Squash blossom cuisine - using the yellow male flowers from squash in recipes - includes recipes

Flower & Garden Magazine, August-Sept, 1993 by Lynn Nagengast

At Some Point in the summer, even squash-lovers get tired of squash.

We've had it grated in salads, sauteed as a side dish, cook in casseroles, grilled on kabobs and baked into cakes. The vegetable greeted so eagerly early in the season becomes a nuisance.

It's time to get ruthless. Don't let so many of the fledgling squash grow up. Keep some of those male flowers from sharing their pollen with the bumblebees. It's time for squash blossom cuisine.

The big, golden edible flowers of the squash plant have been eaten for centuries, and now they are enjoying a comeback among American gourmets. Unfortunately, they are almost never found in markets because they are so perishable. They open in the morning, bright and fresh, and are withered by the next day. If picked at their peak, however, they can be stored in a closed bag in the refrigerator for a few days.

Flowers can be taken from any member of the Cucurbita genus, which includes summer squash, winter squash and pumpkins. It makes sense, of course, to take them only from the prolific summer squash, which can outrun even the most enthusiastic cook.

A variety introduced in 1988, called |Butterblossom,' is particularly good for squash blossom lovers. It comes from a male breeding line used to produce hybrids, so it is a heavy producer of flowers.

It is important to grow squash organically if the flowers are to be eaten. Pesticides will cling to the blossoms, and they can't be washed the way the hard-skinned vegetables can.

In many parts of the country, though, growing squash organically is difficult. If the striped or spotted cucumber beetles don't infect the plant with bacterial wilt when it's young, it will succumb to the squash bugs or vine borers later.

But gardeners with those problems can still grow squash blossoms. If the goal is to produce just flowers, pollination is not an issue. Plants can be protected with a floating row cover.

Plants have both male and female flowers, and both can be used in cooking. The females should be cut with the baby squash intact. The males should be cut with an inch or two of stem.

The flowers are traditionally prepared by deep-frying in a batter, often stuffed first with cheese or sauteed vegetables. They can also be left uncooked and used as extravagant garnishes for cold soups or salads.

RICOTTA-STUFFED

ZUCCHINI FLOWERS

Serves approximately 15 with other hors d'oeuvres or 10 as an appetizer course. 1 lb. ricotta cheese 1 onion, minced 1/2 C. toasted almonds or pine nuts, finely chopped 1/2 C. grated Italian Asiago (or Parmesan) cheese 1/2 t. ground pepper 1 t. seasoning salt 2 T. minced fresh basil or 1 t. dried 2 T. minced parsley 1 t. melted butter

Approximately 20 to 30 medium zucchini (or any other squash) flowers, freshly picked and rinsed in cold water Nasturtium blossoms for garnish

Mix together all ingredients except butter and flowers. With filling at room temperature, use a pastry tube to carefully stuff flowers; do not overfill.

Drizzle melted butter over flowers and cook in microwave on medium power for 3 minutes, or at 350 [degrees] in a regular oven for about 15 minutes. Be careful not to let the filling ooze out of flowers.

Garnish with nasturtiums stuffed with extra filling. Recipe from Cooking from the Garden by Rosalind Creasy, Sierra Club Books, 1988; 560 pp., S35.

GARDEN SQUASH AND

NASTURTIUM BUTTER

PASTA

Serves 2. 18 to 20 nasturtium blossoms 2 shallots, diced small 1 t. each finely chopped fresh savory and thyme 2 t. finely chopped Italian parsley 4 T. sweet butter, softened Salt and pepper 4 each tiny yellow and green squash with flowers 1/2 cup chicken stock Tagliatelle (ribbon-shaped noodles) for 2 Additional nasturtium blossoms for garnish

Separate nasturtiums from stems and chop the flowers. Blend flowers, shallots and herbs together with butter and season with salt and pepper. Slice squash into thin rounds and squash blossoms into ribbons. Keep each separate.

Gently saute squash alone in half the nasturtium butter for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken stock and squash blossoms and simmer while you cook the pasta. Drain pasta and add it with remaining nasturtium butter to squash. Season and mix well. Serve garnished with additional nasturtium blossoms. Recipe from Chez Panisse Pasta, Pizza, and Calzone by Alice Waters, Patricia Curtan and Martine Labro; Tango Rose, Inc., Random House, 1984; 196 pp., $22.50.

SQUASH BLOSSOM SOUP

3 T. butter 1 small onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 3 dozen squash or pumpkin

blossoms, chopped 3 C. chicken broth 1 C. half-and-half Salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft. Add blossoms and stir until softened. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Pour mixture into a blender or food processor and blend until pureed. Return mixture to the saucepan, slowly add half-and-half and season to taste. Serves 4. Recipe from The New Zucchini Cookbook and other Squash by Nancy C. Ralston & Marynor Jordan, Storey/Garden Way Publishing, 1990; 176 pp., $7.95 softcover.