Today we are going to talk about the zucchini flower. Belonging to the cucurbit family, the cucurbita pepo, it has a fairly fine and delicate flavor, reminiscent of white flowers and almonds.
In addition, This flower looks quite elegant and is used in many kitchens around the world. Do you want to know its characteristics and uses?
Zucchini flower
The zucchini flower is also known by its Italian name, zucchini. Its morphology is large, with pedunculated, bell-shaped leaves with an intense yellow color. Both female and male flowers can be consumed as food.
Because zucchini is sensitive to cold and humidity in rainier climates, it needs sun exposure and temperatures warmer or more temperate that are between 18 and 25 ° C. So that the flowers do not fall, you need watering with a certain regularity.
If we want to sow the zucchini, we have to wait until it is the time when the success of its correct growth is greater. This season is usually in spring or early summer. It is in this season when they begin to bloom, so it is only consumed until it ends.
If the zucchini flower is open or closed it does not directly condition its flavor, but it does affect the type of recipe that we can make with it. The important thing is that it has a strong and bright color, since that will mean that the plant is healthy. It is advisable to discard the flowers that have dark tones in the upper part of the petals. If the pistil has a brown color it may indicate that it has browning. This is a fungal and mold infection of the flower.
To take full advantage of their properties and flavor, the ideal is to collect them first thing in the morning and consume them that same day. If they are stored in the refrigerator it can hold up to two days without losing too much quality. They are carefully washed in a container with a little water. They are delicately dried and reserved until the moment of being cooked. Before cooking them, you have to open them gently and cut the pistil with scissors, since I know if it is left it produces some bitterness.
Zucchini flower uses
The zucchini flower is used in many types of food, among them the Mexican and the Italian, where it is considered a delicacy. To be able to cook it successfully, you have to know well how to cook it and take into account some things. The flavor of this flower is like that of zucchini but softer and finer.
It can be combined with shellfish such as crayfish and shrimp, since they have aromas similar to almonds. They can also be eaten accompanied by fresh cheeses, as an ingredient in a pizza or used to accompany a risotto.
Origin and varieties of the zucchini flower
This plant is cultivated in all the warm regions of the Earth. Not well known if it comes from South Asia or Central America. Zucchini was consumed by Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, but it was the Arabs who spread its cultivation in the Mediterranean regions.
The most cultivated varieties of zucchini are:
- Pepo: Spherical in shape and intense green almost black.
- Zucchini dark type: intense green almost black.
- Samara: very dark and bright in color.
- Grison: light green with dots.
- Clarite: very light green in color.
- Elongated parador: an attractive yellow color.
As mentioned before, there are male and female flowers. It is the male that has the pollen for female flowers. Once the plants have been pollinated, the male loses his properties and falls to the ground. The pollinated female flower thickens a zucchini that ripens normally. The flower that is not pollinated thickens the part that would be the zucchini, but you do not get a fruit but a thickened stem.
With this information you will be able to know more about the zucchini flower.