Beer Battered Zucchini Flowers
Cook Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
20 minutes
Serves
5
Light, fragrant zucchini flowers filled with cream cheese, parmesan, herbs and chilli encased in a crispy beer batter and drizzled with honey.
Ingredients
- 3 cups grape seed oil (or oil for frying)
For the filling
- 10 - 12 zucchini flowers (with stems or baby zucchini attached)
- 200g cream cheese
- ½ cup mixed herbs, I used a combo of parsley, thyme & dill
- ½ lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp Chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp parmesan cheese
- A good pinch of salt and pepper
For the batter
- 1 cup of plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 x 330ml bottle pale ale (or any beer you like)
- 1 tsp salt
Topping
- 1/4 tsp Finishing salt
- 1 tsp few thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Make the filling by combining the cream cheese, herbs, lemon zest, salt, pepper, chilli flakes and parmesan cheese in a bowl
- Gently remove stamen and pistil from the centre of each flowers, taking care not to damage petals, then add a tbsp of filling into the centre and carefully twist the petals to seal. Repeat until each flower is filled
- Put your oil into a medium pan and heat until oil becomes hot
- Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder and salt in a container, stir to combine. Slowly add the ale stirring as you go. Keep adding until you get a batter to a consistency of thickened cream, you don’t need to worry about removing all the lumps, they add texture!
- In a separate container add ¾ cup of flour, then dip in one flower at a time into the flower then into the batter
- Carefully lower a couple of coated flowers into the batter, fry on one side for 30-60 seconds, then turn over using a pair of tongs, fry for another 30-60 seconds, until golden brown, place on paper towel to train, repeat with remaining flowers
- To serve scatter over a little finishing salt, drizzle over the honey, scatter over thyme leaves, edible flowers and at the last second a couple of drops of lemon juice
- Serve immediately.