Stuffed Zucchini flowers with Anchovy and Mint sauce

(serves 2-3)

Zucchini flowers look so delicate and pretty and are always a highlight on the 'specials menu' of italian restaurants - rarely seen but always enjoyed! I can't remember the first time i came across this dish but i've wanted to try it for myself ever since!

We were rushing around Flemington the other week doing our big shop for the Xmas fete when i spotted these at a small vendor in the middle of the pathway and got excessively excited :) So we grabbed a bunch to experiment with and my brain started ticking over all the fond memories of this dish and the research began! I read you are supposed to do cook them on the day, but we were way too busy and exhausted for the next 2 days but by the time we got around to it they still looked good! They are definitely very finicky but well worth the effort! 

Prep time: 30 min

Cooking time: 20 min

Ingredients:
12 zucchini flowers
vegetable oil

Filling
150g ricotta cheese
40g goats cheese
15g parmesan cheese
4 sprigs parsley

Batter:
1 C flour
3-4 tsp bicarb soda (or 1 C cold soda water, which we didn't have on us)
1 C water

Anchovy and mint sauce
3-4 anchovies
3/4 C chopped mint
1/4 C chopped parsley
salt and pepper
olive oil
juice and rind of 1/2 lemon
1/4 C olive oil

Method:
1. Rinse and pat down the stem of the zucchini flowers.
2. Carefully pry open the flower and remove the pistil/stamina (female/males - this is the yellow stems inside - so it should be hollow when you are done).

From top right (clockwise): Peering into the flower, 3-cheese mix, staminas removed

3. Prepare the filling by combining the ingredients. Gently pry open the flowers again, using your fingers to keep it open then either fill in with chopsticks/spoon or pipe it in. 

4. Pour about 3cm of oil into a saucepan and heat. It is done when you put a wooden skewer or chopstick in and bubbles appear on the side.

5. Prepare the batter by whisking it together with a fork. Dip the flowers in one at a time then place into the oil, turning after 30sec or as it browns. Keep in the oil until it browns all around then drain on a paper towel and continue with the remaining flowers.

NB. The batter should fluff up from the bicarb/soda water. If not, add more bicarb!

6. Prepare the mint sauce by finely chopping the herbs, add in the lemon rind and juice and season with olive oil, salt and pepper. You may need to add a bit of sugar if it's too sour! Serve on the side!

Freshly fried fritters with a refreshing mint sauce!

Also delicious with a side of lamb chops!