She Paused 4 Thought

Food, Fun and Travel

Zucchini Blossoms… painting, procreating & preparation!

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Stuffed squash blossoms with chicken sausage
Zucchini blossoms are delicate by design, exquisite to eat, and pleasurable to paint.
But today I didn’t just paint Mother Nature…
watercolor-painting-squash-blossom-

I tampered with it.

Really, it wasn’t my fault – the birds and bees were busy elsewhere. I shamelessly did the bee’s dirty work as I hand-pollinated the zucchini flowers with my artist’s brush.

zucchini-blossom-in-garden

Painting with pollen helps facilitate fruit to mature. And yes, botanically speaking, zucchini is considered a fruit, even though we treat it like a vegetable.

This tampering all came about when I couldn’t figure out why I had so many blossoms, yet very little fruit. Traditionally, zucchini live by the “be fruitful and multiply” decree, so I embarked on an Internet voyage to navigate the secret sex life of squash. Flowers are a plant’s sex organs – the provocative colors and aromas exist for one purpose… procreation. For all of you who are rolling your eyes, you obviously skipped biology class that day.

To help nature along, I first had to identify the male blossoms from the female. This is harder than you might think! One was slender with a frilly skirt, the other looked more masculine, anatomically speaking. But no, it was the opposite. Guess it’s time to order that Biology for Dummies book.

female-and-male-squash-blossoms

But once I looked inside the flower, it all became very clear. I plucked out their private parts in preparation for my culinary delight.

female-and-male-squash-blossoms-sexes

No matter which sex, both flowers are edible. Visually, females are more delightful… of course. They are also more expensive… naturally.  Some things hold true in all aspects of life.

Today’s Featured Recipe:

I am constantly inspired to try unusual produce when I go to the farmer’s market. Zucchini blossoms have been my cherished selection so far. All summer long I have been stuffing blossoms with diverse ingredients. This recipe comes to you after much trial and error, and is my personal favorite so far.

stuffed zucchini blossoms

I find the best sausage to use is fresh, and I prefer Aidell’s chicken sausages. They can be purchased at your local grocery store or online. This mild chicken sausage complements the delicate flavor of the flower, and is simple to work with.

stuffed-zucchini blossoms with chicken sausage
Print

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

This fun recipe can be served as an entrée or a side.
Author Cathy Arkle

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small zucchini - diced
  • 10 -12 zucchini blossoms
  • 8 ounces fresh chicken sausage - approx. 2 links
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese - grated
  • 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 garlic clove - diced
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Brush the inside of a 20 x 12 baking dish with 1½ tablespoons of oil
.
  3. Open the flower and remove the pistil/stamen.
  4. Skin the sausages, remove the meat and crumble into a mixing bowl.
  5. Add the chopped zucchini, egg, cheese, breadcrumbs, and garlic - mix well.
  6. Carefully open each flower and insert a little of the sausage mixture into each flower - twist to close.
  7. Arrange the flowers on the baking dish in rows. Season to taste with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remainder of the oil.
  8. Bake until the flowers and stuffing are cooked, about 15 - 20 minutes.
  9. Place flowers in rows on a serving platter and serve hot
.

You can also make this dish by sautéing the stuffed flowers in some extra virgin olive oil. I find almost anything goes when it comes to all the great flavors of sausages that are available now. Have fun with it.shepaused4thought_line-NEW

Hope you enjoyed plant sex education 101, as well as learning to make a fabulous new dish.
…and then, she paused for thought.

 

 

Yum

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. nusrat2010

    And your posts are always pleasurable to read and to look at 🙂 Thanks for the unusually amusing, inviting recipe 🙂
    And loved that Van Gogh like striking yellow blossom painting!

    Another great share, thanks a ton, dear. Hugs.

    Reply

  6. Teri Ciani

    Hi! Cathy,
    I hope you enjoyed the summer and I love this recipe my husband’s my mother used to dip the batter in a light fritter batter and fry them up once every summer. They were memorable. I love your painting as it brings nice memories with it. Would you consider selling it to me?
    I wish you and your husband all the best and a great fall.
    Warm regards,
    Teri Ciani

    Reply

I would love to hear from you!