From the garden to the table, cooking with flowers

• Meaning and Colors and Candles

Published: 01/16/2013 - Updated: 09/03/2016

• Author: Miriam Reyes

The use of flowers in gastronomy is not recent, East Orange and lemon blossoms, were used as a basis for preparing condiments and preserves. The Mediterranean countries and Mexico are widely known by eating the blossoms of squash and more.

The list of edible flowers is long, for example: rose petals, jasmine and violet, lavender, pumpkin, marigold, chrysanthemums, nasturtiums and basil flower, all protagonists of incredible dishes.

Besides the aesthetic contribution that flowers gives us, it is important to include them in our recipes since they are a source of vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K, B12 and minerals like calcium, iron and sodium, and contain natural oils that benefit our bodies.

Cooking with flowers can be a fascinating and different experience, but you must be careful when choosing them. The bouquets from the flower shops may look delicious, but should not be used in the kitchen, as they contain many conservatives and wastes which are bad for human consumption. Ideally, use garden flowers that have not been treated with chemicals or greengrocers sold for human consumption, or in special stores. Do not forget to disinfect it like any other plant.

Fill your table with color and flavor during spring with the flower power.

Stuffed squash blossoms

Ingredients

• 1 fresh cheese
• 1 bunch of squash blossoms
• Canola oil, the necessary
• ½ red onion threaded
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 cups of poached tomato, chopped
• 3 leaves of fresh herb tea, disinfected
• A touch of salt and pepper
• Oil for frying

Preparation

1. Cut cheese into sticks.
2. Stuff squash blossoms and reserve in your refrigerator.
3. Prepare sauce by heating oil in a pan, add onion, garlic and tomatoes.
4. Let the tomatoes soften and begin to release the juice. Add flavor with herb tea, salt and pepper.
5. Heat oil in a deep pan and fry squash blossoms. Put on absorbent paper to remove excess fat.
6. Serve a mirror of sauce on the plate and place the flowers on top. Decorate with fresh herb tea leaves.

Ice cream with rose petals

Ingredients

• 3 cups of frozen yogurt
• ¼ cup of chopped organic rose petals
• 1 ½ cup of strawberries, washed and disinfected
• ¼ cup of sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon of rose essence
• 3 tablespoons of water

To serve

• Corn syrup, the necessary
• White sugar, necessary
• Organic rose petals

Preparation

1. Mix careful and rapidly the frozen yogurt with petals and immediately put into your freezer to preserve its texture.
2. Pass strawberries, sugar, rose essence and water through the processor, until you get a strawberry sauce.
3. Finally put a little corn syrup in a bowl, introduce petals one by one, to cover them halfway with honey.
4. Sprinkle with sugar and let dry.
5. Serve a scoop of ice cream with some strawberry sauce and garnish with crystallized petals.

Jicama rolls stuffed with hibiscus flower

Ingredients

• 1 cup of hibiscus flower
• Boiling water, the required
• Cold water, the necessary
• 1 small jicama
• ½ cup of cream cheese
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of lemon zest
• ½ tablespoon of mint leaves, washed and chopped
• ½ cup of chopped peanut

Preparation

1. Put hibiscus flowers into boiling water to hydrate only for a few seconds, quickly pass through cold water to cool. Drain and reserve.
2. Peel jicama and using a sharp knife cut very thin slices, place them in water to prevent drying.
3. Mix cheese with sugar, lemon zest and mint in a bowl. Place mixture in a pastry sleeve or a plastic bag and place a line of filling on each slice of jicama. Add hibiscus flowers and chopped peanuts. Roll up and it’s ready!

• Miriam Reyes

  Miriam Reyes is a professional expert in nutrition and dietetics. She has more than 12 years of experience in caring for patients with overweight and eating problems. She studied at the Universidad del Valle de Atemajac (UNIVA), where she obtained a degree in nutrition. Linkedin profile.