Stop and Admire the Flowers and Eat Them Afterwards - Plain and Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Fiori di zucca repieni is Italian for stuffed squash blossoms. I always look forward to picking the flowers of the zucchini before they wilt or become overgrown fruit. Everybody in the house  know that we are having flowers for dinner when the squash patch turn bright yellow in the morning. I carefully select the flowers and snip them off the plant but also leave some to grow a couple of days more to make delicious zucchini carpaccio or frittata. The female flower with the emergent zucchini is great with a combination of cheeses like ricotta and grated pamigiano, including goat cheese mixed with minced garlic and herbs.  The male flower I just fry, dredged in seasoned flour and rolled in a slightly beaten egg then dress with aged balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Simple but quite delicious I have to say.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Eggplant Again

By special request from someone I cannot refuse, I had to make this dish again. I got some long Asian eggplants from the farmer's market and made strips and wove them together for the flat grill and stuffed them with my usual ground chicken with Thai basil. I just love to see my guests beaming with delight. 

Enjoy!

Crispy Pineapple Chips and Chewy Sour Cherries

Sometimes one finds too many fruit and vegetables at one time and rather than have them  go to waste, dehydration is a tastier option. The concentrated flavor of the fruit is more pronounced at the final tasting. It is rather fun to do despite the long wait but worth all the patience. You can cut the fruit very thinly for shorter drying time and crispier product. You can snack on these for peak energy or incorporate it into your breakfasts,desserts and salads.

You can dress half of an avocado and discover a new flavor.

Enjoy!

Cantaloupe and Watermelon Baskets for your Picnic

Here are some extra baskets to take with you on your next outdoor lunch. 

Enjoy!

Pesto as Nonna Wants It

Pesto is derived from the word to pound in Italian but more than that it's really grinding. With a marble mortar and a wooden pestel the coarse salt with the garlic, nuts, and basil leaves are ground and mixed with grated cheese and extra virgin olive oil until everything is reduced to a cream. Of course everybody knows that it is commonly used in pasta but it has many more delicious uses. Minestrone, boiled potatoes, tomatoes and sliced meat to name a few.

To make one batch pack 2 cups of basil leaves.

Some coarse salt, 3 cloves of garlic, a handful or more of pignoli and about half a cup of grated parmigiano reggiano.

Good extra virgin olive oil.

You can put pecorino romano too for the second batch if you want stronger flavor.

You can use a processor but that's not the way nonna wants it.  A mortar and pestle will work up your appetite and the pesto will taste a lot better.

Presto!

Have a taste and see. You can also toss it in a big bowl of spaghetti al dente and serve in colorful plates.

Enjoy!