pumpkin blossom suggestions

[capebuffalo]

i've been doin' my fair share of zuke and squash blossoms. got to eyeballin' :eek: all those huge pumpkin blossoms. anybody have any suggestions or recipes for pumpkin blossoms.

was thinking of stuffing them with a chicken leg but i don't think that will work out.:(

thanks !

capebuff

[mjc]

With the same stuff as the other squash blossoms...but only more!

[momol]

CB,

Stuff them with cheese (with or with out other extra ingredients such as pepperflakes, anchovies or herbs) and bake them...yum!

I tend to fried them like tempura (with runny batter), chope them and add them in omelette or as frittata. I am thinking of using the squash flowers in pizza and pasta, will let you know how it turned out...

[JeanieY]

I batter them with egg and then cracker meal (crackers ran thru the processor until really fine) then fry in hot bacon grease, my favorite, but any oil or grease will do. Fry in the hot grease until golden brown, salt and eat while hot.

These remind me alot of morel mushrooms.

[BlackMudGarden]

My mother used to stuff blossoms with the same kind of mixtures she used to stuff turkeys. Then she'd fry them in olive oil and butter at low heat. Heaven!

I don't fry things. I stuff them with bread or rice dressing that's held together with egg. A small amount of cheese is nice, too. Fill and fold them nicely, spray them with cooking spray and bake them in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 25 minutes. They come out best if I use no-stick foil to line the pan.

This is my absolute most favorite stuffing. It calls for canned pumpkin. I use any winter squash on hand. In a pinch, I've used StoveTop stuffing mix, instead of the baquette. If you do that, don't add more salt. This makes a ton of dressing, so you might want to cut it in half.

If you use this recipe to stuff blossoms, make it a day ahead and let it rest in the fridge overnight, otherwise it will be too soupy. Then bake the blossoms 35-40 minutes so the "pudding" will set up nicely.

The recipe calls for 1/4 cup sage leaves. That sound like a lot, but I use even more. The flavors blend so nicely that it doesn't come out tasting too sage-y. Enjoy.

Pumpkin Sage Bread Pudding:

1 (8-ounce) crusty French baquette bread, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup diced celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
4 eggs
1 to 1 1/2 cups milk (divided)
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage leaves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch by 9-inch baking pan. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl; set aside.

In a large frying pan over low heat, melt the butter, Add the onion, celery, and garlic; sauté approximately 5 to 7 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add mixture to the bread cubes along with the parmesan cheese.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, 1 cup milk, salt, pepper, and sage. Pour mixture over bread cubes and toss to combine. Let mixture sit for 30 to 45 minutes to allow bread to absorb the liquid. If mixture seems dry after sitting, add remaining 1/2 cup milk and mix well. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan; cover with buttered aluminum foil. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until the pudding is set and still moist. Remove from oven and let cool.

[babygarden]

Oh my that all sounds so good. I have fried them in batter, chopped them with spinach and made spicy pakodas (fritters) of them and stuffed with spiced potatoes. Will try the pumpkin stuffing, sounds GREAT!

[jeffinsgf]

When do you pick the blossoms? Before they open? After they open? Once they re-close?

[JeanieY]

I try and pick mine for frying when they are fully open. For stuffing I'm not sure if you would want them fully open as they are really brittle when fully open.

[capebuffalo]

thanks for more suggestions !

jeff, i pick mine when the blooms are open.

recently , on a whim for a savory treat i stuffed mine with scrambled egg, bacon and cheese. fried them in olive oil and they turned out quite nice. the heavier flavors did take away from the delicate blossoms .

did some squash blossoms with cream cheese spiked with bacon and fried in olive oil. :p good stuff !

cape