I bought some beautiful courgette blossoms this week, which go wonderfully with ricotta and honey.
These sweet, creamy and crispy blossoms are one of my all time favourite suppers, and are at their best with wild honey — do use the wild stuff, it makes a world of a difference to the flavour of the dish.
The best tip I can pass on for cooking these is to twist the top of the blossoms and then hold on to it when dropping them into the batter and then the oil. This should stop them from breaking apart when frying.
You can also make your life easier by preparing the filling a day ahead. Then, when you’re ready, add it to the courgette blossoms, cook them, and in five minutes you’ll be tucking in, content.
Courgette blossoms filled with ricotta and wild honey
Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 12 courgette flowers
- 200g ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- 80ml honey
- 200ml vegetable oil
- sea salt
For the batter
- 200g plain flour
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 400ml soda water
Method
1. For the filling, beat the ricotta until soft and smooth, then stir in the fresh mint and honey. Carefully scoop this mix into the courgette flowers; you should be able to fit about two to four teaspoons in each, depending on size. Twist the petals gently to enclose the mixture.
2. Just before you’re ready to cook, prepare the batter. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Begin whisking in the soda water until the batter is as thick as single cream. Be careful not to overmix and don’t worry if there are a few lumps.
3. Dip one stuffed courgette flower into the batter, then immediately lower into the hot oil. Cook for one to two minutes, until puffed up, crisp and golden brown, then drain on kitchen paper while you cook the remaining flowers. Repeat with a couple more; do not cook more than three or four at a time.
4. To serve, assemble on the plates and drizzle with honey.
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