Flower and Fruit Aperitif

Name: Flower and Fruit Aperitif
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Edible flowers 2.1 oz; Rice flour &frac23; cup; Water (cold) ½ cup; Dry white wine (cold) 1.4 oz; Egg whites 1; Fine salt 1 pinch; Vegetable oil (for frying) 2 cups; Raspberries 2 cups; Pineapple juice 2 cups; Ginger beer 23.2 oz; Raspberries 12; Mint 4 sprigs; Fresh ginger 4 slices; Edible flowers to taste

346

Calories per serving

Lactose Free
Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 346
Carbohydrates g 25.2
of which sugars g 2.1
Protein g 3.7
Fats g 24.9
of which saturated fat g 3.32
Fiber g 2.5
Sodium mg 310

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Serving: 4 persone
Cost: Average

PRESENTATION

The flower and fruit aperitif is the perfect idea for a truly special happy hour: a crispy fried batter of edible flowers to snack on while sipping a refreshing fruit-based cocktail with a twist of ginger! Edible flowers are often a decorative element in refined dishes, but this time we opted for a street food and very pop version of these little flowers, which we are sure will surprise you. A recommendation: edible flowers are not the ones you buy from the florist! They are already cleaned and selected in convenient trays at well-stocked markets and supermarkets, but with a little care, they are very easy to grow even on the balcony. Just choose from the many edible varieties (roses, gardenias, carnations, wisteria, acacia, lavender...) and grow them naturally, without treating them with pesticides or chemical fertilizers; they are picked in the morning, just as the dew evaporates and their water content is highest. Instead of the usual Spritz, we paired the fried flowers with a sweet and fresh cocktail, with a spicy touch from the ginger beer. Our version is non-alcoholic, but if you prefer, you can add a splash of vodka to your taste. Whatever your version, we are sure your guests will be enchanted!

INGREDIENTS

346

Calories per serving

Ingredients for the battered flowers: Edible flowers 2.1 oz (60 g); Rice flour ⅔ cup (100 g); Water ½ cup (110 g) - (cold); Dry white wine 1.4 oz (40 g) - (cold); Egg whites 1; Fine salt 1 pinch; Vegetable oil 2 cups (500 g) - (for frying)

For the non-alcoholic cocktail: Raspberries 2 cups (250 g); Pineapple juice 2 cups (450 g); Ginger beer 23.2 oz (660 g)

For garnish: Raspberries 12; Mint 4 sprigs; Fresh ginger 4 slices; Edible flowers to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Flower and Fruit Aperitif

To prepare the flower and fruit aperitif, first gently wash the flowers and soak them in cold water 1. In the meantime, prepare the batter: separate the yolk from the egg white and collect the latter in a bowl. Add the salt 2 and whisk to stiff peaks with an electric mixer 3.

Add the wine, ice-cold water 4, sifted flour 5 to the egg white, and mix gently with a folding motion to not deflate the egg white 6.

Carefully drain the flowers 7, use tongs to take them one by one 8, and immerse them in the batter 9 to lightly coat them unevenly.

Place the oil in a large pan and heat it to 375°F (you can use a kitchen thermometer for this), then dip a few flowers at a time into the oil to not lower the oil temperature 10 and fry them until crispy: it will take less than a minute. Drain the flowers 11, place them on paper towels, and sprinkle with salt 12. Continue until all the flowers are used up.

Now move on to the cocktail: put the cleaned raspberries in the mixer glass along with the pineapple juice 13 and blend until you get a very smooth puree 14. Add the ginger beer 15 and stir with a cocktail spoon.

Cut 4 thin slices of ginger 16. Pour the cocktail into the glasses 17 and place a slice of ginger in each glass 18.

Finally, garnish each glass with a sprig of mint, a skewer with 3 raspberries 19, and an edible flower 20. Your flower and fruit aperitif is ready to be enjoyed 21!