Ingredients
Ingredients:
6 mature Squash Blossoms not quite fully bloomed
Note: trim off all but 1 inch of the stem and remove any outer leaves
5 Tbl enriched flour
1 Tbl Paprika
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 ½ tsp sea salt
2 cups peanut or grape seed oil
1 ripe Heirloom Tomato of choice (sliced)
4 leaves of butter leaf lettuce trimmed and washed
Dressing:
2 cups plain yogurt
½ cup best food mayonnaise
1 English or hothouse cucumber peeled and de-seeded
1 ½ Tbl rice wine vinegar
2 Tbl of Sugar
1 Tbl Fresh Parsley chopped fine
1 Tbl Fresh chopped dill
1 Tbl Fresh chopped tarragon
1 Tbl Fresh chopped garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste
Garnish:
Chopped Chives
Preparation
Instructions:
To make dressing
Take your cucumber and place into a food processor until fully pureed, then add your vinegar, sugar, and garlic while the machine is still running. Remove your product and place into a mixing bowl and with a fine whisk add your remaining ingredients and mix together till well incorporated. Put into refrigerator until service time. Mix again just before service to make sure it is well incorporated.
Set your plates:
Put on each plate the two leaves of butter leaf lettuce And layer three slices of the tomato, place in refrigerator to keep cold If you wish, sprinkle your tomatoes with a touch of sea salt
For the blossoms:
Mix your flour, paprika, chili powder, pepper, and salt until well incorporated.
Bring your 2 cups of oil to 325 degrees in a shallow sauterne pan so that there is about a ½ inch level of oil
Wash blossoms very well in very cold water, making sure to check into the area of the stamen for any dirt or bugs. Shake off the water well. Dredge your blossoms well in the flour mixture, only the outside of the blossom needs to be done, and immediately place in the oil to fry. Do as many as you can fit in the pan at once. Fry on each side for about 30 - 45 seconds until just lightly browned. Place onto a draining rack or paper towel while you finish all six. Serve immediately and top with a few good spoons of dressing, your chives and a couple of turns of the pepper mill ENJOY!!!
