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Summer risotto of zucchini flowers and prawns

18/1/2016

35 Comments

 
Risotto with zucchini flowers and prawns by Liz Posmyk, Good Things
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.

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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Zucchini or courgette flowers by Liz Posmyk, Good Things
Summer risotto of zucchini flowers and prawns by Liz Posmyk, Good Things

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?
35 Comments
Marilyn Lyden link
18/1/2016 04:00:08 am

I grow the yellow zucchinis, not only are they beautiful colour, bright yellow, they are yummy too. The flowers will look great in your summer "Risotto of Zucchini Flowers & Prawns". Liz thank you so very much for adapting your recipes for us Tefal CC lovers, the best Appliance I have ever had in my Kitchen.

Reply
Lizzy
18/1/2016 04:22:44 am

Hi Marilyn... my pleasure! I, too, enjoy the Tefal Cuisine Companion.i must try growing the yellow zucchinis next season! Thanks for stopping by.

Reply
Krista link
18/1/2016 05:00:21 am

How beautiful this is, Liz. :-) I didn't grow zucchini this year, but I have friends who keep me well supplied. :-)

Reply
Lizzy
22/1/2016 10:29:26 pm

How wonderful Krista!

Reply
Dhanya Samuel link
18/1/2016 07:06:58 am

That looks divine; so light and refreshing!

Reply
Lizzy
22/1/2016 10:29:41 pm

Thank you x

Reply
Glenda link
18/1/2016 09:02:35 am

Liz, I am too frightened to grow zucchinis. I would have them everywhere and they are harder to give away than cucumbers.

Reply
Marilyn Lyden link
19/1/2016 11:44:38 pm

Hi Glenda, I grow the Yellow Zucchinis each plant will only give you a couple a week, maybe start with 2 plants, you can cut them off at what ever size you like, just remember not to let them get too big, younger is good. Give them a try I don't think you will be sorry.

Reply
Lizzy
22/1/2016 10:31:02 pm

Thanks Marilyn!

Lizzy
22/1/2016 10:30:03 pm

I believe you! You could swaddle them and leave them on doorsteps!

Reply
Amanda link
18/1/2016 06:01:53 pm

What a lovely, delicate treat! And a perfect dish for cooking in the Tefal machine - especially if (like here) the weather is hot.

Reply
Lizzy
22/1/2016 10:30:43 pm

Very much so!

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Eha
18/1/2016 06:58:03 pm

Saw Gennaro make this and tho' I adore risotto have not copied! Shall now!! I do love zucchini but 'tis one vegetable I have not grown myself: even the beautiful zucchini flowers seem to be easily available in season in this neck of the woods . . . but the recipe is in the kitchen already . . .

Reply
Lizzy
22/1/2016 10:31:17 pm

Happy cooking xx

Reply
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella link
18/1/2016 07:20:57 pm

What a perfect summer's night dinner (or lunch really). The zucchini flowers that you can get at the shops are really quite floppy but fresh ones are so divine.

Reply
Lizzy
22/1/2016 10:31:35 pm

Agreed! Perfect for lunch, too!

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John / Kitchen Riffs link
18/1/2016 08:34:58 pm

The flowers are the best reason to grow zucchini! Oh, sure, I love the zucchini, but in season we can get really good and inexpensive zucchini at the market. The flowers are sometimes harder to come by, so growing one's own is a good idea. But a better idea is using them in this risotto! Really super recipe -- so good. Thanks!

Reply
Lizzy
22/1/2016 10:31:52 pm

Thanks John!

Reply
Anna @ shenANNAgans link
18/1/2016 09:04:32 pm

Lovely Lizzy, we have been obsessed with zucchinis in my household, some because our garden went crazy this year and zuccs are plentiful, and some because we love em. :) I have used the flowers in my cooking, but never at home, only in a commercial cookery sense, I used to stuff them with a scallop & prawn mixture that was very popular.

Reply
Lizzy
22/1/2016 10:32:09 pm

Anna darling, that sounds divine!

Reply
Tandy I Lavender and Lime link
18/1/2016 11:00:15 pm

This looks amazing. I'm busy growing Hubbard squash but if the drought and wind do not relent I may just pick the flowers and cook with them 😀

Reply
Lizzy
22/1/2016 10:32:27 pm

Sounds good Tandy!

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Fiona Ryan
19/1/2016 04:40:28 am

I love zucchini flowers too Liz. They burn a hole in my pocket and are so expensive if you don't have the space to grow them. A lovely recipe (with plump looking prawns). Yum!

Reply
Lizzy
22/1/2016 10:32:45 pm

Nice one, Fiona, thank you x

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kellie@foodtoglow link
19/1/2016 07:59:49 am

We too are very fond of courgette blossoms and I have to hold myself back from picking them all. Each is treated with all the reverence of finest caviar or truffles, although of course blossoms are practically free. I tend to stuff them with either a flavoured cashew cheese or herbed goats cheese, coat them in panko and bake rather than fry them. Your risotto sounds and looks heavenly so that's one more thing I must treat my precious crop to when it comes. It is 0C today...

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Eha
19/1/2016 06:27:08 pm

Thank you for a great idea I'll try a soon as possible! Always try to bake rather than fry and the rest sounds delightful :) !

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Lizzy
22/1/2016 10:33:15 pm

Me too!

Lizzy
22/1/2016 10:33:00 pm

Yummy!

Reply
Hotly Spced link
19/1/2016 09:40:58 pm

I love zucchini flowers. I mostly have them as an entree or appetiser when they're stuffed, covered in light batter then quickly fried. Yum! This risotto looks amazing and I love your photos. Definitely some very delicate and wonderful flavours here xx

Reply
Lizzy
22/1/2016 10:33:33 pm

Thank you, lovely x

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Laura (Tutti Dolci) link
20/1/2016 05:53:05 pm

I love a light and summery risotto, what a beautiful dish!

Reply
Lizzy
22/1/2016 10:33:48 pm

Thank you, Laura x

Reply
Liz link
23/1/2016 07:45:19 pm

Oh, boy, I'm envious of your summer weather as the chill of winter has definitely settled in. Your risotto looks magnificent. May I'll put a zucchini plant in my garden :) xo

Reply
David link
24/1/2016 01:44:16 pm

So light and beautiful, Liz! I made a similar risotto last summer and I guess that I forgot to post it! Oops! Have a lovely week!

Reply
Gourmet Getaways link
25/1/2016 12:23:56 am

Oh Lizzy this looks amazing!
I would love a big bowl... my zucchini hasn't done very well this year :( no zucchini or flowers for me unfortunately.
Thanks for sharing
Julie
Gourmet Getaways

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Good Things is written and published by Liz Posmyk © 2011-2020.   All rights reserved.
Excerpts may be used provided that full and clear credit is given. Thank you.


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