Stuffed Zucchini Flowers – recipe

Crispy St Ives crab zucchini flowers with asparagus fregola and Amalfi lemon aioli

Andy has chosen to use spider crab in this summery dish because it is very sustainable and 80% of the stock caught off the Cornish coast is currently being exported.

The fregola may not be something you have come across before. It’s a pasta from Sardinia and if you can’t find it in your local supermarket you could substitute it for giant cous cous.

You will certainly spot this dish on our menu this summer!

Serves 4 – 6

200g fregola pasta

300g cherry tomatoes
(halved)

Bunch of spring onions
(chopped)

1 bulb of fennel
(diced)

1 yellow pepper
(roasted and sliced)

1 red pepper (roasted
and sliced)

Handful of mixed herbs
(mint, tarragon, parsley)

1 red chilli (finely
chopped)

30ml good vinegar

50ml olive oil

1 unwaxed lemon (zest
and juice)

Salt and pepper

Batter

100g flour

100g corn flour

70ml white wine

150ml sparkling water

Salt and pepper

8/12 zucchini flowers

200g spider crab (white
meat only)

Bunch of asparagus

Amalfi lemon aioli

1 free range egg yolk
(large)

1 tsp Dijon mustard

500ml pomace oil

2 garlic cloves (finely
chopped)

1 unwaxed lemon (zest
and juice)

Salt and pepper

Method

Cook the fregola in a large pan of salted, boiling water until soft (10-12 minutes). Leave to cool and add the rest of the ingredients, season to taste.

To make the batter combine the flour, corn flour and slowly mix in the white wine and sparkling water until it reaches a nice liquid consistency, season to taste.

Carefully open the flowers and remove the inside stem. Season the crab meat and gently stuff the flowers, twisting the tops to seal.

To make the aioli put the egg yolk and mustard in a bowl and whisk together. While whisking very slowly start to add the oil drop by drop until thickened, then you can pour quicker. When finished add the garlic, lemon zest and juice and season to taste.

Heat the fryer to 175oC. Dip the zucchini flowers in the batter, remove the excess and gently place in the fryer for approximately 4 minutes until they start to colour. Repeat with all the flowers and asparagus.

Place fregola salad onto a large board and top with crispy zucchini flowers and asparagus, serve with Amalfi lemon aioli. Enjoy!

 We are as serious about our wine as we are about our food at Fifteen Cornwall. A great bottle of wine completes the perfect meal.

Our wine list at Fifteen Cornwall is extensive and we have chosen this to compliment the dish

Donnafugata ‘Polena’, 2011, Sicily, Italy

This is a fresh modern wine from Sicily, a 50/50 blend of Catarratto and Viognier. Catarratto supplies the fresh acidity and the aromatics from the Viognier will work perfectly withm the rich sweetness of the crab.

Available from Free Run Juice, 5 Higher Trevornick Business Park, Winnard’s Perch, St Columb, Newquay, Cornwall TR9 6DE. 01637 88 11 66

 Alternatively you could try this from Sainsburys;

Dr Loosen Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, 2009, Mosel, Germany

Serious single vineyard Riesling, steely minerality with fresh acidity and tons of fruit. Great food wine.