Blooming Squash Blossoms

Hello all! Took a break from writing about food, but certainly not from cooking or eating. As of yesterday, we have a new obsession - fried squash blossoms! Zucchini has always been a favorite in our house. The squash blossoms of which I speak are the precursor to the zucchini vegetable. Anyone who has ever thrown a couple of squash seeds into the ground is familiar with the bright yellow flowers that announce the coming of the squash. For many years, the flowers were a source of joy for me because I knew that the plants were working. The Irish/Catholic in me always believes that I am doing everything wrong so the flowers were a nod from the universe that something had gone right. The versatile and much-loved zucchini would soon be showing up. While reading an article in La Cucina Italiana a few years ago, it was brought to my attention that the Italians not only harvest the squash, but the flowers as well. Closer examination and a bit of further research showed me that the flowers are then stuffed, fried and eaten. After procrastinating for a few years... yesterday arrived. With the arrival of yesterday came the arrival of 9 squash blossoms that appeared ripe for the picking. I researched recipes and proper handling of the flowers AFTER picking them, of course. I don't recommend this. I now know that the flowers that come off easily are the male flowers. Male flowers are fine to pick. They do not disrupt the natural flow of events with your squash production. The female flowers are more challenging to pull of. There is a reason for this. The reason being that right behind the female flower is the actual beginnings of the zucchini squash. Pick the flower and end the zucchini's life. I believe I killed five yesterday. I know better moving forward. Anyway...flowers in hand, I progressed to the kitchen. My kids and their friends made various comments about being 'forced' to endure the torture of trying yet another food experiment, this one involving the eating of flowers. I ignored them all. This experiment had been years in the making and I was going ahead with it. I am happy to report that the only negative comments I received upon completion of this food experiment were the ones asking why I hadn't planted more zucchini plants so that we could have more fried squash blossoms. Vengeance is mine, sayeth the mother!

You'll have to bear with me a little on this one. I sort of made this recipe up as I went according to what I had on hand, so the measurements are approximations... Also, squash blossoms are delicate so tread lightly.

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 medium sweet onion, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup queso fresco cheese (you can use any cheese that's a little salty)

5-6 basil leaves, ripped

male squash blossoms (or female if you don't mind losing the zucchini)

1 egg

2 tbsp water

2-3 tbsp flour

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

vegetable oil for frying

In a small frying pan, heat the olive oil over med-high heat. Saute the garlic and onion until golden - about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Combine queso fresco, onion/garlic mixture and basil (mash it up with your hands). Working carefully, clean the squash blossoms by swirling them in a bowl of clean water. Gently either rip the flower down one side or cut it with kitchen shears so that it lays flat and open on a cutting board surface. Depending on the size of the flower, use about 1 tsp of the cheese mixture. Place the cheese on the flower and roll the flower back to its original shape, around the cheese mixture. Continue until all flowers are filled in this manner.

Beat the egg and water together in a bowl.

Combine the flour and panko bread crumbs in a pie plate.

Heat about an inch of the vegetable oil in a large frying pan (I used a paella pan) over high heat until the surface shimmers.

Dip the squash blossom packets in the egg mixture and then dredge in the panko mixture. Immediately place the blossom into the oil. Allow to cook for about 2 minutes per side (or until they take on a golden brown color). Drain on paper towels. Cool for a couple of minutes. Indulge! So good!

Apparently these are usually served with some kind of marinara sauce for dipping, but we just ate them straight off the plate. My daughters forbid me from sharing any with their brothers so that they might each get more. The husband loved them also. Three happy, smiling, totally thumbs up family members!!!