Tag Archives: veggie

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

When I lived in New Jersey many years ago, my uncle used to have a zucchini garden in the summertime. He often made Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms, and I always enjoyed them. He also put them in scrambled eggs. Since then, I moved to South Florida, and could not find them anywhere. On occasions, I would enjoy some, at a nearby Italian restaurant, but I always wanted to make it in my kitchen. Recently, my son PJ told me, he knows someone who’s growing zucchini. I screamed on the top of my lungs, and told him to get me some. Well, he came through for me, because today he brought me a nice amount of them. Needless to say, I was ecstatic.

Since I’ve never made them, I sought the assistance of some amazing friends who guided me in putting this recipe together. Giusy gave me the ratio for the beer and flour batter, and Angela suggested to make them the traditional Roman style, with fresh mozzarella and anchovies. It was a MAJOR HIT!

Serves: 4-8 Total: 15 zucchini flowers, keep them in a cool place so they don’t wilt. Level of difficulty: Medium, because it takes a little time, and you have to treat them gingerly.

Ingredients:

15 zucchini blossoms, (flowers)
1 cup beer, room temperature (Heineken)
1 cup all-purpose flour
Olive oil for frying
Salt & Pepper to taste
Anchovies, fillet flat, 1 can
Fresh Mozzarella cheese, as needed
Preparation:

1) With a dry paper towel, gently clean the flowers. Remove the stamens, (pollen inside the flower) DO NOT ATTEMPT TO WASH THEM, YOU WILL BREAK THEM.

2) Stuff each flower with a dollop of mozzarella cheese, (about 1 teaspoon or so depending on their size) and 1/2 of an anchovy fillet. Squeeze the top of the flower gently to close it. It will not be perfect, don’t worry about it. The batter will protect the stuffing while cooking. Set aside.

3) Prepare the batter, by combining the flour with the beer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well with a whisk until you obtain a creamy texture.

4) In the meanwhile, pour oil to cover the bottom of a frying pan, heat up on medium-high heat. Gently place the zucchini flowers in the batter, making sure, they are coated well. ( I did them in batches) and drop them in the hot oil. It will be messy, and it’s ok, just have confidence. Cook on one side for about 2-3 minutes, lower flame, if it’s too high, you want them light golden brown and not dark brown. Cook other side for another 2 minutes. Remove promptly. Serve at once. They will literally melt in your mouth. If you don’t like anchovies, then omit them. (sorry, but you will miss out). My family went bananas over this stuffing. You can also stuff them with ricotta cheese, and use club soda instead of beer, for a lighter batter.

Please keep in mind a recipe is to be used as guideline, it’s up to you, the homecook, to watch the food, and use your judgement. Adjust the temperature setting as necessary. When frying, always make sure the oil very hot, otherwise, the food will come out soggy, and not presentable.

This batter can be used to fry some veggies such as zucchini and cauliflower. The choice is yours.

I hope you will have some fun in your kitchen, and try this delectable recipe.

Happy Cooking From My Kitchen To Yours,

Gina

Perfect Broccoli Rabe

Broccoli Rabe also known as Rapini is a green cruciferous vegetable. It has a pungent flavor, slightly bitter, but very healthy for you. It is particularly associated with Southern Italian cuisine. You have to acquire a taste for it, but once you do, you will love it. It is delicious with Italian sausage, or by itself as a side dish. Today, I will share with you, a very simple method of cooking, one that will help preserve its beautiful greenish color. This method will also help retain its vitamins.

Ingredients:

1 head of Broccoli rabe
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:

1) Wash the broccoli rabe thoroughly. Chop off the thick stems at the bottom, and discard them. Rough chop the leaves and buds. Set aside.

2) Over medium-high heat, in a medium sized pot, heat up olive oil, sautee the garlic until it releases its aromas. Drop the chopped broccoli rabe, give it a couple of stirs. Cover and let it steam in its own juices for about 4-5 minutes. Voila! You will have perfectly cooked Broccoli Rabe. If you overcook it, it will be wilted, and not have the same health benefits.

Happy Cooking!

Organic Whole Wheat Pasta with Broccoli Rabe & Shrimp

The other night, I whipped this meal up quickly, and was too tired to take a series of pictures. I didn’t want an entire production in the kitchen. You know what I mean, writing the recipe, take pictures of every step, and so on. If you are a food blogger, of course, you can relate, and I bet, you’re smiling now. This recipe was requested by a couple of friends, so I will do my best to go by memory. Thank goodness, I can still remember the ingredients, since this was done recently.

Serves: 4 -6 Degree of difficulty: Easy – medium

Ingredients:

– 1 lb. whole wheat organic spaghetti, or any pasta of your choice
(this particular one was just a bit under one pound)
– 1/2 tsp. oregano
– 1/4 tsp. Herbes de Provence
– 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
– 1/2 cup dry white wine
– 1/4 cup or so of pasta water
– 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
– 1 lb. medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined
– 2 tbsp. olive oil, plus more to drizzle at the end
– 1 tbsp. butter
– Salt & pepper to taste
– 1 head of broccoli Rabe, rough chopped
– A handful of Parmigiano Reggiano, grated (parmesan cheese)

Preparation:

You will work simultaneously and do some juggling, but it’s not difficult to obtain the end result. Be sure to have all the ingredients ready (mise en place).

1) Cook the broccoli rabe in water and drain. Do not overcook, otherwise, it will lose its beautiful green color. Set aside.

2) In the meanwhile, bring to a boil the pasta water, then add salt. Cook pasta according to package directions. I like it al dente, meaning to the bite, which requires less cooking time. Don’t forget to save some pasta water before you drain it, as I mentioned on the list of ingredients.

3) (While pasta water is boiling,) In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil, over med-high heat, sauté the shrimp for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic, saute an additional minute. Next, deglaze with the wine, reduce for about 1 minute. Add all the spices and pasta water, simmer for 5 – 7 minutes on low heat. By this time, the pasta should be drained and the broccoli rabe, cooked. Drop them in the shrimp sauce, stir in the butter and grated cheese. Mix well, place in a serving bowl. Drizzle liberally with olive oil. I hope you will give this delicious recipe a try. Your loved ones will enjoy every string of spaghetti to the last bite.

Buon Appetito from My Kitchen to yours!