Ingredients / Produce / Summer
Zucchini Blossoms
Proof the best part of the zucchini was never the zucchini.
Know this
The plant's edible flower, delicate and faintly sweet. So perishable they wilt within a day, so cook them the morning you pick or buy them. Pinch out the stamen inside first, and check for the odd hitchhiking bug.
Cook
Stuffed and fried is the classic. Stuff with ricotta, dip in a light batter, and fry until just crisp. Pinch out the stamen first.
Season
High summer, picked in the cool of the morning.
Best pairings
ricotta · parmesan · lemon · basil · mint · chili honey
Also worth trying: mozzarella, goat cheese, cornmeal, anchovy, garlic, sea salt, marjoram, black pepper, ricotta salata, chili flakes.
Recommended wine
A crisp, light white. Vermentino, Pinot Grigio, or dry Prosecco. Around $15 to $30.
See the full pairing guide