Seasonal recipe

Courgette Flowers

A quick spin on a classic: Ricotta stuffed and deep-fried courgette flowers with a hint of spicy tomato jam. The second part of this summer’s tomato special.

Part 1

Tomato Jam

Ingredients

1.2kg san marzano & black beefsteak tomatoes
300g cane caster sugar
4tbsp red wine vinegar
2tbsp chilli flakes
2tsp salt

Step 1

Boil a pot of water, drop the tomatoes until the skin cracks (approximately 1 minute) and refresh in iced water. Peel the tomatoes and chop into big chunks.

Recipe note

Don't overcook the tomatoes at this point. You just want to peel the skin off and keep them as whole and fresh as possible in this step. The big chunks add a nice bite to the final jam, don’t cut them too fine!

Step 2

Add all the jam ingredients to a shallow pan and start cooking on high heat until the mix comes to a boil.

Step 3

Reduce the heat and continue to cook for approximately 1hr. The jam will slowly thicken and turn a deep red colour.

Step 4

Once the jam has thickened, you should be able to lift it onto a spoon without it dripping too much. Adjust seasoning if needed and add a pinch of citric acid to balance off the sweetness (optional). Transfer to a jar and cool.

Part 2

Stuffing

Ingredients

500g soft ricotta
1 grated pecorino
1 egg yolk
2bsp white miso
50g finely chopped herbs

Recipe note

In this recipe I'm using a mix of nut-based cheeses a made myself (recipe will come at some point!). If you’re dairy free, you can easily swap the Ricotta for a plant-based spread or even a cream cheese. As for the Pecorino, try a plant-based parmesan or something dry you can grate. As for the egg, try 1tsp ground chia seed if you’re vegan.

Step 1

Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk until cream. Fill into a piping bag with a nozzle that fits the width of the courgette flowers. Best to chill for an hour or so before using.

Recipe note

Inside the flowers there's a little growth called the Stamen. It can sometimes be bitter (but not always, depending on the size). I always prefer to remove it before stuffing and frying the flowers. Delicately open the leaves and insert your index inside the flower, try to move the stamen around until it splits from the stem, and gently lift it out.

Step 2

Fill each courgette flower about halfway to the top and bring the top leaves together to close the flowers.

Part 3

Batter & Fry

Ingredients

75g corn flour
25g plain flour
100ml cold sparkling water
1 pinch salt
Oil for frying (rapeseed, avocado, etc)

Step 1

Start by filling up a deep pot with some rapeseed or avocado oil. Best to use a thermometer for this, you want it to reach around 180C.

Recipe note

While the oil heats up, measure all the dry ingredients for the batter and wait for the oil to be at the correct temperature before moving on to the next step. The key to a crispy batter is the difference in temperature between the batter and the oil itself. If the batter sits at room temperature for too long the flowers will be soggy.

Step 2

Once the oil reaches 180C, add the sparkling water into the dry ingredients and whisk until you have a loose pancake mix consistency. Dip the flowers into the batter and straight into the pot of boiling oil. Fry for approximately 1 minute on each side. Drain on some kitchen paper and season with salt.

Part 4

Assemble

Ingredients

Tomato jam
Tomato powder
Fresh basil, parsley and tarragon
Fresh flowers to taste
Salt

Step 1

Place the flowers onto a plate, and dust with some of the tomato powder. Add a few spoons of tomato jam, garnish with some picked herbs and flowers, finish with salt to taste.

Credits

Recipe & Photography: DeadHungry
Assistant: Karol Adamiak