Zucchini Blossoms Stuffed with Goat Cheese, Mint and Anise Seeds
In French this dish is Fleurs de Courgettes Farcies au Chèvre, à la Menthe, et Graines de Anis.
This is a wonderful — and easy — welcome for summer guests. Buy your zucchini flowers at the farmers’ market in the morning, and store them in the fridge like a bouquet — with the stems in a glass of cold water — until you are ready to use them.
Serves 4 as an hors d’oeuvre or light appetizer.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine French, Provencal
- 1 large Egg
- 6 oz Goat cheese cut into small cubes
- 1 tsp Whole anise seeds
- 1½ tbsp Fresh Mint chopped
- pinch Coarse sea salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- 12 large Zucchini blossoms
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg. Add the cheese, anise seeds, mint, salt, and pepper and mash/mix with a fork to combine.
Carefully hold open each flower (no need to remove the stamen) and stuff with a heaping teaspoon of filling. (Depending on the size of your zucchini blossoms, you may have a bit of stuffing left over.) Twist the ends of the flowers to close.
Place the olive oil in a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish and shake it around so it coats the entire bottom of the dish.
Gently roll each zucchini flower in the oil and retwist the ends to close.
Bake for 20 minutes, until fragrant and golden. Serve immediately.
Elizabeth Bard says
I usually serve these before dinner with drinks. They are not quite finger food; you’ll need a small plate and a fork to eat them.