Crab-stuffed courgette flowers

40 minutes ■ Serves 4 as a starter ■ TRICKY BUT WORTH IT

Find courgette flowers at good greengrocers or farmers' markets - they often come with the little baby courgette attached to the flower.

white crab meat 200g
spring onions 2, thinly sliced
flat-leaf parsley a handful, chopped
ricotta 100g
paprika a good pinch
egg yolk 1
red chilli 1 long thin, finely chopped
courgette flowers 12
BATTER
eggs 2,1 whole, 1 separated
flour 150g, plus extra flour seasoned
for dusting
lager 250ml, chilled

■ Mix the crab with the all the other ingredients except the courgette flowers. Gently half-fill each courgette flower (over-filling will cause the flowers to burst). Twist the top of each to seal, then chill for 20 minutes to set.
■ To make the batter, put a whole egg and one yolk into a bowl (keep the white). Season well, then gradually mix in the flour and lager, whisking well. Beat the egg white to soft peaks, then fold into the batter.
■ Heat a large pan or wok filled no more than 1/3 full with vegetable oil to 180C, or until a cube of bread browns in about a minute.
■ Take the filled courgette flowers and coat with seasoned flour, shake off the excess and dip in the batter. Pick each one out and shake off the extra batter, then drop gently into the hot oil. Only do about 3 at a time or the temperature will drop too quickly and the oil will go into the batter, making the flowers soggy. Cook for 3 minutes, until crisp and golden, then take out and drain on kitchen paper. Season with a little salt and keep warm. Serve with lemon wedges and good quality mayonnaise.
■ PER SERVING 306 kcals, protein 21.1g. carbs 321g. fat 92g, sat fat 33g. fibre 1.6g. salt 1.18q.

Source:Crab-stuffed courgette flowers
Crab-stuffed courgette flowers