Squash Blossoms

[ClaireyMary]

Can they be frozen?? Or is this a very, very bad idea.
Thanks for any input!!

[greedygirl]

I wouldn't think so. The whole point of them is they're supposed to be eaten while very fresh.

[Harters]

I think so fresh that I've never seen them (presumably courgette flowers) apart from once at a farmers market in a courgette growing area.

[NYchowcook]

I think they're best fresh. That's why I grow Italian zucchini -- lots of male blossoms that I harvest in the a.m. and stuff and fry that day. Mmm good!

I seem to recall there are some recipes that call for them to be braised, as in tomato sauce -- Marcella Hazan perhaps -- in which case -- if you absolutely had to, I suppose you could freeze. But you're losing their charm, even more than dried basil versus fresh.

[David A. Goldfarb]

They're so fragile, it doesn't sound promising, but if you've got a garden with lots of squash blossoms and like them stuffed with cheese, breaded, and fried, you might stuff and bread them and freeze them that way. I think that would hold up much better than plain squash blossoms. Maybe lay them out in a single layer on parchment or wax paper on a sheet tray to freeze quickly, and then bag or vacuum seal them when frozen. I haven't tried this, but that's what I'd try if I had more squash blossoms than I could eat in a couple of days.

[Samalicious]

My gardening experience tells me they would be just like they are after a hard freeze...they would look ok in the freezer but would collapse into yucky brown, runny little piles of stuff when they thawed out.

[NYchowcook]

What Sam said.
That makes sense. The plants cannot take any frost.

I like David's idea -- at least for an experiment -- of stuffing, dipping (I make a pastella -- flour and water batter -- a la Marcella Hazan), and then freezing if you must. But I doubt the batter would protect the blossoms from the slimy yuckiness Sam so well describes.

Better idea is invite all your friends and neighbors over and cook 'em up all at once!

I harvest in the a.m. when the blossoms are open, scraping and shaking the insects out with tips of my scissors, and cutting out pistil, though I suppose that's not necessary, but I want that room for the stuffing! Then I hurry inside and refrigerate in a covered bowl. If I don't get to cook 'em up that day, into the compost they go, and I await the next crop of male flowers.

[chicgail]

Nope, I agree with everyone else. Cook'em and eat 'em as soon as you can.

[ClaireyMary]

Ah, I see. Thanks everyone for the advice. I actually haven't got any-- it's my parents who are growing them, but as I won't be due for a visit until September, I was hoping there would be a way to save them so I could cook them then! Oh well, will just settle for the farmer's market instead :)