At this year’s The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony, Kyle and Katina Connaughton, founders of the Sonoma County restaurant, inn and farm SingleThread were awarded the Miele One To Watch Award.

Beyond this recognition, they presented – along with local chef Iker Erauzkin and Miele One To Watch 2016, chef Zaiyu Hasegawa of DEN – their own pintxos creations. The traditional Basque appetizer (link to Basque Country article) was the starting point for five unique recipes bringing together Spanish, Japanese and American-Californian culture. Chef Kyle from SingleThread shared his recipe with us, inspired by ingredients currently harvested at his wife Katina’s farm and served at their restaurant.

Courgette blossoms stuffed with crab and saikyo miso

For the Dashi Soak (enough for 25- 30 blossoms)

80g Sake

80g Mirin

20g Sugar

400g Dashi

80 White Soy Sauce or White Tamari

Combine the sake and mirin together in a pot and bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes to burn off the alcohol and add the dashi. Warm the dashi but do not boil. Add the sugar and tamari and remove from the heat and set aside.

For the Courgette Blossoms

25 Squash Blossoms with Small Courgette Attached

500g Finely Shredded Crab Meat

Brunoise Dice of Extra Courgette

Salt to Taste

Saikyo Miso to Taste 
Finely Minced Chive to Taste 

In the steamer steam the courgettes at 85C for 4-5 minutes in a single layer. Remove and allow to cool. Combine all the filling mixture and transfer to a piping bag. Open the blossoms and fill with the mixture. and place in the soaking liquid from the earlier preparation. Chill.

To Serve

Remove the courgettes from the liquid. Strain the liquid and keep some clean soaking liquid on the side. Place a courgette onto each plate and spoon a small amount of the soaking liquid over the top. Garnish with bachelor button flowers, chive blossoms, calendula or similar flowers.

Author: Franziska Winterling, recipe by chef Kyle Connaughton, SingleThread
Photos: © Cristopher Santos
Video: © Claus Kuhlmann