Courgette flowers stuffed with sheep’s cheese, mint and drizzled with honey by Norma

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Courgette flowers stuffed with sheep’s cheese, mint and drizzled with honey

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Courgette flowers stuffed with sheep’s cheese, mint and drizzled with honey

Italian

Starter

30 mins

Vegetables/vegetarian

Medium

Serves

4 as starter / mezze

This dish was inspired by a recent trip to Sicily. Courgette flowers are perfect vessels to stuff and then either steam or fry. They are flowers - so very delicate and need a little TLC, you don’t want to rip the petals otherwise the stuffing will fall out.

They are at their best late summertime, perfect for a party and they never fail to impress.

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Recipe courtesy of

Ingredients

4 large courgette flowers, stamens carefully removed
50g soft sheeps cheese at room temperature
100ml runny orange blossom honey
12 mint leaves
2l vegetable oil for deep-frying
sea salt

For the batter

200g plain flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
500ml cold sparkling water
1tsp ground cumin

Method

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Method

First make the batter. Whisk the water with the flour, cumin and baking powder until smooth. The consistency will be quite loose. Cover with cling film and rest at room temperature.
Divide the cheese into 4 balls and then very carefully insert into the flower cavities along with a mint leaf. Pull the petals up and lightly twist to seal in the cheese. Fold the twists to the side of the flower and place twist side down on a tray. Cut a slit into the stalk, half way up. Place In a fridge for 20 mins to set. The cut will help the stalk cook more quickly
Heat the oil in a fryer or tall-sided pan to 180C. You can check this with a dollop of batter- it will fizz and turn golden brown when ready.
Remove the flowers from the fridge and place in the batter and ensure they are fully coated.
Carefully place the flowers – one by one in the oil flower first. Hold the flower head in the oil for a few seconds to seal and then drop fully into the oil. Cook for 3 minutes turning once until a light golden brown. Remove from the oil, drain well and then serve drizzled with honey, sea salt and sprinkled with more mint leaves.