A few years ago while at our local farmer’s market, I came upon a container of squash blossoms. I had no idea what i was going to do with them, but I was in the mood to try something new so I purchased a box. I excitedly showed my husband my new purchase when I got home, but his enthusiasm wasn’t quite at my same level. But, he was game to try pretty much anything I made, so I started Googling ideas. Most ideas that came up suggested stuffing them with cheese and frying them, so that’s what I did. I didn’t have any expectations that first time I used the squash blossoms, and I don’t even remember what I stuffed them with, but they turned out pretty good, even the husband was impressed. I’ve revised the recipe over time and experimented with different cheeses (soft crumbly cheeses, like goat cheese, are a yes, while soft moist ones, like mozzarella, are not a great fit) and different coatings, but have settled on a good recipe, which I included below.

Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Yield: 12 blossoms

• 12 squash blossoms
• 3 ounces soft cheese, such as goat cheese or brie
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup panko crumbs
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

Gently open the petal part of the blossom and pinch off the inside stamen. Remove and discard. With a spoon, scoop out a small bit of cheese and add to the bottom of the squash blossom. Set aside and repeat with the remaining blossoms.This can be a delicate process as the blossoms are quite fragile. Do your best to keep the blossoms from ripping apart, but don’t stress over it. If you have some tearing, you can twist the flowers closed before dipping them in the egg.

In a bowl, thoroughly beat the two eggs. In a separate bowl, add the panko, seasoning, salt and pepper and mix until combined.

Dip the blossoms in the egg mixture, lifting them up to allow the excess to drip off. Place in the panko mixture and roll around to cover the blossom completely. Set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining blossoms. Note that this process can be very messy as your fingers go from the egg to the panko mix so feel free to rinse your fingers off half way through to prevent too much panko from getting in the egg mix.

Heat a large nonstick pan to medium-high heat and coat the bottom of the pan with the oil. Working carefully and in batches if needed, place each blossom in the hot oil, making sure not to crowd the pan. Saute each side for 3-4 minutes until the panko is fully cooked and is uniformly a golden brown color. Turn the blossoms to make sure all sides are evenly brown, about 8-10 minutes total. Remove from the pan and sprinkle a little salt on them while they are still hot. Let cool for a couple minutes, but enjoy them while they are still warm throughout.