As a member of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program I recently received an email inviting bloggers to create a recipe using and/or pairing with one of New Belgium Brewery’s beers. In return New Belgium offered up a $50 stipend to those bloggers picked. I was thrilled when I received notification that I was one of the blogs that the folks over at New Belgium chose.

The hardest part to this whole assignment was choosing which of their beers to use to create my dish. Let’s face it, New Belgium Brewery has a number of really great beers from which to choose from. I was, originally all set to use their “1554,” one of my favorite beers, but on the day that I was planning out my recipe I ended up heading out to do some Ramp picking. For those reader’s who have been following me since last year, you’ll know that I am a huge ramp fan. For those of you unfamiliar with ramps, they are a wild “onion” that grows in early spring and has a taste somewhere between a leek, a scallion and garlic. They are one of the few foods I feel comfortable foraging for as they are pretty easy to identify and I don’t have to worry about poisoning someone with them.

Freshly picked ramps

But I digress; because of my ramp picking foray my whole recipe concept changed and I eventually decided on the Ranger IPA to highlight. American IPAs (India Pale Ales) can be difficult beers to cook with. They are great beers for pairing with food, especially spicy foods, but in cooking with them one has be careful or the bitterness, from the hops, can overwhelm a dish. Luckily Ranger IPA has a nice malty backbone to help balance out the bitterness of the beer.

While I hesitate to call this a “Moroccan” dish, its flavors where definitely influenced by the foods of Morocco and Northern Africa. The heat and spice of the dish holds up well to the high bitterness, while the shrimp does well with the citrus notes of the beer. The Ranger IPA is used as the base for the marinade and makes the perfect accompaniment to the finished dish.

Spicy Shrimp with Red Pepper Sauce
serves 4

Marinade
1 cup New Belgium Ranger IPA
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested
1 tsp. garlic chile paste (I used sambal)

Red Pepper Sauce
2 large red bell peppers
1 Tbs. whole coriander seed
1 Tbs. whole cumin seed
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled

32 each large shrimp
1/2 pound ramps (can substitute green onions)
2 lemons
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Couscous (your favorite brand)

Make the marinade by combining th beer, olive oil, lemon zest and garlic chile paste. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails intact. Pour marinade over the shrimp and allow to marinate for 2-4 hours.

Meanwhile, if you don’t have metal skewers, place 8 8″ bamboo skewers in water to soak. Roast the red peppers and remove skin and seeds. Place in a blender along with turmeric, cinnamon, olive oil, cayenne pepper and garlic. Quickly toast the coriander and cumin seed in a hot, dry saute pan over medium high heat. Add too the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

Season with salt and chill until ready to use. Wash the ramps, remove the root ends and most of the leaves, which tend to burn on the grill. Cut the lemons in half. Once the shrimp have marinated, heat a grill to high. While the grill is heating skewer the shrimp, placing 4 shrimp on each skewer. Prepare the couscous per the package instructions. Drizzle the ramps with olive oil and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Grill until softened and just slightly charred. While the ramps are grilling, brush the cut sides of the lemon with olive oil and grill just until the cut side is lightly browned. Finally season the shrimp with salt and pepper and grill until done (approximately 3-4 minutes on each side depending on how hot your grill is and how big the shrimp are).

Stir in about 1/3 cup of chopped parsley into the couscous and divide among 4 plates. Arrange shrimp around couscous and top with grilled ramps. Drizzle the red pepper sauce over everything and garnish with the remaining parsley.

I have to admit, I’m not a huge fan of Chinese food. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike it, but when given the choice it is usually not my first choice. If going Asian my first choice is always Indian or Japanese. I’d also rather eat Thai if that is a choice. Again, it’s not that I dislike Chinese food, I’m just not that enamored of it. Of course, there are exceptions and with a cuisine as diverse as Chinese can be, one would be very hard pressed, indeed, to not find something one likes. My wife, on the other hand, would probably eat Chinese almost every day, if she could, so occasionally I like to surprise her with a homemade Chinese meal.

The other day, I was in the mood for seafood and had one of those rare cravings for Chinese. I’m a big fan of Kung Pao Chicken and figured it would adapt well to shrimp. Countless others most have had the same thought as the internet is full of Kung Pao Shrimp recipes. Unfortunately, they vary greatly in their content with some recipes only having shrimp and soy sauce in common with others. After reading a number of recipes I decided the best thing to do was pull out what I liked from various recipes and combine them into a dish that I would be happy to serve. The recipe below is the culmination of my research, and pretty darn tasty, if I do say so myself.

The ingredient list looks rather long, but most of the stuff is pretty easy to find and, believe it or not, this recipe comes together rather quickly. This recipe makes a mildly spicy dish. Feel free to bump up the heat if you like it a little hotter.

Kung Pao Shrimp

1 Tbsp. rice wine
1/2 cup orange juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. chili garlic sauce (sambal)
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. sugar
salt
pepper

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined (tail on or off-your choice)

3 Tbsp. vegetable or peanut oil
1 1/2 tsp. ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 dried chili peppers, whole
1/2 medium onion, large dice
1/2 red bell pepper, large dice
1/2 green bell pepper, large dice
1/2 cup cashews, roasted
1/4 cup green onion, chopped

Combine the first set of ingredients, to make sauce, and mix well. Set aside. In a large bowl combine the second set of ingredients and mix. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Heat a wok over high heat. Add the oil and allow to heat briefly. Add the ginger, garlic and dried chili. Cook for 30 seconds then quickly add the onion and bell peppers. Cook for 2 minutes then add the shrimp. Cook until shrimp turn opaque and are cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Add the sauce and cook just until thickened. Toss in cashews. Divide shrimp among 4 plates, garnish with the green onion and serve with a side of rice.

Last Saturday I took my daughter out to the woods. Not only would I get a chance to spend some time with my 3 year old as we stomped through the woods, but it also gave my wife a little quite time without the 2 of us. Besides, though a little early, conditions seemed pretty good for hunting down some morels. The trip was both a success and a failure. No morels were found, but the land around the creek was bursting with ramps (wild leeks) of which I grabbed a few handfuls. I’m planning on heading back sometime this weekend to dig some more.

I also got to spend some time in woods with my daughter, which was a delight. She bounced along the paths, stopping at every other flower to point it out to me and to tell me how beautiful it was. Squirrels and birds of various sizes and colors captured her attention at every bend, though it’s surprising that anything ventured within 1/2 a mile of us as she babbled constantly and squealed and laughed with delight at every step. We spent 10 minutes following a toad I had scared up while hunting for morels and another 5 inspecting a dead fish that had washed up on the banks of the creek, though not too closely. She threw rocks at the water and chased after the occasional lone duck, finding fun and delight at every step. I found myself thinking about what a huge difference just a year makes in the life of one so young. Last year at this time, the woods, though wondrous to her, definitely did not hold the same allure that they do now. She explored, but never strayed to far. This time I had to race to keep up and constantly warn her about getting too far ahead. Oh, to be 3 again and once again view the world with awe and wonder, instead of the eyes of a jaded, relatively cynical 40 year old.

Crab Stuffed Shrimp with Linguine and Ramps
serves 4

6oz crabmeat
2 Tbsp. onion, minced
1 Tbsp. celery,minced
1 Tbsp. red bell pepper, minced
8 Club crackers, crushed (or 12 Ritz crackers)
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
salt
pepper
12 shrimp, large (U-10′s are best)
2 Tbsp. butter melted
12oz linguine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1-2 Tbsp. tarragon, minced
1 cup ramps, cleaned and chopped
1 1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Combine, crabmeat, onion, celery, pepper, crackers and mayo together in a bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 450°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta, per the directions on the package making sure to cook it al dente. Peel and devein the shrimp, making sure you cut only deep enough to remove the vein. Flip the shrimp over and cut open the shrimp from the underside, being careful not to cut all the way through.

Divide the crabmeat mixture into 12 portions and form into a loose ball. Place crabmeat on butterflied shrimp and curl tail over to hold the crab in place.

Once pasta is done drain in a colander and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking. Place the shrimp on a cookie tray, drizzle with the butter and place in the oven cooking for 7-9 minutes or until the shrimp is done. Meanwhile, in a large, nonreactive skillet place the wine and the garlic. Reduce over high heat until the wine is reduced by 2/3′s. Add the cream and reduce by 1/2. Add the tarragon and ramps, cook for 1 minute then add the pasta. Heat through, add the parmesan cheese and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Divide the pasta among 4 plates mounding it in the center. Place three stuffed shrimp around the pasta and serve.

It occurs to me that I write often about the foods and drinks of New Orleans. I’m not sure why the city and its food has left such an indelible on me. I only spent about 6 months living there, while doing a culinary internship, but there is something about the food of that city that has made a lasting impression. The city is proud of its culinary heritage, a meld of Old World and New. The cuisine is a true American invention, a blend of cuisines from France, Spain, Africa, and the Caribbean along with the bounty of New World food stuffs. I think this is what has captured…and kept my interest for so long. I know of no other cuisine that draws from so many diverse cultures, blends those influences together, and creates something that is so wholly new, yet still reminiscent of each cuisine it has drawn from.

One of my favorite dishes, from New Orleans and Cajun folk who settled in the area, is Gumbo. A combination of European and African technique, along with the foods of Africa and the New World, this soup is the apex of that melding of so many cuisines and cultures, in my opinion. In fact, the word gumbo, itself comes from Africa and is an African word for okra, a traditional thickener used in the soup.

Gumbos come in a wide variety of styles, some containing only seafood for the protein, some containing chicken and andouille (sausage), while others contain all three, and some, eaten during lent are completely meatless. Some contain tomatoes while others do not. The creole versions tend to use a lightly browned roux, while Cajun versions use a very dark roux that adds an incredible depth of flavor to the dish. Traditionally okra or file powder (ground sassafras leaves) were used as the main thickener, though traditionally cooks always used one or the other, never both. Seafood gumbos were usually thickened with okra while chicken and sausage gumbos were thickened with file. This had more to do with timing than any great culinary revelation. Okra was available during the summer when one could go crabbing and shrimping. In winter, when okra was not available file was used, a time when chicken and sausages were easier to come by then seafood.

The version I offer up below, is a Cajun style gumbo using shrimp, chicken and andouille sausage. It’s a rich,and hearty soup but not overly thick so while it will warm you up in winter it is not too heavy to enjoy in summer. In other words it makes a great meal year round. Ladle it into a bowl as is, or spoon it over rice for a more “stick to your ribs” meal.

Gumbo
serves 4-6

1 pound shrimp (2 pounds if you can get head on shrimp)
8 cups water
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups flour
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
1 pound chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, diced
1 pound andouille sausage (if you can’t find andouille a spicy smoked sausage such as kielbasa will do)
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
hot sauce
salt
1/2 pound okra, sliced

Peel the shrimp, removing the tails also. Place the shells, tail, and heads (if you got head on shrimp) into a pot and cover with the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the flour to make a roux. Stirring almost constantly cook the roux until it is dark brown.

Do not allow the roux to burn or the gumbo will taste bitter and burnt. Also, they don’t call dark roux “Cajun napalm” for no reason. This stuff is HOT and it sticks like crazy. Getting this stuff on you burns like crazy so be careful! Once you have achieved the color above add the vegetables and cook 5 minutes longer.

Strain the shrimp shells from the stock you just made and add the stock to the pot, discarding the shells. Add the chicken, sausage and seasonings, adding salt to taste. Bring gumbo to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Add the okra and cook 15 minutes longer. If the shrimp are large cut them into bite sized pieces, if they are small just add them as is along with the hot sauce to taste (gumbo should have a little kick to it, but it shouldn’t be overly spicy). Allow to cook a few minutes longer, just until the shrimp are cooked through, then serve

It’s just a few days away from the Super Bowl and with the Saints headed to the big game my thoughts have once again turned towards my time in New Orleans and the foods of that town and region. I spent my first culinary internship at the Royal Sonesta Hotel, in the French Quarter. There I experienced a wide range of the foods New Orleans has to offer. At Begue’s, the hotel’s fine dining restaurant I was taught many of the more refined creole dishes from Oysters Bienville and Shrimp Etouffe to modern twists on things such as Shrimp and Grits, Tomato Tasso Bisque, and Souffles. Desire oyster bar, with frontage on Bourbon St., gave me a crash course in all things cajun, from oysters on the half shell to corn meal crusted fried oysters, to jambalaya, gumbo and po boys. It was here, in New Orleans, that my life long love of all foods Southern (from the BBQ and tamales of Texas to Red Eye Gravy to Frogmore Stew of the Low Country) got its start. While Southwestern cuisine may play a more important role in my style of cooking, it is the food of New Orleans though that captivates my heart.

There are so many great foods that come out of the cajun and creole tradition, but my two favorite are gumbo and jambalaya. Of course there are also Muffulettas, one of The Best sandwiches in the world. A true New Orleans tradition, but not cajun or creole, instead coming from the Italian part of New Orleans history.

While all of these deserve a blog post, and believe me, I will get to each one in due time, it is Jambalaya that I had a craving for this week. Jambalaya is New Orleans answer to Spanish Paella. It’s a wonderful rice dish studded with sausage, seafood, vegetables and, oftentimes, chicken. Unlike paella, it doesn’t rely on saffron for it’s flavor, instead relying on the Trinity of cajun and creole cuisine (onions, celery and peppers). A good jambalaya also has a nice amount of heat provided by cayenne, hot sauce or both, though the heat is usually more on the mild side. Jambalaya can either be cooked on the stove top or in the oven like a rice pilaf. I’ve seen many recipes for both, though people will fiercely defend (and oppose) one or the other.

Like so many of the recipes I offer, as is the case with many family style, peasant type foods, there are a million recipes out there, each family having their own, and each family claiming that theirs is the proper way to make the dish. The recipe I offer below is a great all round jambalya recipe. It contains sausage, chicken and shrimp and has a fair amount of heat to it. You can easily tone the heat down by omitting the cayenne and decreasing the amount of hot sauce used, but leave it with a little kick to it or the dish just seems to lack that something.

Jambalaya

2 medium onions, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
12oz. Andouille sausage, large dice
1 pound chicken breast, large dice
1 28oz can diced tomato, with juice
2 1/2 cups rice, long grain
3 cups water
2 Tbsp. hot sauce (New Orleans style such as Tabasco, Crystal, Louisiana, etc.)
1 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves

In large pot over medium heat, heat 2 Tbsp. of oil. Add the vegetables and saute until starting to wilt. Add the sausage and garlic, cooking until the vegetables are tender, but not allow them to brown.

Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients.

Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice is done and all the liquid has been absorbed. Fluff the rice and serve.

I will never be mistaken for one of the more prolific bloggers around, but this month, so far, has seen less than usual activity from me. I apologize, work and family has kept me pretty busy the last few weeks, and I haven’t had a chance to do much serious cooking, let alone writing. But I’m back now, though I never completely left, and hopefully I’ll have a chance to blog on a more regular basis.

In the last few weeks, we’ve been ordering in pizza quite a bit, eating leftovers and reheating homemade soup. I felt it was time I make a special dinner for my wife. She tends to eat a lot of pasta and noodles so I wanted to stay away from those, but I was craving carbs so I figured I do a rich, creamy risotto, and since my wife loves shrimp I would make a shrimp risotto.

This version of risotto is not for the weak of heart. It’s got plenty of butter, cheese and cream to stop a horse, but as long as you aren’t eating like this regularly, then this is worth splurging for. This recipe serves 2-3 people. Don’t be alarmed. The portions aren’t huge, but because this dish is so rich the servings are plenty big!

Shrimp Risotto

1/4 cup Olive Oil
3 large cloves Garlic, minced
1 each Shallot, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio Rice
5 cups Stock (shrimp* or chicken) or water
1/2 cup White Wine
3/4 cup Peas
12 each 16/20 Shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into thirds
1/2 cup Cream
4 Tbsp. Butter
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 each Tomato, pulp removed and flesh diced
1/4 cup Green Onions, minced
Salt
Pepper

Bring stock or water to a simmer. Meanwhile in a large pot heat oil over medium high heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook until starting to turn translucent. Add the Arborio rice and cook 2 minutes longer, stirring constantly. Add wine and cook until fully absorbed. Start adding broth or water, about 1/2 cup at a time, and stirring until almost fully absorbed before adding more liquid. Continue this process until rice is al dente. This should take about 18 minutes. You might not use all the stock or water or you might need a bit more. The rice should be cooked but still firm, not soft, and it should be creamy but not loose or soupy. When the rice is about 3/4 of the way done add the peas. 2 minutes later add the shrimp. When the rice is done add the butter cheese and cream. Cook 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and stir in the diced tomato. Divide among plates and garnish with the green onions.

*To make a simple shrimp stock. Reserve the shrimp shells from the shrimp you peeled to make this dish. Place them in a pot with 1/2 onion, diced and 1 rib of celery, diced. Fill with enough water to cover, bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 30 minutes. Drain off the stock, pressing on the solids to release as much liquid as possible.

I remember 10 years ago when hardly anyone knew what ceviche was.  Unless you were well versed in Latin American cuisine or were following the pioneers of Nuevo Latino cuisine in the US then it was not a word or a dish that you came across.  Nowadays, the dish is everywhere and on the verge of being passe.  Just look at the last few episodes of “Top Chef.”  There have been numerous ceviches offered up.  It’s too bad that the dish is in danger of becoming a cliche because it is a wonderful, light dish, full of vibrant, fresh flavors.

At its heart ceviche is seafood that is marinated in an acid, most usually some form of citrus juice, lime juice being the most popular.  The seafood is diced into small pieces and allowed to marinate in the citrus juice (acid) which denatures the protein in the flesh, “cooking” it.  While this is typical, it is not the case across the board.  Most shellfish ceviches start with cooked shellfish, though not always and ceviches that include octopus usually use cook the octopus first.  The preferred method for cooking the shellfish is usually poaching though grilling can bring new layers of flavor to the dish.

Additions to the ceviche are numerous and regional variations are endless. Some countries like to use coconut water or cream of coconut in their ceviches, others wouldn’t dream of making it without American style ketchup. Chile peppers range from jalapenos, in Mexico, to Aji peppers of Peru and the Andes mountains, to fiery habaneros, across the region. Some ceviches are white, some red, and others a cacophony of colors and can include the addition of avocados, tropical fruits, onions, garlic, etc. The list is virtually endless.

Grilled Shrimp Ceviche

6 oz. Shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail off
1 each Lime, juiced
1/2 each Orange, juiced
2 Tbsp. Red Onion,
1/2 each Tomato, ripe
1/2 each Avocado
1/2 each Mango
2 each Jalapeno, seeded
Salt
Pepper

Skewer the shrimp on bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for 1 hour (you don’t have to do this but it makes grilling the shrimp much easier). Place on a preheated grill and grill just until barely cooked through, about 3-5 minutes depending on the size of your shrimp. Remove from skewers and chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Place in a bowl and toss with the lime and orange juice. Place in the fridge and allow to marinate at least 1 hour and not more than 3 hours. Just before serving dice the onion, tomato, avocado and mango into 1/4 inch pieces. Finely mince the jalapeno. Toss these with the marinating shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Taste and add a little more lime juice if necessary. Serve alone, with tortilla chips or as they do in South America, accompanied by popcorn. This makes enough ceviche to serve 2 as a first course or about 8 people as part of a spread of hors d’oeuvres.

The other day I received, from one of the supervisors who works for me, a bunch of fresh herbs from her garden. She gave me some sweet Basil, cinnamon basil, and fresh oregano. I was thrilled, as just that morning I had been out in our flower beds, at home, picking a few tomatoes. We don’t have room for a full garden we my wife usually plants a few tomato plants in among the flowers and my herbs. That morning I had picked a rainbow’s worth of tomatoes.

My mind wandered all day, at work, thinking of what I could do with the tomatoes I harvested. There weren’t many. Certainly not enough for canning or turning into relish. I didn’t even have enough for a tomato tart. With the addition of the fresh herbs I received I made up my mind to make a simple, summery pasta. Nothing spectacular, just a simple dish highlighting the fresh flavors of summer that I had sitting before me. Toss in a few shrimp and a good dose of garlic and I had the makings of great little dinner.

Shrimp & Heirloom Tomato Pasta
(serves 2)

6 oz. Fettuccine
4 Tbsp. Butter
1/2 each Shallot, minced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
20 each Shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail off (I used 31/40s, but you can use whatever size you like)
1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper
1/2 cup White Wine, preferably something unoaked, a Sauvignon Blanc would be great
2 cups Tomatoes, roughly chopped (the more varieties and colors the better)
1 Tbsp. Fresh Oregano, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, roughly chopped
Salt
Pepper

Cook the fettuccine, in boiling water, per the directions, making sure that the pasta is cooked al dente and not overcooked. When the pasta has about 4 minutes left, place a large saute pan over high heat. Add the butter and as soon as it is melted add the garlic and shallots. Cook quickly, without browning and add the shrimp and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper Cook 2 minutes then add the wine. Meanwhile, when pasta is finished drain but do not rinse. Simmer shrimp, in the wine 1-2 minutes longer, until the shrimp is done. Toss the pasta into the saute pan. Add the tomatoes, oregano and basil, tossing to mix well. Continue to cook, only until the tomatoes are heated through. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary. Divide between 2 plates and serve.

It has been years since I have prepared squash blossoms so it was a great surprise when my wife brought home a bunch of them that she had found at the Dane County Farmer’s Market in Madison, WI. Preparing squash blossoms always takes me back to my childhood. I can remember a number of breakfasts that featured fried pumpkin blossoms. Mom would go out to the garden early in the summer morning and gather the blossoms, still heavy with dew. Dad would then flour them and fry them up, usually in bacon fat, to be served along side eggs and bacon. Fast forward to my days in fine dining and when we got our hands on squash or zucchini blossoms we would often stuff them with some forcemeat or mousseline and gently steam them to serve as a side to some summertime entree.

Deciding to incorporate the best of both approaches what I decided to do is stuff the blossoms with a mixture of shrimp, corn, mild green chiles and a little cheese. I would then bread them in masa harina(the corn flour used to make tortillas and tamales) and fry them. Completing the Southwestern theme, I served them simply, topped with homemade pico de gallo.

When choosing squash blossoms, at the market, make sure you are getting zucchini, yellow squash, or pumpkin blossoms. While all squash blossoms are edible, some types of squash, mainly winter squashes, produce blossoms that are unpleasantly bitter. I also suggest removing the stamen or pistil as it can, sometimes, also be bitter.

Stuffed Squash Blossoms
24 each Squash Blossoms, picked that day
1/2 pound Shrimp, peeled, deveined and tail removed
1 ear Corn, kernels cut off cob
2 ounces Green Chiles, roasted and chopped (canned is fine)
1/2 cup Queso Cotija (substitute Feta if you can’t find the Cotija)
Salt
Pepper
2 each Eggs
1/4 cup Milk
1 1/2 cups Masa Harina
Vegetable Oil

Finely chop the shrimp and mix with the corn, feta, and chiles. Season with salt and pepper. Prepare the blossoms by removing the stems, and stamens or pistils. Stuff each blossom with 1-2 tsp. of the filling, more if the blossoms are large, but do not over stuff. The petals should completely enclose the filling. Beat the eggs and add the milk. Place the masa in a shallow pan then bread the blossoms, first dipping into the egg mixture then dredging in the masa to cover. Meanwhile, heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. When hot, but not smoking, add a couple of blossoms. Don’t crowd the pan or you will lower the oil temperature too much. Fry for about 4-5 minutes, turning every minute or so to make sure the whole blossom cooks to a golden brown.

When done drain on paper towel. Season immediately with salt and serve hot. Serve plain or with your choice of salsa or pico de gallo.