Stuffed Squash Blossoms

This is basically the traditional Italian recipe I learned in Florence, where the blossoms are piled high in every market. It's fancy sounding but super quick and easy. Pictured are the fresh blossoms, and the fried version served on a simple salad of baby arugula/chard, heirloom tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar. Probably the most heavenly thing I've cooked/eaten all summer.

6 squash blossoms
1/3 cup chevre
1 tablespoon minced onion or shallot.
2 fresh figs, pureed
2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
pinch salt
(There are a million variations on this. You can use any mild cheese like ricotta or queso fresco, and whatever seasonings you prefer/have on hand. In my case this included fresh figs and basil from the HGP.)

In one bowl: 1 egg beaten with a little milk
In another bowl: a little flour (I used whole wheat. any kind is fine. or cornmeal, or bread crumbs.) with a pinch of salt and pepper.


Remove stem and prickly things, leaving flower intact. Rinse and dry. Mix together cheese and seasoning. Carefully spoon a small amount of filling into each blossom and twist the petals closed. Dip each blossom into egg and then flour, pan fry lightly in oil. They should brown nicely on each side in a few minutes. Eat them while they're hot! (Don't worry, I was definitely eating another one out of hand while taking the above picture.)

More squash blossoms (soup? risotto? fritatta? which to try next?)
Ideas from Chez Panisse, Rick Bayless, Diana Kennedy
5 recipes from seasonalchef.com