Crab Stuffed Squash Blossoms Fried To A Delicate Crisp in UP Extra Virgin Olive Oil

As complicated as it may look at the outset, there are really just a handful of ingredients that come together to make this dish shine, and as you would expect, olive oil is among them.

Filling:

• 1 small shallot, chopped
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon UP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup Mascarpone
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 8 oz. jumbo lump crab meat (Dungeness, if you can get it), picked through for shells
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
• 12 medium to large fresh zucchini squash blossoms

Batter:

• 1 cup seltzer water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder and a pinch of salt
• UP Extra Virgin Olive Oil for frying (I used the Hojiblanca from Melgarejo for this)

Combine the shallot, onion, olive oil, lemon juice, mascarpone, egg, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to finely chop the ingredients and combine. Place the filling in a medium size bowl, and with the utmost
care, gently fold in the crab meat being very careful not to break it up too much. Adjust the seasoning, cover, and refrigerate the filling for 1/2 hour.

In a shallow dish or bowl whisk together the seltzer water, flour, baking powder, and salt. Heat 2 inches of UP Extra Virgin Olive Oil up to 350 F in a heavy bottom pot or pan.

To Assemble
Make sure the blossoms are clean of debris. Gently remove the flower stamens. Using a spoon, gently fill each blossom with approximately 1 heaping tablespoon of chilled crab filling. Gently twist the ends of the petals to
seal them.

Swirl each filled blossom in the batter rotating it in the same direction that you twisted the petals so as not to undo your blossom. Place in the heated oil and fry each blossom for approximately 2 minutes, turning once until light golden brown on all sides.

Remove the blossoms from the oil to a rack to drain. Serve warm.