Antonia Lofaso's Crispy Squash Flowers with Crab Feast of the Seven Fishes Food Network

Cook along with Antonia Lofaso as she makes Crispy Squash Flowers with Crab for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. It's not a dish that Antonia's mom used to make, but she brought it to the mix once she became a chef!
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Crispy Squash Blossoms with Crab and Tarragon
RECIPE COURTESY OF ANTONIA LOFASO
Level: Easy
Total: 40 min
Active: 40 min
Yield: 15 blossoms

Ingredients

Frying:
5 cups neutral oil, such as peanut or canola

Filling:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped shallots (about 1 shallot)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (about 3 cloves)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup whole-milk ricotta, drained of any excess water (see Cook's Note)
1/2 cup mascarpone
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over
15 squash blossoms, bottoms trimmed

Batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rice flour
1 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 to 4 1/2 cups soda water

Directions

Special equipment: deep-fry thermometer

For frying: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven to 350 degrees F.

For the filling: Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic and a large pinch of salt and sweat, stirring occasionally, until softened but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

Mix together the ricotta, mascarpone, chives, tarragon and lemon zest in a large bowl. Stir in the garlic-shallot mixture and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the crabmeat. Chill in the fridge at least 15 minutes or up to 1 day before stuffing.

Shape 15 heaping tablespoons of the filling into ovals the size of the squash blossoms. Carefully open each blossom and gently nestle the pre-shaped filling inside, pressing the petals around the filling to seal. Keep refrigerated while you make the batter, or up to 1 day in advance.

Meanwhile, make the batter: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in the soda water until it coats your fingers.

Dip each blossom in the batter and allow excess to drain off slightly.

Working in 2 batches, carefully place the blossoms in the Dutch oven and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to remove the blossoms to a paper towel-lined plate, sprinkle with salt immediately and repeat with the remaining blossoms.

Cooks Note: I find that Polly-O whole-milk ricotta is softer, sweeter and has a lower water content than other ricottas.

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Antonia Lofaso's Crispy Squash Flowers with Crab | Feast of the Seven Fishes | Food Network
https://youtu.be/iVDEXw9OgHQ