Growing in our garden at the moment are zucchini, rhubarb, radish, tomatoes, potatoes, bush pumpkin, pickling cucumbers, a variety of lettuce, corn, beans, beetroot, chives and a huge range of herbs.
Our zucchinis are growing so fast that we have become inventive in how to use them.
Here are a few of our favorites:
tempura zucchini flowers, served with lemon and sea salt
INGREDIENTS for 2 people
10-12 fresh zucchini flowers, washed and left to drain upside down in a dish rack
Tempura Batter: this must be kept cold as to make the batter crisp when fried.
I usually chill the bowl first.
2 eggs
250g of plain organic white flour
720ml of chilled water
1 ice cube
METHOD
Batter should be made just before serving so get that oil hot in the pan.
Lightly whisk the egg white and water together adding flour a bit at a time, don't worry about the lumps.
To keep mixture extra chilled add the ice cube
To check if the oil is hot enough drop a little batter into the pan, if it floats the oil is ready.
Dip flowers in one side and then the other.
Place in hot oil making sure to lay the flowers down away from you, so as the hot oil doesn't spit towards you.
It should take only a couple of seconds on each side.
Lift out of the pan onto a serving plate. Repeat with remaining flowers.
Serve with lemon quarters and sprinkle with sea salt.
Pig likes to dip his in a little soya sauce.
zucchini flower risotto
INGREDIENTS for 2 people
1 small brown onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 cup of arborio rice, washed several times and let drain in sieve
1/2 cup cheap white wine, we use a $4.00 bottle of 'Sea Breeze, chardonnay'
11/2 cup of boiled water with one whole 'Massel' chicken flavoured stock cube. (these are vegetarian and tasty can be bought at your local supermarket)
1 bay leaf
50g of unsalted butter
Olive oil
5 zucchini flowers, washed
2 diced yellow or green zucchini
WHAT TO DO
Melt half the butter and a splash of olive oil in a pan on low heat, add onions and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft but not browned.
Add the rice, garlic, diced zucchini and bay leaf and cook, stirring until the rice is well coated with the butter and oil. Keep stirring until rice begins to crackle, don't let the rice colour.
Turn up the heat and pour in the wine cook for 1 minute. Bring the temperature down a bit and start adding the stock a ladleful at a time. Stir gently with a wooden spoon every 2 minutes.
Allow the stock to absorb into the rice before adding the next ladleful of stock.
The rice should be still a little nutty and not mushy when cooked fold in the zucchini flowers and turn off the heat. Add the last of the butter and stir through.
Serve on warmed plates piled into the centre of the bowls. Garnish with shaved parmesan and lightly steamed halves of snow peas!
