Crab-Stuffed Courgette Flowers with Saffron Aioli

⏱ 50 min · Serves 4

Delicate courgette blossoms filled with sweet white crab, lemon and ricotta, fried in a whisper-light fizzy batter until shatteringly crisp. Served with a glowing saffron aioli, it's the kind of starter that stops conversation at the table.

Per serving: 465 kcal · 18.0g protein · 26.0g carbs · 31.0g fat

Ingredients

• 12 courgette flowers, stamens removed
• 200g white crab meat, picked over
• 80g ricotta, drained
• 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
• 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Zest of 1 lemon, plus wedges to serve
• 1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 100g plain flour
• 30g cornflour
• 200ml ice-cold sparkling water
• 1 litre sunflower oil, for frying
• For the saffron aioli:
• Large pinch saffron threads
• 1 tbsp warm water
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed to a paste
• 100ml light olive oil
• 50ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

1. Steep the saffron in 1 tbsp warm water for 10 minutes until deeply orange.
2. Whisk the egg yolk, Dijon, garlic and half the saffron water in a bowl. Very slowly drizzle in the light olive oil, whisking constantly, then the extra virgin oil, until thick and glossy. Loosen with lemon juice and the remaining saffron water; season and chill.
3. Gently mix the crab, ricotta, chives, parsley, lemon zest and chilli. Season well and spoon into a piping bag or freezer bag with the corner snipped.
4. Carefully open each flower, pipe in about a tablespoon of filling, then twist the petals closed to seal. Chill for 15 minutes.
5. Heat the oil in a deep pan to 180C.
6. Whisk the flour, cornflour and a pinch of salt with the sparkling water to a thin, lumpy batter — do not overmix.
7. Dip each flower in batter, letting excess drip off, and fry 3–4 at a time for 2–3 minutes, turning, until pale gold and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and salt immediately.
8. Serve straight away with the saffron aioli and lemon wedges.