Serves: 18
Total Calories: 33

18 zucchini blossoms, preferably with stems attached

CHARDONNAY BATTER:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups full-bodied dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
1 large egg, separated
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
1 clove garlic, crushed through a press
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

vegetable oil for deep-frying

1. Pullout the large pistil from the center of each blossom. (If the zucchini blossoms are closed, make a slit in the side to reach the pistil.) Cut off all but 1 inch of the stem. Wipe the blossoms carefully with a damp kitchen towel. Set aside.

2. TO MAKE THE CHARDONNAY BATTER: About 1 hour before deep-frying, mix the flour, 1 cup of the wine, the egg yolk, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl just until combined. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Let stand for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.

3. Stir the remaining 1/4 cup wine into the batter. In a medium bowl, beat the egg white until soft peaks form, and fold the beaten white into the batter.

4. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Place a large wire cake rack over a jelly roll pan. Pour 2 to 3 inches oil into a deep Dutch oven. Heat over high heat to 365°F. Working in batches, hold the zucchini flowers by the stems and dip them one at a time into the batter, letting the excess batter drip back into the bowl. In batches, without crowding, deep-fry the blossoms until golden, turning once, about 2 minutes. Using a wire-mesh skimmer, transfer to the wire rack and keep warm in the oven while frying the rest. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 18
Total Calories: 33
Calories from Fat: 1

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