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FLOWERS IN THE KITCHEN
Throughout the ages flowers have played an important part in the various delis in the world and use them to garnish a dish or drink has always been a "refinement".
The flowers are traditionally used in different cuisines: European, Asian and Eastern Europe.
Native Americans and the first "immigrants" Americans used the flowers as food.
Today the flowers in cuisine have led to renewed interest in their fragrance, color and flavor. The flowers can be added to a salad, fried, frozen in ice cubes and added to stews or cocktails.
But not all flowers are edible and before cooking, you must be sure that they are, however, the majority of cases it must be used only petals (this is the case, for example roses and tulips). After all, there are flowers that are usually part of our eating habits such as zucchini flowers fried artichokes, cauliflower. The 'cost' is not you nor the supermarket nor the florist, but in the meadows and woods, where nature grows wild and offers surprises. Some types of flowers that you can safely use the kitchen team: violas and violets, nice scent for pastry and biscuits for breakfast, as well as lavender, rose, excellent cheeses to turn into jam, acacia, tasty prepared in pancakes.
Flowers have a language and if they give away a bunch of flowers is like sending a message, why not also cook?
Depending on your mood or what you would tell your friend you could use the different flowers.
Cook for your friend? Use of pink rose petals for a tart. Cooking for your love impossible? Fried yellow tulips.
Have you invited to dinner one of your ex? A nice salad with pansies, the memory of love.
Your aim is to reassure your partner about your loyalty? A nice sauce with white carnations.
The sauce can be enriched with different types of flowers, just follow the classic preparation and ten minutes before the end of cooking add the petals of roses, carnations and sunflowers.
The most romantic idea but it is certainly a nice rice petal pink to prepare just add them halfway through cooking, after having carefully washed the rice and sprinkle with a little rose water to perfume further.
Without doubt, however, the most glamorous and colorful flowers to use in cooking is to make ice cubes to put in the cocktails, an aperitif different, try to make a good white russian with ice cubes with the daisies!
Here are some recipes and delicacies prepared with flowers:
Zucchini flowers in batter:
Whip 2 egg whites. Prepare a batter by mixing 60 grams of flour, 1 / 2 cup Marsala wine and egg yolks with a pinch of salt. Gently add the egg whites and mix thoroughly. Let the batter rest for one hour in refrigerator. Remove the pistil of the flowers (400 g zucchini flowers), taking care not to break them, wash them and dry them gently. Puree in the batter and fry in abundant oil stirring often. When the gilding is intense, Gather with a slotted spoon and put to drain on paper towels.
Sauce carnations:
Prepare a mixture with 1 onion, 1 stalk celery, 1 carrot, put in a pan with oil and then fry, when it starts to brown add the petals of carnations and two of minced meat and have good color, add some white wine a bit of broth, add the tomato paste, a pinch of salt and finish cooking. Meanwhile cook the pasta, drain and toss with the sauce, pour the pasta into a serving dish and garnish with pink petals.
Fillet of sea bass Marigold:
Peel the potatoes and celery and boil in salted water. Drain and mash. Adjust salt and add the oil spilled wire. Divide the fillets of sea bass (about 400g) without peel into 8 equal parts. Lightly salt them and pass them in the petals of calendula. Heat a little oil in a pan, season with thyme and golden sea bass on both sides. Place the puree in food, Lay the sea bass (2 slices each), salt, and garnish with pepatelo mullet strips.
Flan lavender flowers with dark chocolate sauce:
Put the cream on low heat and stir until it boils. Add 200 g of sugar, let it melt and add the lavender flowers. Cover with a lid and let soak until completely cooled. With the help of a bunting, strain the cream and put it back on fire. Apart vigorously beat the egg yolks with remaining sugar to the mixture is almost white and very frothy, add cream and hot that you will cook sweet. When the cream is thick and smooth, add the gelatine previously soaked in cold water. Beat very well and filtered again using a strainer. Cool the custard and, when it starts to solidify, add the egg whites until stiff, stirring gently. Pour the mixture into molds and place in refrigerator to harden. For the sauce, mix the chocolate in a pan, cut into very small flakes and cream, stir over medium heat until the sauce smooth and thick, dilute with milk if necessary. Serve accompanied by bowls and casseroles chocolate sauce and possibly a bowl of crème brûlée with lavender flowers. Decorate the pie with granulated sugar sticks.
Chamomile liqueur:
Put in a glass bottle with airtight 2 handfuls of chamomile flowers, one of mauve and pour 1 liter of alcohol at 95 °, tightly and let stand for 40 days, stirring well every day. When I passed 40 days to prepare a syrup with 800 grams. water and 500 gr. sugar, heat it and pour it into the bottle. After 10 days, filter and bottle. It 's a good liquor that predisposes to a really deep sleep nightly.
Jam Primrose:
Collect about 350 gr. petal primrose, clean them well and place in blender with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Prepare a syrup with 800 grams. sugar and a glass of water, boil, remove from heat and add the minced primroses, add some whole petal primrose, stir and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring well. Pour the jam still unruly grow in pots with airtight and close.
Rose Liqueur roses
Gathering of fragrant red roses, remove the petals and remove the final white petal, pick up 40 grams. petals and place in a hermetically sealed bottle with 1 liter of alcohol 95 ° and a vanilla pod, allow to stand for 20 days. Past time to filter the liquid and add a syrup made with 500 gr. sugar dissolved in 8 dl. water, close and let stand for 15 days. Filter and bottle.
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