Sopa de Flor de Calabaza (Squash Blossom Soup)

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Sopa de Flor de Calabaza (Squash Blossom Soup)

First, I want to say thank you to all of you guys that check my site or get my newsletter regularly – even when there is a bit of a lull.  You guys are truly what keep me coming back, inspiring me to share my recipes and thoughts on cultural foods.  With the weather turning a bit cool here in NYC, I’ve been on a soup-making kick as of late.  It just feels right – that warm comfort – and I’ve been experimenting like crazy: lentils with coconut, a kicked up chicken and barley soup, no-cream squash and apple.

This is a recipe straight from Exotic Table – inspired by a traditional Mexican soup.  Squash blossoms are the delicate, edible flowers of the zucchini plant and can often be found at the farmers’ market.  The traditional, Mexican version of this soup purées the squash blossoms right in, but I think they are more beautiful left whole, to finish the soup.  With the corn, potatoes, and squash, this soup is silky and rich without any cream, but a dollop of crème fraiche at the end really brings the flavor together.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, finely chopped

2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into a small dice

1 medium butternut squash, cut into a small dice

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups chicken stock

A small bunch of thyme

1 fresh or dried bay leaf

tiny pinch saffron (optional)

3 ears of corn, kernels removed and scraped for juice

8-10 large squash blossoms

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Crème fraîche, for garnish

Procedure

In a soup pot, heat the unsalted butter over medium-low.  Add the onions and jalapeno and sauté for 4 to 6 minutes until the onions are translucent.  Add the potatoes, squash and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add in the stock, thyme, bay leaf and saffron and bring up to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.

Now, add in the corn kernels and any juice from the corn and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes until all of the vegetables are tender.

Remove the thyme bunch and the bay leaf, and purée the soup in a blender, working in batches.  Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

I like the squash blossoms to be slightly raw, so I put 2 of them in each bowl along with a dollop of crème fraiche and pour the hot soup right over.  The soup wilts them just enough.

Squash Blossom Dolmas

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Squash Blossom Dolmas

What is a “dolma” you might be asking?  A dolma is any number of stuffed vegetables – squash, onions, peppers, tomatoes, leafy greens or even eggplants.  It’s a tradition of the Ottoman Empire found throughout Greece, Turkey, the rest of the Mediterranean and the Middle East.  Think grape leaves, which are one of the more recognizable forms, found at the late-night gyro spot (is that just me??).  The stuffing is usually rice and/or lamb with nuts, dried fruits, spices and herbs.  When in a small form like a grape leaf or like these, they are pretty snackable.

I picked up some beautiful, delicate squash blossoms from the farmer’s market and was debating what to do with them.  They have a bit of that elusive, squash-like flavor and are visually captivating.  I’ve seen squash blossoms everywhere fried – tempura-fried, stuffed and fried, lightly batter fried.  And, yes, they do taste delicious fried.  That said, I wanted a bit of crunch but without the headache (and fattiness) of frying.  Making a squash blossom dolma, stuffed with a subtle, flavorful rice mixture and baked to lightly-crisped perfection, was the answer.

I must say the spices are pretty light here, which adds to the delicate nature of this dish.  For that reason, I like to be generous with the herbs because they lend such brightness to the dolmas.  These make a lovely (and conversation-provoking I can assure you) party appetizer, served alongside a dill-yogurt-dipping sauce.  They taste best warm though – once they cool, they lose a bit of their edge.  Also, this stuffing is pretty universal – if no squash blossoms are on hand, you could easily stuff peppers or blanched, swiss chard leaves with this.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings as a side or an appetizer

16 Squash blossoms, stems trimmed and stamens removed

2 tbsps butter

1 shallot, minced

¼ fennel bulb, minced

½ tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

pinch of ground cloves

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup white rice (jasmine or basmati are both fantastic)

¾ cup water or vegetable stock

1 ½ tbsps chopped, toasted pine nuts

½ tsp lemon zest

a generous handful of mint & dill, finely chopped

salt & freshly ground pepper

melted butter for greasing

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Rinse the squash blossoms gently and leave to dry fully in a colander or over paper towels while preparing the stuffing.

In a small saucepan, heat butter.  When foam subsides, add shallot, fennel, coriander, cinnamon and clove.  Sauté for a few minutes until shallots are translucent (will happen quickly because of how finely chopped they are).  Add garlic and sauté another 30 seconds or so until the garlic becomes fragrant.

Add rice and let toast with the butter and vegetables, stirring frequently.  Add water or vegetable stock and increase temperature.  Bring up to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook covered for 20-25 minutes.   When rice is cooked, fluff with a fork, add pine nuts, lemon zest, chopped herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.

Carefully, stuff the squash blossoms with the rice mixture using a small spoon or even a melon baller.  Don’t overfill – allow the ends of the flowers to close.  Transfer to a greased baking sheet and drizzle with a little melted butter.  Season with a few pinches of salt, and bake for 15 minutes.  The outside should brown and be a bit crispy.  Serve warm!