Beer Battered Squash Blossoms Recipes

BEER BATTERED SQUASH BLOSSOMS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND GARLIC

Steps:

• To make the filling:
• Combine garlic, olive oil, goat cheese and thyme in a small bowl. Mix until smooth, and season with salt and pepper.
• For the blossoms:
• In a bowl, whisk together beer and egg. Whisk in 1 cup of the flour and continue adding extra flour, 1 tablesppon at a time, until mixture has the consistency of thin pancake batter, Whisk in butter and season to taste with salt, pepper. Let rest 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a deep heavy pot fitted with with a deep-frying thermometer, heat 1 inch of oil to 375°. Stuff each blossom with a few tablespoons of the goat cheese mixture, and press petals closed.
• Working quickly, in small batches, dip filled blossoms into batter, coating each completely; and fry, turning once, for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Use slotted spoon to transfer blossoms onto paper towels to drain. Make sure the oil returns to 375° before adding each new batch of blossoms.
• Sprinkle fried blossoms with salt and serve immediately.

BEER-BATTERED YELLOW SQUASH

Steps:

• Wash and dry squash. Slice squash in 1/4 inch or less slices and spread on a platter. Lightly sprinkle salt over slices.
• In a large cast iron skillet add enough oil to make it about 1" from the bottom and use medium high heat. If you don't have a cast iron skillet -- however you fry will be fine. In a medium bowl add cornstarch, flour, onion powder. and stir with a fork. Slowly add beer and keep stirring. Stop pouring beer when you have the consistancy of cream.
• Pat squash dry (salting squash causes squash to sweat) Dip squash into batter and fry in oil. Put enough slices without touching, and turn after about 1-2 minute or until very light brown. Drain on paper towels and serve. I have soy sauce for dipping.

BATTER FRIED STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Place ricotta cheese in a double layer of cheesecloth. Tie up ends, and hang over a bowl to drain. Place in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and pepper. Slowly add milk to the flour mixture, whisking constantly, until the batter has a slightly thickened and very smooth consistency; set aside.
• Remove ricotta from the cheesecloth, and discard the liquid. In another medium bowl, stir together drained ricotta, mozzarella, marjoram, and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Gently open the flower petals and, using a small spoon, fill a blossom about 2/3 full with the ricotta mixture. Wrap the petals around the mixture to seal. Using your fingers, gently press the blossom to distribute filling evenly. Repeat, filling all the blossoms.
• In a small saucepan fitted with a deep-frying thermometer, heat olive oil over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Place the stuffed blossoms in the reserved batter until completely coated. Lift out, and gently drag the blossom against the edge of the bowl to remove excess batter. Carefully slip as many blossoms into the hot oil as will comfortably fit without crowding. Fry the blossoms until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon, and transfer to several layers of paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt, and serve immediately.

FRIED STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice-cold water. Drop squash blossoms into the boiling water until slightly wilted, 30 to 45 seconds; transfer immediately into the cold water to chill. Remove to paper towels to drain.
• Mix goat cheese, egg yolk, Gruyere cheese, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl; stir until smooth. Spoon filling into a heavy, resealable 1-quart plastic bag, squeeze out the air, and seal the bag. Cut a small corner off the bag.
• Gently insert the cut corner of the bag all the way to the bottom of the open end of a blossom and pipe about 1 tablespoon of filling inside. Pick up petals and drape them up over the filling, covering filling completely. Fold any excess petals over the top of the filled blossom to keep them out of the way. Refrigerate filled squash blossoms until cheese is set and firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Combine self-rising flour and cornstarch in a mixing bowl; whisk in ice-cold water, a little at a time, until batter is smooth and has the thickness of pancake batter.
• Pour vegetable oil to a depth of 1 inch into a heavy skillet (such as a cast iron pan) and place over medium heat. Heat oil until a thermometer placed into the oil, not touching the bottom, reads 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). A drop of batter carefully dripped into the oil should sizzle immediately.
• Remove squash blossoms from refrigerator and dust lightly with all-purpose flour on all sides. Shake off excess flour and dip blossoms in batter. Let excess batter drip off.
• Gently lay coated squash blossoms in the hot oil on their sides; cook about 6 at a time until pale golden brown, 1 minute on the first side and 30 seconds to 1 minute on the remaining sides. Let cool slightly before serving.

BEER-BATTERED SQUASH CHIPS WITH LEMON MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• In small bowl, mix mayonnaise and lemon juice; set aside.
• In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, table salt, red pepper and beer with whisk until smooth.
• In 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy saucepan, heat 2 to 3 inches oil to 350°F. Working in small batches, dip squash slices in batter. Fry in hot oil about 2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels; sprinkle with sea salt.
• Serve fried squash chips warm with lemon mayonnaise.

MASCARPONE-STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOMS WITH RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Combine the raspberries, shallots, and vinegar in a blender or food processor, and process to form a coarse puree. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil. Season the vinaigrette with salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.
• Mix the mascarpone, chipotle chiles and sauce, and thyme in a small bowl. Season the filling to taste with salt and pepper. Place the filling in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch tip. Pipe the filling into each squash blossom and twist the blossom at the top to enclose it.
• Place a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium-high heat and add enough vegetable oil to reach one third of the way up the sides of the pan. Heat the oil to 350°F.
• Dust the squash blossoms in the flour and then dip them into the beer batter. Working in batches, fry the squash blossoms for 3 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Transfer them to paper towels to drain. Arrange the squash blossoms on a platter, drizzle with the raspberry vinaigrette, and serve.
• Mix the flour, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Gradually add the beer while whisking. Set the batter aside and let it rest for 15 minutes before using.
• No pastry bag? No worries. Put the filling in a plastic bag and cut a 1/4-inch hole in one of the corners.