A delicate French recipe from the ‘Le Cordon Bleu’ school in Paris of chicken stuffed zucchini flowers served with a delicate creamy sauce.  

Ask your vegetable shop to reserve the zucchini with their flowers for you and cook them the same day you buy them if possible.

Ingredients:  8 servings

About 500 g. small size zucchini with flowers (available in summer)

¼ cup butter, melted, for brushing zucchini flowers

Filling 1 (Duxelles)

1 onion, finely chopped

300 g. white mushrooms, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons butter

Filling 2 (Mousseline)

120 g. skinless boneless chicken breast, cold

1 slice American bread, crust removed

¾ cup whipping cream, cold

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Salt and freshly ground white pepper, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, dash cayenne pepper

For sauce

100 g. mushrooms, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¾ cup chicken stock

50 g cold butter, chopped

½ cup cream

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

2 teaspoons cornflour mixed with 1 tablespoon water

 For decoration

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

To prepare filling 1 (Duxelles)

1.  Fry onion in oil and butter till tender.  Add mushrooms and fry till cooked and all water evaporated.  Add garlic and fry few seconds more, season.

To prepare filling 2 (Mousseline)

1. Soak bread in cream for 10 minutes, keep refrigerated.

2. Cut chicken breast to bite size pieces and process in food processor with salt and freshly ground white pepper till fine.  Add bread, parsley, and cream and process a little more.

To prepare zucchini  

1.  Remove pistil from inside each zucchini flower and discard.

2.  Slice zucchini thinly lengthwise keeping it attached to the flower.

3.  Pipe filling into each flower and place stuffed flowers on a pan and brush each with melted butter.  (Recipe may be prepared to this step a day before).

To prepare sauce 

1.  Place mushrooms, lemon juice, chicken stock in a pan over medium heat, simmer for 5 minutes, drain and discard mushrooms, return sauce to pan. 

2.  Place sauce pan over heat, stir cornflour and water and add with cream, and bring to the boil, add butter one piece at a time while stirring. 

Remove from heat, season and add parsley.

To serve:

Sprinkle salt and white pepper on zucchini flowers and brush with butter again. 

Steam for 10 to 12 minutes. 

Sprinkle chopped parsley on top. 

Serve hot with sauce hot on the side.