Sunbeams in the Pumpkin Patch

At University Farmers Market Saturday the baskets at Foraged and Found Edibles were mounded with wild mushrooms: moist but not soggy chanterelles; clustered white cauliflowers and big fat matsutakes. Salivating, I visualized creamy chanterelle soup for lunch, sautéed chanterelles on toast and a glass of wine for hors d’oeurve and a chanterelle omelet with fresh eggs from Skagit River Ranch for Sunday breakfast. I bought 2 ½ pounds and headed for the eggs.

Brilliant October sunshine and grandchildren looking for pumpkins altered my afternoon eating plans, and I headed down the road for Two Brothers Pumpkin Farm to meander through the fields looking for the biggest and brightest of their fabulous crop.

Suddenly I spotted these four golden beauties under huge pumpkin leaves. Instant menu change. How about stuffing the blossoms with sautéed chanterelles? I picked those and spotted six more in the next row. Bingo!

If you haven’t tasted crispy stuffed squash blossoms drizzled with a light Buerre Blanc sauce, you are in for an amazing treat.

Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Sautéed Chanterelles and Buerre Blanc
Serves 4 as an appetizer

Hints

1. Squash blossoms from any edible squash (pumpkin, zucchini*, acorn, butternut etc.) must be used the day they are picked. Open blossoms are much easier to work with than closed ones because they are delicate and tear easily. Get a few more than you need just in case.
2. A light egg batter made with cornstarch and a little flour will coat but not smash the blossoms.
3. Don’t let the many steps deter you; this is not difficult. The key to its success is organized preparation before you start cooking. Buerre Blanc is sauce emulsified with cold butter; it cannot be reheated. So make it first and hold it in a hot water bath until the blossoms are finished and plated.
4. Squash blossoms need to be eaten within moments of frying or their signature delicacy wilts away.
   *Sometimes you can find blossoms attached to young fruit. Stuff the blossom, fan cut the fruit and fry the whole thing.
5. Squash blossoms also are delicious stuffed with breadcrumbs and cheese and eaten plain.

Ingredients

For Sauce:
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup white wine vinegar
½ shallot, minced
3” sprig fresh tarragon or 1 tsp. dried leaves
8 tbs. butter cut into ½” squares, chilled
Salt to taste

For Blossoms:
8 large or 12-16 small open squash blossoms preferably with stems or attached fruit
½ cup cornstarch
¼ cup cake flour (finer grind, less gluten)
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tbs. water
1 egg, beaten
4 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup minced stale bread (commercial breadcrumbs are too fine and will be make the stuffing heavy)
4oz. (about) cleaned chanterelles, cut or torn into small pieces
2 large shallots, peeled and minced
2 tbs. finely chopped fresh tarragon (or 1 tsp. dried)
½ cup grated aged cheese (Pecorino, Provolone, Parmesan, Asiago, Romano)
Canola oil: enough to have 2” of oil in the pan

Procedure

Sauce

1. Heat wine, vinegar, shallots and tarragon in small saucepan to steady simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid is reduced to 2 tbs.
2. Remove solids from liquid with a slotted spoon. With heat on low, whisk chilled butter cubes one at a time into liquid, stirring constantly. Keep heat low or the sauce with separate. When all the butter is added, remove the sauce from heat and salt to taste. Place the saucepan in a hot water bath to hold its heat until you are ready to serve.

Blossoms

1. Don’t wash squash blossoms. Gently brush off any dirt or bugs and set the blossoms aside.
   

   Open blossoms are easier to work with.

2. In a mixing bowl wide enough to hold the blossom and stem or fruit, mix cornstarch, flour and baking powder. Mix water with the beaten egg, add it to the flour mix and stir with a fork to blend. It should be the consistency of very thin pancake batter so add more water if necessary. Set aside.
3. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add bread and sauté until it is golden brown and slightly crusty. Transfer cooked breadcrumbs to a mixing bowl.
4. Reheat the skillet over medium high heat, add chanterelles and cook until they give off their moisture and soften, 3 or 4 minutes. Add additional olive oil and shallots and sauté until both chanterelles and shallots are soft. Add tarragon and mix with a fork. Transfer to the mixing bowl with the breadcrumbs.
5. Add grated cheese and toss with a fork until mixture is blended.
6. Using a fork, fill each squash blossom with stuffing half way to the rim and place on a plate.
   

   Fill the squash blossom halfway to the rim.

7. Pour enough Canola oil into a deep fry pan or pot to have a 2” depth. Heat on medium high to 375º (test with thermometer or a small piece of bread. If it rises to the top and begins to crisp almost instantly the oil is hot enough.)
8. Gently twist the blossom tips to close, and dip them one at a time into the batter, then place them into the hot oil. Turn with a fork until they are crisp and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
   

   Gently twist the blossoms to close.

9. Divide cooked blossoms among plates, add dollops of sauce and serve immediately.
   

   Stuffed, Battered and Fried Squash Blossoms with Buerre Blanc