Zucchini Flowers Stuffed with King Prawns in a Bouillabaisse Emulsion - Chef Recipe by Ashraf Saleh

Ingredients

400g prawn meat
100g white fish
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp grated ginger
50mL cream
Zest and juice of a lemon
50g butter, softened
12 zucchini flowers
1.5L oil, for frying
100g baby herbs, to garnish

Batter:

200g self-raising flour
300mL soda water

Bouillabaisse emulsion:

200g butter
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stick, diced
500g tinned diced tomatoes
200g mussels
500g fish heads
100g prawn heads
Few threads of saffron
1 tsp chopped chives
Salt and pepper to season

Method

Blend the prawn meat and white fish in a blender, then add the garlic, ginger, cream, lemon zest, half the lemon juice and the butter. Mix well and season to taste.

Place the prawn mixture in a piping bag. Trim the ends of the zucchini flowers and remove the stamen from inside the flower. Pipe approximately 50g of prawn mixture into each flower. Set aside.

Bouillabaisse emulsion:

Heat 50g of butter in a pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrot and celery and saute until softened.

Add tinned tomatoes, mussels, fish and prawn heads and 1L of water. Simmer for 25 minutes, then strain the liquid into a pan. Place the pan over medium heat and cook until reduced by half. Allow to cool slightly.

Blend the stock, add saffron and remaining 150g butter and season to taste. Set aside.

Batter:

Mix flour and soda water together until well combined.

Dip the flower end of the zucchini into the batter and drain off any excess.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan to 180 C. Deep fry zucchini flowers for 2-3 minutes on each side. Drain off any excess oil on a paper towel.

To serve:

Pour the bouillabaisse into individual bowls and top with zucchini flowers. Garnish with baby herbs.

Credits: Coya – French, Middle Eastern Cuisine, New Holland Publishers RRP $39.99 available from all good book retailers or online www.newhollandpublishers.com