Squash Blossoms

About a month ago when it seemed that all our volunteer vines were only going to produce ornamental gourds, I picked off a few handfuls of blossoms to cook and eat. Not really knowing how to prepare them, I looked to the internet for recipes. Most of them called for copious amounts of cheese and frying. Not really my style. I whipped up my own mixture for the filling: labane, an egg yolk, cooked and grated beets, raw grated zucchini, and salt & pepper.

Slitting the washed blossoms open down one side, I removed bugs (three bees! and a few little stripey guys) and reproductive parts then spooned in about a teaspoon of the mixture I'd made. I closed the blossoms and placed them into a small baking dish.

When it was full, I brushed the blossoms with the egg white, sprinkled them with bread crumbs I had on hand in the freezer, and chucked them in the toaster oven at 350F for about 12 minutes.

I was truly amazed when they came out at how firm they set up! I half expected the labane mix to ooze out and make a total mess of this dish, but the labane stayed inside the blossoms, and they were easy to pick up and eat as finger food! (I have some very game friends who helped eat all these).

Cook's Word: Would I make these again? Sure! I couldn't really taste the squash blossoms themselves, so I think I'd add a few more spices to the filling for better overall flavor. I loved the magenta color that the beets added!