Fried Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Collect every component needed. Delicately wash the squash blossoms to clear away any soil or grit; pull out the stamens as they are unpleasant to eat and taste bitter.

Heat a pan of slightly salted liquid to a boil. Have a large basin of chilled water ready. Submerge the squash blossoms in the boiling liquid until they soften slightly, about 30 to 45 seconds; retrieve using a slotted utensil and move immediately into the cold liquid to cool down. Pull out and let dry on kitchen towels.

Prepare the stuffing: Combine the goat cheese, Gruyère, egg yolk, black pepper, and cayenne in a mixing bowl until the mixture is uniform. Put the mixture into a 1-quart plastic bag, push out excess air, and close. Snip off a small tip of the bag's corner.

Carefully push the trimmed bag tip into the opening of a blossom and pipe in roughly one tablespoon of mixture, ensuring it reaches the base. Fold the petals upward to encase the filling. Tuck any leftover petal edges over the top to keep them tidy. Repeat this process for all remaining flowers. Keep in the fridge until the cheese sets, at least half an hour.

In the meantime, create the coating: Mix flour and cornstarch in a bowl. Slowly incorporate ice-cold water, whisking until the mixture is uniform and reaches a consistency similar to pancake batter.

Warm up one inch of oil in a cast-iron pan until it reaches 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). A small drop of batter should pop and sizzle the moment it hits the oil.

Extract the flowers from the cold and coat them lightly in all-purpose flour. Pat away excess powder and submerge the blossoms in the batter. Permit any redundant batter to drip off.

Gently place roughly six battered blossoms on their sides into the hot oil and fry until they are a light golden hue, about 60 seconds on the primary side and between 30 to 60 seconds on the remaining sides.

Transfer the cooked blossoms to a plate covered with paper towels and continue frying the rest. Allow them to cool down a little prior to serving.