Chef's garden: Petals on the plate

Flowers and the eating of them are not always what springs to mind when you head out into the garden, but as I learn more and more about what grows when and where, I am often astounded at what nature provides, and flowers are no exception.

Perhaps I am starting to have a bit more garden sense or I'm becoming more aware of what is actually around me, but there is so much you can eat in the garden, if you know what to look for.

As with anything new, it is imperative to get advice as to what is safe to eat and, as with wild mushrooms, you need to be sure of what you have in front of you before you go putting it on your plate. A good gardener can often point out many varieties of flowers that are indeed edible, but I would highly advise double-checking with a reputable source if you are unsure, on the internet or at your local bookshop or library.

There is an amazing variety of flowers out there that you can eat safely, including vegetable flowers that we see day to day but may never think to use.

Rocket, when it goes to seed, produces delicate white flowers perfect for garnishing dishes. Others with edible flowers include chives, runner beans and leeks. Roses have always been prized for their beauty and perfume in the garden, but in the Middle East rosewater is used widely in confectionery such as Turkish delight and is so easy to make.

Snow pea flowers, day lilies, nasturtiums, calendulas and violas add a riot of colour to salads or, for the adventurous, can simply be eaten on their own.

And for me, few flowers shout summer on a plate like zucchini flowers. Stuffed with cheese, lightly battered and quickly deep-fried, they typify all that is great about cooking straight from the garden.

So whether an added dash of colour here or the main event over there, flowers are an amazing ingredient, meant not just for the kitchen vase.

• Bevan and Monique Smith own the award-winning Riverstone Kitchen restaurant, in North Otago, on SH1 just south of the Waitaki bridge.

www.riverstonekitchen.co.nz

 

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Deep-fried zucchini flowers with four cheeses

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

8 zucchini flowers
150g fresh ricotta (see recipe)
70g mascarpone
50g blue cheese, crumbled
40g parmesan, grated
1 lemon, quartered
2 cups micro-greens
2L sunflower or canola oil

Batter:
1/2 cup cornflour
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, ground
150ml soda water
2 free-range egg whites

METHOD
Mix cheeses together in a bowl until well combined. Place a generous spoonful of cheese mixture into each zucchini flower and set aside.

Heat oil in a large heavy-based pot on a medium to high heat until oil reaches 170degC. (Use a heatproof thermometer to test the temperature.) Dip stuffed zucchini flowers into batter until fully coated then carefully place into oil and fry, turning over after 2 minutes until crisp and golden on each side.

Remove from pot with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper.

Season and serve immediately with micro-greens and lemon.

• Batter

Place all dry ingredients into a large bowl. Add soda water and whisk to a smooth batter.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites to a soft peak, then gently fold into the batter.

 

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Rosewater meringues
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4 large free-range egg whites
300g caster sugar
2 tbsp rosewater
50g cornflour
1/2 tsp fresh beetroot juice
1/2 cup rosewater syrup
1 cup cream, whipped
1/2 cup edible rose petals, picked

Rosewater syrup:
Makes of a cup cup caster sugar cup water
½ cup caster sugar
¼ cup water
1 tbsp rosewater
tsp fresh beetroot juice

METHOD
Preheat oven to 120degC. Place egg whites in a large clean, dry mixing bowl and whisk on medium-high speed until soft peaks are formed. Add sugar in three stages, whisking for two minutes between each addition.

Reduce speed to low, add rosewater, cornflour and beetroot juice then whisk for a further 30 seconds on high.

Spoon meringue out on to a baking paper-lined oven tray into small mounds and cook for half an hour before reducing temperature to 80degC and cooking for a further 1 hour.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before serving with rosewater syrup and fresh whipped cream and rose petals.

• Rosewater syrup
Place sugar and water into a small saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium high heat. Continue to boil until sugar is dissolved and syrup is reduced by one third.

Remove from heat and allow to cool before stirring in rosewater and beetroot juice.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use

 

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Edible flower salad

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

16 nasturtium flowers
12 runner bean flowers
12 rocket flowers
12 snow pea flowers
12 violas
2 heads chive flowers, picked
5 calendula flowers, petals picked
3 edible roses, petals picked
3 Hemerocallis day lilies, petals picked
1 tbsp chardonnay vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp caster sugar

METHOD
Whisk vinegar, olive oil and sugar together in a small bowl and drizzle on to a large serving plate. Scatter flowers over dressing and serve immediately.

• Important - check with a reliable source before picking and eating any flowers. Not all flowers are edible, so caution must be exercised.

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