(Zucchini) Flower Power
Whether you call them zucchini, courgettes or tikvice, the bright orange flower of this vegetable has got to rank as one of the most exquisite and delicious vegetable summer treats ever.
Crunchy, salty, and utterly addictive, fried zucchini blossoms make a delicious and exotic start to any meal. And a quite rare one to find.
As many of you are probably already aware, zucchini blossoms are not the easiest ingredient to get your hands on. They are incredibly delicate and far too fragile for supermarkets to handle. Unless you have a garden full of zucchini at home, you will most likely only find them at the green market.
Even that can be tricky at times. Which makes them even more of a delicacy.
So if you do find zucchini blossoms at the Dubrovnik green market (or your local farmer’s market) don’t shy away, even if you’ve never prepared them – you can only find them once in a blue moon and they’re flowers!
Think of them as an extension of a zucchini, and hopefully, the idea of eating them will make more sense. They actually have a taste very similar to that of a young zucchini–and can be served raw in salads, on top of pizzas, stuffed, and tossed into pasta.
What we bring you is the “essential“ version, as they are traditionally prepared in the Dubrovnik area, recommended by our executive chef Petar Obad.
Tempura
- Coarse and fine wheat fourStill and sparkling waterIce cubesBaking sodaSaltFrying Oil
Preparation
Whisk together the flour (70% coarse and 30% fine flour) and baking powder. Slowly pour in the cold water and ice (the colder the batter, the crispier the coating), and whisk until combined. It should foam, and eventually become the consistency of pancake batter. Season mixture with salt.
Dip the zucchini blossoms into the batter and wipe any excess batter off the side of the bowl. Fry the blossoms in oil (4 to 5 at a time–do not overcrowd the pan) until golden brown on all sides.
Remove from oil, place on paper-towel lined plate, and salt immediately. Repeat until all of the zucchini blossoms have been fried. Serve immediately.
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