlic; sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in cream, rosemary, and lemon peel. Season with salt and pepper. Cool. Mix in both cheeses. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat broiler. Top each toast with about 1 tablespoon mushroom topping. Place on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Working in batches, broil until cheese is melted and begins to brown, watching closely to prevent burning, about 3 minutes. Transfer to serving platter. Serve warm.

I really can't wait to try this recipe. I love all things mushroom and completely appreciate a recipe that can be made in stages, and in advance. Sounds like it would be perfect for a New Year's Eve party.

Enjoy!