Breaded & Stuffed Flor de Calabaza

What do you do when a man suddenly gives you flowers?

Flor de Calabaza 1


A beautiful bunch of brightly colored flowers?



Okay, much more than a bunch.  More like a 1-pound bag of these delicate beauties.

flor de calabaza 5


Cook them, of course!

These gorgeous flowers are called Flor de Calabaza (Squash Blossoms).  They are part of the zucchini plant.  And they are totally edible!  (Not to mention absolutely delicious!)

Flor de Calabaza can be used in a number of dishes, including soup, quesadillas and even stir-fry.  But my favorite way to eat Flor de Calabaza is breaded and stuffed with cheese.  Lightly crisp and golden on the outside, filled with yummy melted cheese on the inside.  (Sigh!) 


Breaded & Stuffed Flor de Calabaza 

Ingredients:
  • 1 pound fresh squash blossoms
  • 2 cups dry bread crumbs (plain or flavored)
  • 3 eggs
  • 6 to 8 oz. Manchego, Chihuahua or Asadero cheese

Directions:
Clean the squash blossoms with a moist paper towel to remove any dirt.  If you rinse the squash blossoms in water, you could end up with droopy flowers that just don't look all that pretty.  Remove the stamen from the inside of the squash blossom. 

flor de calabaza prep 4


Place the bread crumbs in a wide bowl.  Season with seasoning salt and pepper; set aside.

flor de calabaza prep 2


Slice the cheese into 3-inch sticks. (About a 1/2-inch wide.)  

flor de calabaza prep 3



Place a cheese stick inside of each squash blossom.  Fold the ends over the cheese and secure with a toothpick.  An important point to remember when working with flor de calabaza is that the cheese is heavier than the flower.  So do not lift the flowers from the stem to transfer them to the egg, bread crumbs and skillet.

flor de calabaza prep 5



Dip the squash blossoms in the beaten eggs.  (If you didn't secure the ends of the squash blossom in the previous step, you can twist the now moistened ends together to ensure that the cheese stays in it's place.) 

flor de calabaza prep 6



Roll the squash blossoms in bread crumbs until completely coated. 

flor de calabaza prep 7
Always the rebel...No toothpicks! :P


Heat 1/2 cup of vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Carefully lay the stuffed squash blossoms in the skillet.  Fry the flor de calabaza until golden brown on both sides.  Transfer to a heat-proof plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.  Remove the toothpicks before serving. 

flor de calabaza prep 8



Serve with your favorite salsa. 

stuffed flor de calabaza w salsa



Enjoy!!!

stuffed flor de calabaza w salsa 2
Yum!


*Important note: Squash blossoms are very delicate and don't store well in the refrigerator.  It's best to use your Flor de Calabaza within a day or 2 of purchase.

Photobucket

11 comments

  1. Beautiful!  I love flor de calabaza, too...I usually make quesadillas or eggs with them, but I'm in the mood to head out to the garden to get some to stuff and fry now. YUM!

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  2. I don't think I have ever seen those sold around my neck of the woods.  But, it does look interesting.  Since I don't have the flowers, I will just leave that part out!

    Your recipe is bascially the same as the mozzerella sticks that I make.  I just bought string cheese at the store last night.  AND, I found some Panko breadcrumbs when I was in PV.  Sounds like a plan that you set in motion!  My waistline doesn't need it, but oh well!

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  3. Next time I buy Flor de Calabaza, I'm going to try your egg recipe that you posted the other day.  Looks so good! :) 

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  4. I had leftover cheese when I made these, so I made mozzarella sticks! :P  My kids loved dipping them in pizza sauce (from a jar).  :P 

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  5. thanks Leslie, I am forwarding your link to a couple of people who don't understand how to stuff the blossoms...your photos are great!
     

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  6. Leslie: These are pretty flowers, and I'm sure it's fun to cook with them. But they have no taste whatsoever, just the taste provided by how and with what you cook them. Great photos.

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  7. I'm going to be so sad when your daily challenge ends because I'm so totally enjoying gobbling up these pictures with my eyes. I'd never think to stuff, bread and fry una flor! Looks simply amazing. The flower reminds me a little of jamaica. Have you thought of selling your blog as an e-book?

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  8. This looks absolutely delicious!!!  I love the way you have serve it.  Saludos

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  9. I think I would adore these! I have never eaten the flor de calabaza before but zucchini is one of my most favorite veggies and I love it prepared in Mexican cooking.

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  10. Bonnie from Sweet LifeJuly 22, 2011 at 1:48 PM

    awesome leslie!! these are the kind of flowers I love!! que rico, gracias!  

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  11. OMG! My hubby loves flor de calabaza! Especially in quesadillas, we had some zuccini growing in a garden 1 year and he showed me how to make them. Que rico! ;) Anyway, can't wait for my trip to Ayotlan! So excited! :)

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