Lindsey Nair

Features staff writer Lindsey writes about food, restaurants and recipes.

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Recipes

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• Recipe archive

For blossoms and stuffing:

8 large zucchini blossoms

3 Tbsp. olive oil

¼ cup minced shallot

2 minced garlic cloves

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

¼ cup chopped fresh chives

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

½ cup finely diced tomatoes

¼ cup Japanese bread crumbs

½ cup crumbled goat cheese

8 chive stems

For the batter:

1/3 cup flour

1/8 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. olive oil

½ cup canola oil

To clean blossoms:

Gently pry open and rinse with cold water. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towel.

To make stuffing:

In a small sauce pan, lightly saute shallots and garlic in olive oil until tender (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat and fold in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Using your fingers, gently pry open blossoms and add 2-3 teaspoons of filling. Tie the top of each blossom shut with a chive stem.

To make batter:

In a small bowl, whisk flour and ½ cup water until smooth. Add salt, pepper and olive oil. Holding the stem of each blossom, dip into batter, making sure to coat all sides.

In a large skillet, heat canola oil to 375 degrees. Submerge in oil for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden-brown. Remove and drain on paper towels and season with salt. Serve over heirloom tomato salad.

For salad:

4 medium ripe heirloom tomatoes, cut into bite-sized wedges (example: Brandywines, Sun Golds, Green Zebras, etc.) Salt and pepper to taste

Vinaigrette:

½ tsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

5 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. fresh chopped basil

Arrange tomatoes on center of plates and drizzle with vinaigrette. Top with stuffed blossom.