Zucchini Blossoms

There are certain fruits and vegetables that are so delicate and elusive that every year when I do have a chance to get my hands on them, I feel like it’s the biggest gift ever.

This winter has been tough on local crops and the wait for the arrival of the much beloved zucchini blossoms has been endless. Every weekend I would go to the farmers market and inquire the farmer about them. “Not yet, maybe next week”, he kept saying week after week. I would even call a few days before so I knew what to expect and to have the rest of my ingredients ready for when the much anticipated blossoms arrived.

Even my friend D. who also goes to the farmers market religiously was so intrigued by these little flowers. She had never seen or heard of them and was curious to taste what I was so enthusiastic about.

A couple of Sundays ago, we arrived early and waited and waited for the second delivery van to arrive. If you have ever held a zucchini blossom in your hand, you know how delicate they are and must be picked right before selling them or cooking with them otherwise they wilt quickly. We stood there first in line to get the best of the pick and laid them carefully on a tray to bring them home.

We decided to stuff them with a brown rice couscous, sauteed shiitakes, herbs and goat cheese mixture. Then quickly browned them in olive oil and finished them with a splash of lemon juice and a dab of butter. We had some leftover for the next day so I made a quick tart with goat cheese and the blossoms for my mom inspired by my dear friend Penny‘s cover of Saveur magazine. We loved them and what a way to begin Spring.

Brown Rice Couscous, Goat Cheese and Shiitake Zucchini Blossoms

12 zucchini blossoms
1 cup cooked brown rice couscous or quinoa
1/4 cup shiitakes, sauteed in olive oil
1 Tbs goat cheese, crumbled
1 Tbs parsley, chopped
1 Tbs basil, chopped
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1 clove of garlic
2 Tbs Olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
1 Tbs butter

Mix together the cooked couscous, cooked shiitakes, goat cheese, fresh herbs. Season with a bit of salt and pepper and taste it. Adjust seasoning.

Stuff the blossoms with about 1-2 tsp of the mixture and roll the tops to seal in the filling.

Heat the olive oil in a large non stick pan. Cook the garlic clove slowly until it infuses the oil and then remove it. Brown the stuffed zucchini blossoms for about 1 minute on each side. Add the lemon juice. Turn the heat off and add the butter. Swirl the pan to create a bit of a sauce. Serve immediately.


you may also like…


79 Responses to “Zucchini Blossoms”

  1. jen says:

    yum! it all looks amazing.

  2. Hey, I’ve heard a lot about couscous since my days in the U.S. But never get around to make it … Hope to try it out someday … when time allows …

    Yours looks gorgeous, in every way, as always.

    Love from Malaysia!

  3. Marisa says:

    Pretty pretty pretty! I so love your photos and zucchini blossoms are truly a thing of beauty.

  4. S-Chef says:

    Lovely picts! Reminds me of a (beautiful!) recent Saveur magazine title! — Jealous, too, we in Maine are 3 months away from zucchini blossoms…

  5. Cecilia says:

    Beautiful zucchini blossoms, love your pictures! I’ve never seen brown rice couscous at my grocery store. Is there a particular brand that makes them?

  6. S-Chef- oh totally! my friend Penny de los Santos shot that cover and this tart is completely inspired by her.

    cecilia- it was Lundberg.

    Thank you everyone!

  7. rachel says:

    Ooh I love frying up zuchini blossoms! Maybe they will be out my farmers market this Saturday? Such a delicious little delicacy. yum!

  8. jultchik says:

    Die Fotos sehen sehr schön aus!!!

  9. rock and roll says:

    We just like them dipped into a light tempura batter and fried without any stuffing

  10. It looks absolutely fantastic and I’m so inspired every time I look at your blog that I have given you a blog award. Please “pop in and collect” your award at my blog. Love from London C x

  11. Bertha says:

    I saw these beauties often on the web but I’ve never get the chance to try them nor have I seen them anywhere here. Hopefully I can get my hands on them pretty soon. Beautiful shots!

  12. Elena says:

    That looks crazy delicious!

  13. Lady Grey says:

    My Italian aunt makes something like this and it is out of this world!

  14. Anonymous says:

    Have you known that in Turkey stuffed zucchini is a common meal that especially the older generation do? It has an amazing flavor.

  15. I’ve been wanting to try zucchini blossoms for a long time. They are so beautiful.

  16. Alaina says:

    I’m curious to know what a zucchini blossom tastes like? A zucchini, I suppose?

  17. Oh, Zucchini blossoms! Yum! I had the most beautiful zucchini blossom gnocci in tuscany. So delicious. This recipe looks lovely.

  18. I love zucchini blossoms! I just cooked them for the first time last year. These sound delicious. Love how you prepared them. I’ll have to give your recipe a whirl :)

    Dawn
    http://thealternativebride.blogspot.com/

  19. whisk-kid says:

    I’ve never had zucchini blossoms, but they have always looked so beautiful…

    I’m loving these photos!

  20. Y says:

    Absolutely, well and truly, without doubt, my.kind.of.food. !

  21. Anonymous says:

    Delicioso!! yo a veces he visto pero no he comprado porque no sabia que hacer con ellas.:D bso CarmenZH

  22. Eloïse says:

    Bonjour!
    C’est la première fois que je laisse un commentaire…mais je lis ton blog depuis longtemps… et je l’adore… les recettes, les photos… et ce qui est chouette c’est de voir l’évolution depuis le premier post… ça donne envie… ;-)
    Merci pour toutes ces supers recettes !!

    Eloïse

    http://lesgourmandisesdeloise.blogspot.com/

  23. Jolette says:

    These look so delicious! I’ve read about zucchini flowers but never tasted them before.

  24. sarabara says:

    hi, your photos are absolutely divine! may i ask what camera you use?

  25. sarabara- I currently shoot with a Canon 5D. Thank you!

    Thanks everyone!

  26. I grew up eating couscous weekly in my native Morocco and love it so much!! I love the addition of goat cheese here. It has to be delicious.

  27. I just discovered zucchini blossoms last year and am so excited for them to arrive in a few weeks at the farmers market! Your recipes look wonderful. I’m really looking forward to trying the blossoms stuffed with couscous. Last year I just sauteed some garlic and anchovies and tossed in the zucchini blossoms and some pasta – which was wonderful, but I’m up for something e bit more exciting this time around! Thank you!

  28. I’ve been waiting for pumpkin blossoms, but I see your carrier is on the ball! Lovely photos and the blossoms just pop right out of the page–makes me wish I could just pluck them from my screen :)

  29. Looks divine!!! What brand of goat cheese do you buy and from what store? I have been searching for a really good one.

  30. Peter Bagi says:

    i fall in love with your work everytime I come to your blog!

  31. Rowaida says:

    The recipe looks delicious and the photos are beautiful Aran

  32. gail says:

    I love the colours of the photos on this post! Very spring-like and gorgeous!

  33. This post reminds me my days in Italy. The flavor of “fiori di zucchina” is something unforgettable.
    I’ll try this recipe soon.

  34. This post reminds me my days in Italy. The flavor of “fiori di zucchina” is something unforgettable.
    I’ll try this recipe soon. Thank you!!!

  35. nadia says:

    droole, droole, droole. okay i am jealous of your season harvest!

  36. Life with my sweeties- to be honest, i’m not sure which brand it was. i got it at the cheese counter at whole foods. i always ask the guy to suggest things.

    Thank you everyone!

  37. Dajda says:

    This looks exciting – we’ve got zucchini in our garden every year and the flowers always look tempting, but I’ve never really tried cooking them. I might now. :)

    Hope you’re having a wonderful Easter!

  38. Dajda- oh dear you should!! so lovely and so rare here… enjoy them. happy easter to you too!

  39. Alicia says:

    Heavenly!!! I’m off to the market tomorrow to get blossoms. The stuffed ones are going to be my dinner tomorrow…

  40. denise says:

    gosh i just discovered here a lot of yumminess :) i will be back for sure, happy easter!

  41. graceandivy says:

    Oh wow, these look amazing. I’m so glad you got your hands on some. Your photos are so lovely too. Hope you had a nice Easter! xo

  42. We eat a lot of zucchini flowers in Greece so this really reminds me of home!
    Magda

  43. Saara says:

    When I lived in Italy I made zuccini blossoms all the time. They are just so good and there you can buy them everywhere, all the time and for nothing. My favorites are in a pie with sundried tomatoes…

  44. Small Burst says:

    zucchini blossoms…yum. My mom puts them in soups.

  45. il ramaiolo says:

    Hello! I have no words! Your post is as always amazing and wonderful! Congratulations! Hello

  46. i love zucchini blossom candy. it’s like an over-sweet (mmmm) chewy yet jelly type of candy. like eating those jellied fruit slices…haven’t seen it any where other than brazil. maybe i can find a recipe for the rest of the world to enjoy :)

  47. Small burst- oh soup… Will try that next time.

    Mallory- Ive never heard of zucchini blosso
    candy. Must research if! Do get the recipe!

    Thank you!

  48. Jane says:

    Zucchini blossoms, as food, are something I have never yet tried, though I would love to do so!

    As always, your photos are such a wonderful treat. I just love them.

  49. Patrizia says:

    Oh wow! I love zucchini blossoms!!!!!!!!

  50. Indie.Tea says:

    I just tried zucchini blossoms last year, and they are phenomenal…haven’t seen them here yet but I will try your recipe once I find some.

  51. It is amazing looking dishes. Hope can see the recipe one day.

  52. miriam says:

    this is wonderful! i love your blog

  53. Inés says:

    Aran…insuperablea zara neska!. Zein exotikoa, zein ederra…sarrera hau. Udaberria usaintzen dut hemendik…

  54. oh, so lovely! i tried zucchini blossoms for the first time at Los Olivos Cafe in Los Olivos CA last year and completely fell in love… yum!!

  55. joanna says:

    Spring comes late to Nova Scotia and your photos are fulfilling my cravings until it comes! Your blog is filled with some of the most beautiful photos I have ever seen!

  56. Anne-Laure says:

    Wonderful blog !
    the pictures are georgous !

  57. anis says:

    Aran, the tart sounds so delicious!!! would you mind sharing the recipe did you use puff pastry for the base? thank you

  58. Esti says:

    Me encanta ver como tu blog se ha llenado de flores, cada post mas colorido que el anterior.

    Tienes razon en cuanto a la Semana Santa, aqui es lobrega y austera. Me encanta visitar blogs de gente que vive una semana santa mucho mas colorida. Es como abrir ventanas y ver el mar. Si aqui abres la ventana solo oyes atronar los tambores.

    Espero que estes bien. Luego te escribo.

  59. Esti- aqui a veces me da la sensacion que la gente pierde el sentido de lo que estamos celebrando, pero bueno, en el fondo que creo que lo que celebramos todos indistintamente de la religion es la primavera y el renacimiento de los colores, la luz, las flores… Mosus!

    Anis- It is a simple inverted puff pastry recipe. I had some leftover in the freezer although I am not eating any of it now. You can find the recipe here http://cannelle-vanille.blogspot.com/2008/12/seckel-pears-and-pate-feuilletee.html

    Thank you!

  60. I wrote about your recipe on my blog.
    I just loved it and I am going to the farmers market this week to make it! Thanks for the inspiration.
    Marci

  61. redmenace says:

    It is still too early for the blossoms here, but I absolutely cannot wait for them to appear. I’m planning to plant my zukes next week. This recipe looks fantastic and your pictures are, as always, just breathtaking. You inspire me. You do.

  62. katie says:

    Almost too pretty to eat. Thanks for the inspiring post. Now I can’t wait to get my hands on some squash blossoms.

  63. Samantha says:

    Your photos are gorgeous. I’m curious what lens you use, and what camera also. How do you post process them? They have this dreamy ethereal aspect to them, yet are so sharp. Do you use a prime lens?

  64. pity says:

    me pasa lo mismo, siempre llego la primera a mi puesto del borough market porque se acaban enseguida, ahora hace tiempo estoy esperandolas con ansia, aunque aqui en londres son carisimas, las venden de una en una, £1.50 cada una, me parecen carisimas, y cunado pienso que por ese precio en Mexico tienes una bolsa llena! A veces si compro muchas al llegar a casa las congelo. La primera vez que las probe fue precisamente en Mexico, en plena calle, una mujer en delantal relleno sus tortillas mexicanas de maiz azul con las flores, queso y champinones….me enamore. Besitos,

  65. Pity- nosotros tambien los probamos en mejico y que placer! a ver si las encuentras en borough.

    Samantha- for food photography i use the canon 100mm macro lens the most. i like fixed lenses for still life/food, but for travel i use the 24-105mm lens which gives me more flexibility. As for post processing, there is minimal. Contrast/brightness mostly. The ethereal look is really achieved with the lens, metering well and the right light. Thank you!

    Thank you everyone!

  66. Anonymous says:

    Aran- EHen ez dira halakorik azoketan ikusten. Baserritarren baterengana joan beharko gea. Argazki bikainak benetan. Leire

  67. Anonymous says:

    Aran- EHen ez dira halakorik azoketan ikusten. Baserritarren baterengana joan beharko gea. Argazki bikainak benetan. Leire

  68. Anonymous says:

    Aran- EHen ez dira halakorik azoketan ikusten. Baserritarren baterengana joan beharko gea. Argazki bikainak benetan. Leire

  69. Anonymous says:

    Aran- EHen ez dira halakorik azoketan ikusten. Baserritarren baterengana joan beharko gea. Argazki bikainak benetan. Leire

  70. anis says:

    thank you very much Aran i also use pierre herme recipe for pate feuilletee inversee but when i saw your tart i thought it was a gluten free version !

  71. I love zucchini blossoms! My dad’s garden is amazing and we cook hundreds of these every summer. Stuffed with cheese or a mashed potato mixture. Just delicious!

  72. Anis- i didn’t eat this tart unfortunately… made it for my mom who was craving it.

    Carmie- stuffed with mashed potatoes sounds good too. creamy!

    thank you!

  73. Anis says:

    but I am sure that when you will come with your own gluten free version it will be as good for sure!

  74. We have a vegetable in china called little yellow flowers.
    Taste really special and they are real flowers. They are similar with this one.

  75. Francesca says:

    I grew up in Vancouver, Canada and a few times a summer my Mum would pluck these from the garden and batter them and fry them and sprinkle with parmeggiano. They were few, but so delicious. I never had my fill, but perhaps that is why I loved them so.

    When I travelled to Italy for the first time I asked everyone and anyone if they served them and finally on the last few days of my journey, my Dad’s cousin told me we were having them for dinner and I couldn’t have been more delighted. She stuffed them with cheese and breaded them… oh so lovely.

    Now I grow zuchinni in my garden just for the blossoms.

    Thanks for sharing this… we will have to try it this summer.

  76. you are such an inspiration!

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.