[Grubbypaws]

My Italian recipe book says courgette flowers are delicious. Has anyone tried them?

Some questions if you have:

When is the best time to pick them?
Do they have to be fully open?
Do you use both male and female flowers?

Thank you 

[Kleftiwallah]

Trendy cooks on the box drag this one out from time to time.  Female flowers dipped in light tempura batter and fried.   Sometimes stuffed with savory filling, dipped in batter then fried.     Cheers,    Tony.

[tosca100]

You pick them when they are open first thing in the morning so you can easily remove the stamens and any...er ..inhabitants.  They have very little flavour, but can be stuffed with something tasty, or battered and deep fried. I sometimes just tear up a couple, straight off the plant so they are fresh, into salad for a different texture. There must be some recipes on the internet if you google courgette flowers.
Halloumi salad with things from the garden.


The courgettes on here are sliced very fine, dusted in salted flour and fried till crisp....delish!

And Tony just answered too!!!!!

[Grubbypaws]

That looks glorious; Thank you.

My nephew is coming to stay with his fiance (he proposed yesterday!) and she is vegetarian so my husband is looking for something to cook from my raised beds but with a little fun twist.

We didn’t pick them this morning though, is that a disaster? Can I pick them now?

[arugula]

Or stuffed with cream cheese.

[tosca100]

You can pick them when you like, it's just easier when they are open to check for residents. If you stuff them they will naturally twist closed without force. Let us know what you do.

[mumofstig]

stuff with a little mozzarella and an anchovy fillet, dip in batter and deep fry, drain and dust with parmesan