Zucchini flowers stuffed with moroccan spiced chickpeas

serves 4

150g butternut pumpkin, chopped
300g tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons currants
4 red Asian shallots, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons coriander leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons parsley leaves, chopped
12 zucchini flowers with stems attached

Garlic and lemon butter
100g ghee
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice


Place the pumpkin pieces in a steamer and cover with a lid. Sit the steamer over a saucepan or wok of boiling water and steam for 5-8 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft. Transfer the pumpkin to a bowl, allow to cool and then mash well with a fork.

Meanwhile, coarsely mash the chickpeas in a separate bowl. Add the currants, shallots, cumi, cinnamon, lemon juice, coriander and parsley and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fold the mashed pumpkin through the mixture until well combined.

Carefully remove the stamens from inside the zucchini flowers and trim the ends. FIll each flower until almost full, then gently twist the flower times to secure the filling. Lay the stuffed flowers in the steamer so that they fit snugly in a single layer.

Meanwhile, to make the garlic and lemon butter, melt the ghee in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and saute for 2 minutes, or until the garlic starts to turn golden brown and the butter is frothing. Add the coriander and cyenne pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the lemon juice.

Put three stuffed zucchini flowers on each plate and drizzle with some of the hot garlic and lemon butter.