Zucchini flowers: what they are, benefits and when to pick them
The zucchini flowers They are a delicacy. With these beautiful and striking yellow-orange flowers we can accompany many dishes and even present them as an entree only by preparing them battered or in tempura, stuffed, sautéed or even accompanying salads.
Zucchini flowers are much appreciated in the haute cuisine of many countries such as Italian cuisine, Japan, Mexico ... In fact, in Spain there are more and more restaurants where we can see that they offer flowers of zucchini in their letters.
Likewise in the market, supermarkets and stores that dispense organic products is increasingly common to see flowers for sale of zucchini or pumpkin.
The flavor of the zucchini flower is delicate, has a sweet touch, and recalls slightly the flavor of the almonds.
If you have a small garden and grow your own zucchini on the following lines, we will indicate when is the best time to pick your flowers, and how to keep them until you cook them.
We must bear in mind that there Two types of flowers in the zucchini bush, the female flower and the male flower.
The ideal thing is to collect the male flowers and leave the female ones so that the courgettes grow in them, unless we have a greater quantity in what to plantation of courgettes.
What are zucchini flowers?
As we mentioned before, the truth is that Zucchini flowers have become a delicacy, highly valued in gastronomy and the most avant-garde cuisine. However, did you know that it has always stood out as an ingredient that is very present in many cuisines around the world? Thus, for example, we can find a wide variety of recipes that use this food as an ingredient. This is the case of Italian cuisine, Mexican cuisine or even Japanese cuisine.
Its intense yellow color and its large size and flared appearance make it an easily distinguishable plant. In addition, we can easily find them either in the upper part of the zucchini itself (with a smaller and fleshy pistil), or in the margin (with a longer stem, and a thin pistil).
How to differentiate zucchini flowers easily
Maybe you ask yourself the next question And how to differentiate them? To differentiate them we will notice that the male flowers are located in the margin, have a long stem, elongated chalice, thin pistil and stamens, however, the female flowers have a shorter pistil, and the leaves of the chalice are more fleshy, and are found in the upper part of the fruit.
Both the male flower and the female flower can be eaten, but it is advisable to pick up the male ones and leave the female ones in the bush so that the zucchini grow as we have said before.
The best time to collect them is in the morning when they have opened, they open only a few hours, once a day, time for the wise nature to fulfill its function, pollination through insects and wind.
We can also collect them when they are closed, it will depend on the recipe that we are going to elaborate at that moment.
Once we have collected them, we will wash them, carefully open them a little and cut the pistil which is what usually gives a bit bitter touch to the flower.
Carefully dry them and keep them in the refrigerator in a covered container until the time of cooking.
If we are not going to cook them that same day we can keep them soaking in water and in the fridge so they stay crispy.
Then we must take into account that only lasted about 2 days at most, if not lose the freshness and flavor that characterizes them.
And what nutritional properties and benefits do these striking flowers give us?
Zucchini flowers are rich in antioxidants, rich in water and fiber, and rich in minerals such as potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B, betacaratene or vitamin A.
Being rich in antioxidants prevent us from aging our body's cells, and above all, its richness in antioxidants helps prevent the negative action of free radicals.
The amount of water and fiber gives them the diuretic and light laxative properties, which will help us eliminate the toxins that accumulate in our body, and also facilitate good intestinal transit.
On the other hand, we could not forget that they are a very light food, with no fat and whose caloric intake is really low. It thus becomes a delicious nutritious option for salads, particularly in slimming diets.
Once knowing how beneficial and nutritious are zucchini flowers, do you dare to try them by preparing a recipe with them? This article is published for informational purposes only. You can not and should not replace the consultation with a Nutritionist. We advise you to consult your trusted Nutritionist.
