Flowers For Dinner! Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Anyone else out there a Gilmore fan? It's pretty much one of the best shows ever created, so if you aren't yet a fan, please go rent/Netflix/borrow one of the first few seasons and re-consider. It's brilliant. Anyway, Sookie (the chef at the inn) throws a fit in one of the episodes because her produce guy doesn't bring her the squash blossoms she's requested. Her fit includes multiple iterations of the phrase "stuffed, fried squash blossoms" and kinda sticks with you.

So, a couple years ago, when I was wandering the Farmer's Market on a Saturday and saw an entire basket of squash blossoms, the phrase popped into my head and I had to bring some home. Once home, however, I realized that I had NO idea how to prepare/stuff/cook/eat squash blossoms...at all. A little internet research gave me some ideas, but nothing that looked quite right. So, I decided to wing it. I mean, what could go wrong, right?

Whatever I did worked - they turned out beautifully. Since then, I've looked forward to finding these little beauties at the market. They're only around for a few short weeks every summer, so you have to keep an eye out and grab 'em if you see 'em (unless I'm behind you, in which case, don't you dare buy the last bunch).

The taste is a bit hard to describe - it's very light, and has obvious floral undertones, but other than that...just trust me and try 'em for yourself.

Now, as for how to cook 'em:  

Step one: rinse your blossoms and remove the pistils. 

The first time I made them...I had no idea where to even start. Ever tried to cook flowers? It's NOT intuitive. The ends are all scrunched up and stuck together. I ended up going the "slice open one side and pull the pistil out" route, and it seemed to work much better than tediously attempting to pry open the bloom and pull out the insides without tearing anything. Also, if you twist the bloom just right after you fill it, nothing will squish out the cut side. 

I have discovered how to unfold the blossoms over the years, but if you're a rookie, the "slice and twist" method will work fine.

Step two: stuff the blossoms.
I fill them with varying mixtures of ricotta, Italian seasoning, garlic, minced onion, parmesan or mozzarella cheese, and lemon juice (depending on what's in the fridge or what I feel like that night). Just mix the stuff up in a bowl and fill the blossoms using a Ziploc or pastry bag. 

Step three: bake.

Then, twist the ends, dip them in buttermilk and bread crumbs, and place them on a baking sheet in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or so. 

That's it! Pretty simple once you've done it a few times. Don't get discouraged by the tedious process the first time you make 'em - it gets easier. Let me know what y'all think if you try 'em!

Stuffed, Baked Squash Blossoms

Ingredients

• 12-18 squash blossoms
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• A good amount of Italian seasoning
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• A squirt of lemon juice
• A few good shakes of minced onion
• A handfull of mozzerella or parmesan cheese
• Buttermilk
• Italian breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Prepare the squash blossoms - rinse and remove the pistil (gently, they will tear)
2. Mix together the ricotta, seasoning, garlic, and lemon juice, onion, and cheese. Fill a pastry or Ziploc bag with the mixture.
3. Fill each blossom 2/3 full with the mixture and twist the petal ends to seal
4. Dip each blossom first into the buttermilk then into the bread crumbs, coating the entire blossom
5. Place the blossoms on a baking sheet and bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes