First place the ricotta cheese on a tray and place the tray in a perforated container. Cover the container with a metal tray and seal the edges as tight as possible with plastic wrap. Then cover the bottom of a deep metal container with some hay and light it on fire with a blowtorch. Directly cover it with the perforated container and press it well to ensure the smoke stays inside the containers. I always wrap it once more to be sure. Let the ricotta smoke for 1 hour. After that remove the wrap and keep the ricotta in your fridge.
Now take the fennel and trim the bottom. Then separate the layers. Take the layers and also trim the top and the thin sides. Keep your trimmings, I’m not using them for this recipe, but I always save them up for a lovely broth. Now cut the fennel layers in thin slices and cut those slices in small cubes.
Then cut the shallot in half and clean it. Now finely chop it.
Drizzle some oil in a pan and glaze the shallot with the salt for seasoning. Only soften and not color the shallot.
Now add the fennel with the Pernod, the vegetable broth and the bay leaf. Cover the pan with a parchment paper cartouche. This will slow down the vaporizing and give the fennel more time to properly cook.
Once cooked remove the paper and the bay leaf. You still want some texture, so keep on tasting in between. Then spread the fennel on a tray and let it cool down in your fridge.
Now measure 200 grams of the smoked ricotta and also add 200 grams of the cooked fennel. Season it with salt and black pepper. Then mix it well and transfer it into a piping bag.
The stuffed courgette flowers
Take the courgette flowers and trim the bottom with a thin sharp knife. The bottom is quite though and bitter, that’s why I remove it. Now also remove the pistil.
Then season some water and blanch the flowers for 30 seconds. Do this at a soft simmer to protect the texture. Now cool them down in ice water.
Once cold gently open up the flower. This takes some practice, but it’s very important that the flower does not tear. Then fill it with the ricotta and fennel filling.
Now cover the filling with the flower paddles and then keep them covered in your fridge for later.
I serve the stuffed flowers warm and to reheat them I heat them up covered in my heat draw for around 20 minutes.