Sautéed Squash Blossoms: Two Ways

In high school, when my family lived in Southern California, I began keeping a small container garden on our back patio (which I sometimes referred to as a "pot garden," before I remembered that had a completely different meaning in SoCal). There were five large pots, one for herbs, and two each for tomatoes and zucchini. The herbs and tomatoes did well, but wow! Those zucchini wouldn't stop growing! I let every flower grow into a zucchini in the first year for fear I'd pluck all the flowers and be left with nothing. Well, that year we grew tired of zucchini bread and zucchini salads and sautéed zucchini, and every morning it seemed I would go out to find a giant specimen as big as my forearm hiding under the leaves, though I could have sworn it was not there yesterday.

Anyway, the second year I began to eat the blossoms. And I'm glad I did!

If you've never eaten zucchini flowers, or really any summer squash flower, you're in for a treat. The stem and receptacle have a delicate spinach-like flavor and a lovely crunch, while the petals themselves taste like very mild lettuces.

I came into my bounty of blossoms not (sadly) from my own garden, but the little farmer's market down the street which was selling about a pound of the flowers for $2. This is a steal. Unless you're growing your own, farmer's markets are the way to go in acquiring the blossoms. But you have to use them the same day you buy - freshness is key.

Preparing them for cooking can be a bit of a hassle. You have to delicately unfold the tissue-paper-like leaves, remove the stigma (the nub covered with pollen), and then wash the flowers inside and out. It's best to do this beforehand, and let the blossoms dry.

Stuffing and frying is the typical way to go with zucchini blossoms - plenty of Italian restaurants, come summer, will feature fiori di zucca on their menu, blossoms stuffed with cheese and fried until golden brown. However, I'm trying to "lighten up," and dealing with a pan of hot oil did not strike me as appealing with the rising heat here in Los Angeles. But the other popular method for preparing stuffed blossoms is baking, and turning on the oven seemed like a worse idea, especially since my roommate mentioned the energy bill was up last month. So, sauté it is!

Sautéed Stuffed Squash Blossoms
Serves 4 (as an appetizer or light side dish)

16-24 large squash blossoms, cleaned and dried
8 oz soft goat cheese
⅓ cup assorted fresh herbs, chopped fine (I used sage, basil, and parsley)
2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
Olive oil spray

1. In a small bowl, combine goat cheese, herbs, and pepper. Mash lightly with a fork until well-combined.
2. Gingerly open each squash blossom. Using your fingers, stuff about 2-3 teaspoons worth of filling into the base of the blossom. Twist the petals together, and set aside.
3. Heat a large nonstick pan on medium-high. Lightly spray with olive oil and add blossoms to the pan, taking care not to crowd them. Cook for approximately 1-2 minutes on each side, or until petals begin to golden. Repeat until all blossoms are cooked.
4. Transfer to plates and serve.

**Note: Blossoms are great finger food! The entire flower is edible - pick up by the stem and pop the whole thing into your mouth. Watch out for hot cheese!

Sautéed Squash Blossoms
Serves 4 (as a light side)

1 lb fresh squash blossoms, petals and receptacles separated
Olive oil spray
Salt and pepper

1. Preheat a large nonstick pan on medium-high. Lightly spray with olive oil. Add receptacles and cook for 1 minute, or until bright green.
2. Add petals and continue cooking until petals are wilted, about another minute.
3. Finish with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.