Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

Kabak Cicegi Dolmasi

Ingredients:

  • 10 zucchini blossoms
  • 10 spoons of rice (1 for each blossom)
  • 3 fresh onions
  • 1/4 bunch of parsley
  • 1/4 bunch of dill
  • 1/4 bunch of peppermint
  • 1 spoon of thyme
  • salt
  • 1 teaspoon of black pepper
  • 1 small glass of olive oil

Preparation:
It's ideal if zucchini blossoms are picked before sunrise, while still fresh. Pull the seeds inside the leaves using a spoon avoiding harming them, then wash and place the leaves into a sieve. Wash the rice and mix it with finely chopped parsley, dill, peppermint, thyme, fresh onions, salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Open the blossoms carefully and put the mixture inside one by one.

Close the leaves carefully, put them into the pot side by side and pour some olive oil onto them. Put a glass plate onto the blossoms. Add a cup of water into the pot slowly and place it on the stove. When it starts to boil reduce the heat and wait until the leaves soak up the water, you can add some more water if needed while cooking. When you're sure that it's cooked, leave it for 15 minutes to be steeped. You can serve it warm or cold, plain or adding some yoghurt aside.

Notes: Stuffed zucchini blossoms is a typical appetizer dish in the Aegean Region of Turkey, served mostly around Izmir province.