Summer risotto of zucchini flowers and prawns

Courgette or zucchini flowers are treated like gold at my place. I can barely wait for the season, when our plants flower, providing these delicate and exquisite blossoms.

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Because the kitchen garden at The Blue House is relatively compact, we are not blessed with a huge bounty, hence they are regarded as precious. I adore them on a pizza Bianca or in a risotto.

This recipe is adapted from Gennaro Contaldo's risotto con gamberetti e fiori di zucchini. It is exceptionally good.

​SUMMER RISOTTO OF ZUCCHINI FLOWERS & PRAWNS
1.5 litres of chicken or vegetable stock
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
1 small French eschalot, chopped
350g Arborio rice
50mls dry white wine
200g small green prawns, shelled and deveined
1 baby zucchini/courgette, chopped
3-4 zucchini/courgette flowers, carefully washed, gently dried
6-8 baby basil leaves, washed, torn
sea salt and white pepper, to season
perhaps a little Parmesan, shredded, if desired, to serve

To cook in the traditional way, serves 4:
Bring the stock to boil in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat and keep it simmering gently.

Combine two tablespoons of the olive oil, with the teaspoon of butter, in a larger saucepan and heat until the butter has melted. Add the chopped eschalot, and cook until it is translucent and softened.

Stir in the rice and stir with a wooden spoon, taking care to ensure that each grain has been kissed by the butter and oil. Add the wine and stir until it has almost evaporated. Now, stir in the little prawns and the chopped baby zucchini.

Start adding ladlefuls of stock and stir gently, then allow the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next ladle of stock. Be patient, this may take around 15-20 minutes, when the rice will be cooked perfectly. Near the end of the cooking time, stir in half of the zucchini flowers and the rest of the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon onto serving plates and garnish with the baby basil leaves, and the remaining shreds of zucchini flower. Top with shredded Parmesan, if desired. Serve immediately. This quantity serves 4. Cooking and preparation time: around 30-40 minutes, perhaps a little less.

To cook in your Tefal Cuisine Companion, serves 2-3:
430mls chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
1 small French eschalot, chopped
130g Arborio rice
50mls dry white wine
12 small green prawns, shelled and deveined
1 baby zucchini, chopped
2-3 zucchini/courgette flowers, carefully washed, gently dried
6 baby basil leaves, washed, torn
sea salt and white pepper, to season
perhaps a little Parmesan, shredded, if desired, to serve

Fit the mixer blade to the bowl of the #CC. Pour in one tablespoon of the olive oil and launch the P1 slow cook program, without the stopper, at 130 degrees for 7 minutes. When the timer shows 4 minutes remaining, pour in the rice. When there is just one minute to go, pour in the white wine.

At the end of the first program, pour in the chicken or vegetable stock and launch the P3 slow cook program, at 95 degrees, for 22 minutes. Pop the stopper into the lid.

​When the timer shows 12 minutes, add the prawns and the chopped baby zucchini, together with half of the torn zucchini flowers. When there is just one minute to go, pour in the rest of the olive oil.

At the end of cooking, season to taste. Spoon onto serving plates and garnish with the baby basil leaves and the remaining shreds of zucchini flower. Top with shredded Parmesan, if desired. Serve immediately. This quantity will serve 2-3. Cooking and preparation time 30-40 minutes.

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Tell me dear readers and fellow cooks, do you grow your own zucchinis or courgettes? Have you ever used the flowers in your cooking? What's your favourite way of serving them?