Savory squash blossoms. Photo by Liddie Martinez

By LIDDIE MARTINEZ
Española Valley

Squash blossoms are very beautiful and equally delicate so, having them served as an appetizer makes the occasion special. You will not likely find squash blossoms at a grocery store. They are too delicate and do not have a shelf life of more than a day or two if properly cared for and stored. The best place to source is at a Farmer’s Market unless you grow them yourself. It is worth the effort. I plant at least a couple of squash plants every year that are primarily harvested as blossoms.

Select male squash blossoms from your plants. The male flowers have thin, long stems and female flowers have shorter, thick stems with a baby squash forming right behind the flower. Most squash plants develop an abundance of male flowers which will die off never producing squash and are perfect to collect for eating. Your plant only needs a couple of male flowers to pollinate the female flowers to produce fruit.  Rince with a gentle shower if needed and allow to air dry on paper towels. I like to pick them very early in the morning when they are just starting to open. They should be eaten the day they are picked before they wilt. You can remove the stamens as they are easier to stuff but they are edible, and you can skip this step. To store, place in a colander and cover with damp paper towels and set in refrigerator crisper until needed but use before 24 hours have passed.

I’m sure that the first stuffed squash blossoms were served by Native Americans and imagine that they were used in a variety of creative ways as both sweet and savory treats. I’ve had squash blossoms stuffed with mild, soft cheese gently fried crisp and served with a dusting of powdered sugar or drizzled with honey but my favorite way of using these versatile flowers is to stuff them with leftovers. I learned this from my mother who thought that the idea of reinventing a recipe by using what you had on hand was the creative gift of a food artist. Food should always be plated to please the eye and taste even better than it looks. To accomplish this feat using leftovers is the sign of a highly talented cook.

Today is found some seasoned taco meat left over from Taco Tuesday and some cheddar cubes that never made it onto the charcuterie tray we enjoyed over the weekend. There was still some cilantro and cherry tomatoes in the fridge and even a small tub of left over salsa. All I needed was a couple of eggs and some panko breadcrumbs and we were in business. I did slice the cheese cubes into thirds so that it would melt quickly. I used long strands of cilantro to tie the tops of the stuffed blossoms so they wouldn’t spill filling, but the tie will eventually fall off as you roll the flower in the breadcrumbs. If you use two hands and hold the blossom top closed with your left hand and then twist the stem with your right hand in the eggs wash and breadcrumbs, the egg will seal the top and a tie is then not needed; however, if you are nervous and still learning, go ahead and tie them.

Add salt and pepper to the egg wash and the breadcrumbs if desired. I found that the taco meat was seasoned enough and didn’t add more seasoning and risk overpowering the delicate flavor of the flower.

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil

8 Squash Blossoms with long stems

⅓ cup ground beef sauteed with minced onion and garlic

8 cubes white cheddar cubes

2 eggs

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

One pinch Salt & Pepper

6-8 cherry tomatoes

cilantro for garnish

Heat the canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Arrange a breading station beating eggs in a wide dish and putting the breadcrumbs in another. Stuff the blossoms and roll in eggs and then breadcrumbs before placing gently in skillet. Fry for a minute on each side until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Plate with a garnish of cilantro leaves and cherry tomatoes and serve warm with a side of salsa.

Serves 4.

Editor’s note: Liddie Martinez is the author of the popular award winning Chile Line Cookbook: Historic Recipes of Northern New Mexico, which is available online at https://thechileline505.square.site/

How to prepare savory squash blossom. Video by Liddie Martinez