When I see stuffed zucchini flowers on a menu, I find it very hard to resist. Delicate in both looks and flavour, they always seemed beyond my cooking capabilities, so while visiting my friend Bec and seeing her new veggie garden with a small crop of zucchini, I decided to give them a go and I’m very pleased I did.

We picked them at 10pm by torchlight so only one of the flowers was large with a mini zucchini attached.

After carefully peeling back the petals, the most difficult part is removing the stamen without damaging the petals.

My filling consisted of ricotta, parmesan cheese, fresh lemon thyme and salt and pepper. Using a teaspoon I carefully filled each flower leaving enough gap at the top so I could twist the petals together. I then made a batter using tempura flour and cold water.

Once my rice bran oil was up to heat, I dipped the flowers into the batter and carefully laid them in the hot oil. I thought the filling mixture might leak out but they stayed together beautifully.

I only had six flowers so Al and I enjoyed them as a little starter. Next time, I’ll use flowers that are more developed and have the mini zucchini attached. I’ll also use lemon zest and fresh mint in the mixture.

I’d love to hear your tips and tricks to making the perfect stuffed zucchini flower.

What are your favourite fillings?