Squash Blossoms + Nice Farmers Market

Coeur de Boeuf (Beefheart) Tomatoes from the market in Nice, France

London city life is quite overwhelming for me. You've got to be on alert all the time - dodging people, taxis, buses, pigeons, and menacing clouds. I try not to breath to deep because if I'm out in the city all day my nostrils are filled with soot. It can be a bit taxing on the soul. To help recharge my batteries my husband, who has spoiled me rotten, takes me to wonderful places on the weekend. Latest stop - the French Riviera. 

The beach, the sun, the Mediterranean, the warm air, friendly French people, the market...in other words, as close to heaven as you can get 2 hours away from London. It wasn't my first visit to Nice, so I knew the highlight would be swim and sun at the beach and the produce at the market in the Old Town. 

The first time I went to Nice many, many, years ago was for the Cannes Film Festival and I was lucky enough to be invited by a Roger Verge protege for lunch at Verge's restaurant, Le Moulin de Mougins. Verge is considered to be one of the great french chefs and pioneers of nouvelle cuisine. Le Moulin de Mougins is a converted 16th century olive mill that includes a small inn and cooking school, and one of the best restaurants I have ever eaten at. The squash blossoms at the market reminded me of the wonderful lunch, which included many firsts for me, like chicken breast stuffed with foie and lightly fried squash blossoms.  

While some of these peaches I returned home with, I knew the squash blossoms would not survive the trip.

So, when I returned to London I went on a search for squash blossoms. I couldn't find them anywhere, so I waited till the end of the week for Borough Market, because I knew if anyone in London had squash blossoms it would be Borough. Through the roof pricey so I just got a few.

STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOM, makes 1/2 dozen

• 1/2 c ricotta cheese, drained overnight in cheesecloth
• 1/2 c fresh mozzarella, medium dice 
• 1/3 c fresh, raw corn kernels 
• 1 large salted anchovy fillet, rinsed and patted dry, then minced 
• 6 squash blossoms, stamen removed, gently rinsed and patted dry 
• flour + pepper for dredging 
• 2 eggs lightly beaten for dredging. 
• olive oil for frying 

 
METHOD

Combine first four ingredients in a bowl. I'm not a huge fan of herbes de provence - quelle horreur! But, if you do enjoy herbes de provence add a few pinches to the mixture. Use pastry bag or small spoon to fill the squash blossoms. Fill to where the petals start to split. Press gently in the palm of your hand and twist the petals gently to close the blossom. Before you fry consider making a small side salad. I made one with zucchini, tomatoes, parsley, splash of olive oil, and s+p. 

Pour enough oil in a pot to submerge the blossoms 1/2 way up. While the oil is heating, lightly dust stuffed blossoms with flour with pepper, then in the egg, then back in flour. When the oil is hot for frying (I don't use a thermometer, just drop a pinch of flour in the oil and see if it bubbles up). Gently drop the blossoms in the oil. I did two at a time. After 1 minute or when the blossom starts to brown on the bottom, gently flip the blossom over. When the blossom is totally golden brown, remove from oil onto paper-towels. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Serve immediately.   

If anchovies aren't your thing try a bit of chopped olives instead.

I know I have Borough Market, but the taste of the fruits in Nice really is something to write home about.

More on the seafood and socca (chickpea flour pancakes) of Nice in a few days!

Comments

[megan (brooklyn farmhouse)]

Can I just tell you again how sick with jealousy I get when I check out the market pics from your travels? Wow! Those tomatoes look incredible. And I love, love, love stuffed squash blossoms. Def. going to try your recipe; they look SUPER crispy.

[Natasha - 5 Star Foodie]

Gorgeous pictures of all this produce and the stuffed blossoms sound really delicious! I hope to find some soon so I can try them.

[The Duo Dishes]

Amazing markets you have. Of course the squash blossoms appeal to us. We'll be grabbing some soon.

[ann]

Pics are fantastic, love the stuffed blossoms.. So new to me :)

[elra]

Oh, I never been to Nice. I really want to visit this beautiful city, especially my brother in law (he lives in Amsterdam) has a vacation house in Nice. So, I can skipped to spend the money for hotel, and stay at his house, wouldn't that be nice? Just have to find the right time to go, because my husband is so busy with his business.

Anyway, I love squash blossom. and like to make an omelette out of this. But, stuffing this blossom with corn sounds so scrumptious. I might have to try it. So, I am bookmarking this post.

[Lena]

Um, these squash blossoms look delicious! Nicely done, Chef!

[OysterCulture]

I love stuffed squash blossoms and your version sounds wonderful. I love the combination with the tangy salad.

The trip to Nice sounds wonderful, a nice respite from all the frantic pace of the city. The photos are great, I can look at wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables all day! Their like works of art!

[Sophie]

What a lovely trip you have made!
I love Nice & I love France!
I love to eat stuffed courgettes flowers too: your recipe is a must try!
MMMMMMM....

[mycookinghut]

Ohhhh my... I wish I could take a short trip now to Nice! Look at those berries!!
I just came back from Borough Market, wanted to buy gooseberries!! They don't have the green ones but the red. What scared me was the price - for a small punnet of them costs £2.50 (I could easily count there were no more than 14 in that punnet, ok.)
I don't know where else I could get. :(
I have to agree with you that the taste of fruits in France is totally different!! Things tend to taste nicer and sweeter there!
Well, I am going to France this coming weekend and hopefully to get some fruits back. I know it's crazy but I hope to get some that I can keep for at least a few hours!
Believe it or not, last time when we went to France by car, I did my grocery shopping in France ;) I bought lots of yoghurt :P

[jonquil]

the photos of the berries & peaches---soooo hungry right now!

[Sam]

Those French markets look amazing, I wish I could buy tomatoes like those Coeur de Boeuf in the UK.

I love your photos, now I really want to go to France!

[lisa from dandysugar]

I love squash blossoms. This sounds great.

I love all the produce and the pics of the beautiful markets there. Looks wonderful! Such a lovely trip.

[Tangled Noodle]

The Coeur du Boeuf tomatoes and melons both have those radiating lines - like blossoms or sunrays! How I envy your weekend forays; imagine being in such different landscapes and cultures, all within a few hours of travel.

I wish I knew that squash blossoms were a delicacy last year when we were growing so many zucchini/courgettes! I just let them wither away and focused on the vegetable . . . [sigh] missed opportunities. And we decided not to grow any this year [sigh again]. Still, this is a great recipe to keep in mind for the future - it looks so delicately crispy on the outside with the promise of a creamy filling. Mmmmm!

[Sara]

Gorgeous pictures. I just love squash blossoms, I'm eagerly anticipating when my little squash plant is big enough to produce them!

[Lori]

Oh, what a fabulous trip! I recognized that first picture right away. We researched Nice for a long while one year and then decided not to go there yet. We want to do a big France trip at some point, however, and Nice is high on the list. Beautiful!

I haven't had squash blossoms yet and wasn't quite sure how to prepare them. Glad to have this recipe!

[Jamie]

Just beautiful! I see that the fruits rouges are much cheaper down there! Those squash blossoms look fabulous. I have only eaten them once and that was in New Jersey! I have never seen them sold in Nantes and I would love to try your wonderful recipe!

[Daily Spud]

If my courgettes come good this year, I'll have to try stuffing some blossoms. I was reluctant to pluck any of the blossoms last year because I just wanted the courgettes to develop fully but I reckon I'm going to have to change my position on that!