So far July has provided us with plenty of lovely sunshine & warm balmy evenings. Summer was in full swing as we enjoyed 3 really special evenings for our Midsummer Feasts. We managed to dine al fresco in our sunshine speckled courtyard & enjoyed summer fare, straight from the farm & kitchen garden with our Hogget, New Season Lamb & Prime Beef Chops headlining the menu’s!
Inspired by our favourite time of year when our kitchen garden is abundant with homegrown organic ingredients, Jack’s Courgette Blossom, Cornish Crab, Ricotta & Fig Leaf dish was a true celebration of summer in Kernow. The courgettes came straight from the kitchen garden & the crab fresh in from Newlyn where their crab lines run from Mount’s Bay out to the Isles of Scilly.
Ingredients (Serves 6)
6 x Courgettes flowers, with small courgette attached
6 x Courgettes
250g of Crab meat
1 x Chilli (remove seeds & chop finely)
2 x stem of Tarragon finely chopped
2 x stem of Parsley finely chopped
Grated zest of one lemon
100g Corn Flour
100g of Plain flour (we use gluten free flour)
1 x tablespoon of cider vinegar
Sparkling Water
5 x Fig Leaves
500ml of Olive Oil
Fresh Ricotta
Method
- Blanch five fig leaves in hot water until soft
- Remove the fig leaves from the hot water & add them straight into iced water
- Remove the fig leaves from the iced water & blitz with 500ml of olive oil
- In a bowl mix together the fresh crab meat, finely chopped tarragon, parsley, chilli, grated lemon zest & season well
- Gently open each flower & remover the stamen
- Add the crab mixture into the flower heads & then close the flower by twisting the ends of the petals to seal
- Take the six courgettes & peel into ribbons, then slice the courgette into thinner strips resembling spaghetti. Drizzle with the fig olive oil & season well
- In a bowl add the corn flour, plain flour & tablespoon of cider vinegar. Gradually pour in the sparkling water, whisking continuously as you go until you have a batter consistency
- Coat the stuffed courgette flowers in batter
- Heat a fryer or deep pan to 180C. Working in batches so not to overcrowd the pan, dip the flowers into the batter & fry for 2 mins or until crispy. Remove & strain any excess oil
- To serve, place the fresh ricotta onto the plate first. Add the courgette salad drizzled in the fig leaf oil on top of the ricotta. Finley, place the stuffed courgette flower onto the courgette salad
- Drizzle with a little more of the fig leaf oil if you desire & enjoy!
