Joys of the Summer Garden

I’m beginning to understand what it means to be an adult living in the suburbs: namely, that you work all week and do chores all weekend. It’s not really so bad, especially if you can squeeze in a decent yoga session, a trip to the wave pool, or time to embrace your food obsession.

I've attempted to do all of those things this weekend, as the Steel City has been graced with an exceedingly rare bout of beautiful weather. The humidity is low, the sun is out, and the weeds are rioting in the yard and garden outside my little duplex. I spent the majority of yesterday trying to tame them, and checking up on the few plants I've been nurturing into adulthood.

I'm rather attached to these plants because this year, instead of purchasing pre-sprouted young plants, I decided to grow my vegetables from seeds. The effort was fairly successful, although the process took longer than I first anticipated. In fact, I’m still waiting for fruit. And though I’m literally dying to get my hands on the sweet bell peppers and tomatoes that I expect will be forthcoming shortly, there is a consolation prize.

And what a consolation prize it is! My zucchini plants are providing me with zucchini flowers! 

It is my experience that many Americans often don't know that you can eat zucchini flowers, and in addition to being novel, they are delicious! There are many ways to prepare them: you can cook them into a frittata, toss them in olive oil for a summer pasta dish, or you can go for the gold and FRY them! 

The following recipe was adapted from my boyfriend's mother, L-, who taught me, and continues to teach me, the finer points of gardening, cooking and loving. 

Beer-Battered Stuffed Zucchini Flowers

This recipe proves that even fried foods can have a delicate flavor and texture. The traditional recipe for these morsels calls for one to stuff the zucchini flowers with sardines and Pecorino Fresco. I’ve found it hard to find pecorino fresco that knocks my socks of in my price range, so fresh mozzarella works as well! Veg heads and vegans alike can exclude the the cheese for an animal-product free version, and it will still taste delicious. 

Ingredients:

1-2 Cups Vegetable oil, for frying

2/3 Cup Unbleached Flour

1 1/4 Cup Light Beer Salt and Pepper to taste

10-12 Zucchini Flowers, washed and dried with the stamen removed. Beware! You must look inside the flowers as there are frequently hungry little ants inside that you’ll want to remove.

6 oz. Mozzarella, divided evenly into the number of flowers you’ve harvested

Directions:

Add oil to a wok or large frying pan, and begin to heat on medium-high. The oil is heated appropriately if a drop of batter sizzles when added to the oil.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, beer, salt and pepper to make a runny batter.

Gently open the flowers, and stuff each one with a piece of the mozzarella. Gently wrap the flower petals around the cheese. Dip the flower in the batter and transfer immediately to the hot oil. Repeat with each flower, but only add as many to the oil at one time as the pan can hold without the flowers sitting on top of one another. Cook until they turn golden brown on each side, flipping occasionally (2-3 minutes).

Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel. Serve hot to hungry friends with fresh marinara!

Nutrition Information:

You don't want to know. 

It's fried food. 

It's an indulgence. 

It's summer. 

Don't ask questions.