Ever since our trip to Rome, when we spied them in markets and feasted on namesake risotto, I’ve been meaning to bring home squash blossoms to our kitchen. Our favorite pizza in Los Angeles featured squash blossoms and burrata–you may recall that we tried to recreate it this past February using strips of zucchini.
I’m not quite sure why it took me so long, then–but we finally brought home some squash blossoms this weekend.
After picking up provisions at the Union Square Greenmarket, we rode our bikes back to our favorite dinner spot on the Hudson. The picnic tables happened to be full, so we found a nice spot at the tip of a pier–next to one of the old structures, built in the late 19th century to offload cargo from ships and barges into the Central Railroad’s yard.
We mixed Tonjes Farm Dairy ricotta from the market with some milk, olive oil, salt, and pepper and spooned it into the blossoms–which don’t have much taste and function mostly as beautiful vessels, as long as you avoid the reproductive bits of the flower (which are very, very bitter).
They’re lovely fried–or baked on a pizza–but we enjoyed them raw, alongside a few other market-finds: a salad of local corn, tomatoes, and basil (with a little bit of Californian avocado thrown in); yellow watermelon; and nectarines and sugar plums. We still had some olives, cornichons, and sausage left over from last weekend’s Marlow & Sons picnic, and we covertly shared a bottle of wine.
We have nearly eight more blossoms to use: any other suggestions? We picked up some more ricotta–nothing wrong with repeating.
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Love squash blossoms!
We made them a month or so and I wrote about it on our blog:
http://katherine-walker.blogspot.com/2010/06/dinner-last-night-farmers-market.html
We adapted this recipe:
http://www.strauscom.com/farmfresh/ffsblos.html
(we just used flour, not masa harina)
So delish!
I had fried squash blossoms in Italy and they were pretty amazing.
I love all that colorful food. Yum!
I always look at the squash blossoms at the farmers market and never know what to do with them. I don't fry food at home. I had no idea you could eat them raw. I'm getting some next week and trying them this way. Perfect. The whole meal looks just right.
Love your blog!
Chef Dennis has some awesome recipes on his blog for squash blossoms. I have never considered trying them until I saw his posts and now yours. He has one up right now for muffins; but if you look in the July archives, there are some more!
http://morethanamountfull.blogspot.com/
Have a beautiful day!
Candace
Gorgeous…. Perfectly colored food.
Wow.. I started reading your blog a couple of months ago. It is really showing a different wonderful side of NY and the northeast. You have made the list of about 6-10 blogs I start the day with. Thanks for sharing.
I stuff them with a little bit of cream cheese then dip them into an egg wash and cover them with flour. then I pan fry them to a deep brown and they are aaaammmmaaaazzziinnngg!!!!
That looks so good I would totally repeat it! These pictures are fabulous!
I had squash blossoms battered and fried at my favorite Italian place the other day and they were amazing.
i've never tried squash blossoms but i must admit, if nothing else, they look very beautiful!
Such a romantic spot-
Your picnic reminds me of the picnics in Paris where people eat by the bridges and watch the sun go down.
No clue on how to cook squash blossoms but I do enjoy eating them.
I love deep fried squash blossoms with cheese! Amazing!
xo tash
I've only ever had them fried (and of course, they were delicious that way!), but I had no idea you could eat them raw. I'm completely inspired!
You guys live such a charmed life!
oxo
The amazing food, the smiles, the view… just perfect for my morning coffee. Love these images, they have such a vibrant feel to them!
All the best
wow, i've never tried squash blossoms before but they look BEAUTIFUL and… YUMMY. I may have to experiment now and pick some up tomorrow at the union square market.
whoa, that sounds so delicious.
gorgeous! I have never tried to eat squash blossoms. We used to grow squash sometimes and they always seemed kind of… I don't know.. prickly? Like they would make my skin itch or something. Of course, we also grew soybeans, but I never thought of eating them either until someone offered me "edamame" as this great new, healthy snack. I thought they were kidding. I love it when I'm wrong!
The squash blossoms are so cute! And the pictures are lovely. I love the sunset.