Baccalá stuffed courgette flowers

by Francesco Mazzei
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4
2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

Courgette flowers

  • 4 courgettes, with flowers
  • 15g of butter, melted
  • 50g of Grana Padano, grated
  • salt

Baccalá

  • 500g of salt cod fillet
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1l milk
  • 1l water
  • 100ml of sunflower oil

Salad

  • 3 radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1 radicchio, leaves separated
  • 20g of pea shoots
  • 15g of mixed herbs
  • 1 handful of dandelion leaves
  • 100g of broad beans
  • 20g of black truffle, shaved
  • 200ml of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • salt
  • edible flowers, to garnish

Method

1
Begin with the baccalá. Place the dried cod in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 3 days, changing the water daily, until tender
  • 500g of salt cod fillet
2
Cut the softened cod into small pieces and add to a large pan or casserole with the bay leaf and 1 clove of garlic. Cover with the milk and water and bring everything to the boil, simmering for 2 hours
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1l milk
  • 1l water
3
Meanwhile, place 25ml of the sunflower oil in a small pan with the remaining garlic clove. Cook over a low heat for a few minutes without colouring to allow the oil to infuse. Strain through a sieve to remove the garlic and set the oil aside to cool
  • 25ml of sunflower oil
  • 1 garlic clove
4
Once cooked, strain the cod mixture through a sieve, reserving the cooking liquid. Discard the garlic and bay leaf
5
Place the cod and reserved liquid in a mixing bowl and start to mash together. Mix in the garlic-infused oil and enough of the remaining sunflower oil to make a soft, creamy mixture. Reserve the baccalá until needed
  • 75ml of sunflower oil
6
Place the radish slices, salad leaves and fresh herbs in a bowl of iced water to help them stay crisp and fresh
  • 3 radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1 radicchio, leaves separated
  • 20g of pea shoots
  • 15g of mixed herbs
  • 1 handful of dandelion leaves
7
Prepare the courgettes by separating the flower from each vegetable. Set the flowers aside and slice the courgette into small rounds
  • 4 courgettes, with flowers
8
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and blanch the courgette slices and broad beans for 1 minute, or until just tender. Drain and refresh in a bowl of iced water
  • salt
  • 100g of broad beans
9
Preheat the grill to medium-high
10
Carefully open the courgette flowers and fill with the reserved baccalá, spooning it into the central cavity. Close the petals back around the filling, then place on a baking tray
11
Brush the flowers liberally with melted butter and sprinkle over the grated Grana Padano. Cook under the hot grill until the cheese has melted and is lightly golden in colour
  • 15g of butter, melted
  • 50g of Grana Padano, grated
12
Drain the chilled salads, courgette slices and broad beans. Mix together with the shaved truffle, season with a little salt and dress with the olive oil and lemon juice
  • 20g of black truffle, shaved
  • salt
  • 200ml of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juiced
13
Divide the salads between serving plates and add a grilled courgette flower. Garnish with a mixture of edible flowers to serve immediately
  • edible flowers, to garnish