A favourite among visitors, this dish is a Barrafina staple and one that you will find on the menu across all three restaurants. Stuffed with goat’s cheese and fried in an extra light batter, these delicate flowers make a perfect starter or simple tapa. Use Spanish goat’s cheese, if possible – Mont Enebro is a good choice.

Serves: 5 as a starter (10 as a tapas)

What You’ll Need:

• 10 courgette (zucchini) flowers
• 300 g (10½ oz) goat’s cheese (preferably Spanish)
• 2 tsp thyme leaves
• 175 g (1½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 500 ml (2 cups) water
• vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• 100 ml (1/3 cup) orange blossom honey
• Malden sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to season

What To Do:

• Check that the flowers are clean.
• In a small bowl, mix the goat’s cheese with the thyme and pepper, to taste. Carefully stuff the flowers with this mixture, wrapping the petals around the stuffing to keep it in place.
• Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and gradually whisk in the water to make a light batter. Heat the oil in a suitable pan to 180°C (350°F). Dip the stuffed flowers, a few at a time, into the batter to coat and then immerse in the hot oil.
• Deep-fry for 3 minutes until crisp and golden.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with sea salt then lightly drizzle the orange blossom honey over the flowers and serve immediately.

These recipes feature in London: The Cookbook by Cara Frost-Sharratt, published by Frances Lincoln, an imprint of The Quarto Group.