Stuffed zucchini blossoms

Instructions

Finely chop all vegetables and herbs.
Grate the tomato.
Heat a deep pan and add half the olive oil.
Sauté the onion for 3 minutes, stirring.
Add the zucchini, spring onions, and grated carrot.
Sauté for another 2-3 minutes to coat with oil.
Add the rice and stir well.
Pour in 1 cup of water and simmer on low heat for 6-7 minutes.
Remove from heat and add the grated tomato and all the herbs.
Season with salt and pepper.
Optionally, stir in a tablespoon of black raisins and some pine nuts.
Let the filling cool slightly.
Carefully fill each blossom and seal the tops.
Pack the blossoms snugly in layers in a pot, placing them close together so they don’t open during cooking.
Add enough water to come halfway up the blossoms.
Season with salt and pepper. Tie the herb stems together with string and add them to the pot.
Drizzle with the remaining olive oil.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. The pot should have just a small amount of liquid remaining.
If serving plain, squeeze some lemon juice and gently shake the pot by the handles. Do not stir as they’re too delicate.
For a yogurt sauce: mix 1 cup strained yogurt with 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid, a splash of lemon juice, a little olive oil, and salt and pepper. Garnish with dill or mint.
Serve the blossoms warm or cold. They’re fantastic either way.

Remove the yellow stamens from inside each blossom, or the food will end up bitter.
Wash blossoms gently and lay them flat on a towel to drain.
Use minimal rice and lots of herbs and vegetables. The rice simply binds the juices and gives body to the fragile blossoms.
You can also bake them. Pack them tightly in a small baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and grated tomato, cover, and bake at 180°C (360°F) for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake another 30 minutes until they're left with just their oil.