http://www.care2.com/greenliving/celebrate-dandelions.html
Celebrate Dandelions!
Adapted from “The Neighborhood Forager,” by Robert K. Henderson (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2000).
Of all the herb-to-weed stories, dandelion’s is by far the most dramatic. This remarkable herb was considered a necessity of life until recently. As a food, beverage stock, medicine, and dietary supplement, dandelion is unrivalled in the plant kingdom. Indeed, no other genus has stepped forward to fill the vacuum in the century and a half since dandelion’s fall. Thriving in all but the most extreme climates, with versatile reproductive capabilities that ensure survival, dandelion is everything humanity could wish for in a crop.
From healer of the sick and feeder of the hungry, dandelion has been reduced to that blackest of suburban blackguards, an invader of lawns. Too bad. Its wine is known to taste like “distilled sunshine!” Here are some dandelion recipes to inspire you to save and savor your dandelions:
Dandelion Appetizers
A healing plate of either of these recipes, served with toothpicks or just eaten with the fingers, is a real crowd-pleaser. The blossom should be as fresh as possible, with all traces of the bitter, milk-oozing stem removed. (The green calyx is less problematic and holds the flower together.) Rinse the flowers just before cooking and shake off the excess water.
Sauteed Dandelions
MAKES ABOUT TWO DOZEN
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon each thyme, marjoram, sage, and paprika
Salt to taste
24 dandelion blossoms
3 tablespoons oil
Thoroughly blend the dry ingredients and spread the mixture on a dinner plate. Place the plate and the blossoms near the stove.
Swirl the oil into a frying pan and heat over medium heat, until a pinch of flour sizzles and browns.
Use a fork to roll five or six dandelion blossoms in the flour mixture. (They should be dewy from rinsing, but not wet.) Then drop them into the hot oil. Saute lightly until golden, generally a minute or so.
Turn the fried blossoms onto newspapers or paper towels and pop them into a warm oven.
Repeat with the rest of the blossoms, replenishing the oil as necessary. Serve hot.
Southwestern Style Dandelion Poppers
MAKES ABOUT TWO DOZEN
½ cup cornmeal
¼ cup flour
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon each ground cayenne pepper and chili powder
Salt to taste
1 egg, beaten
24 dandelion blossoms
3 tablespoons oil
Lime juice
Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly and spread the mixture on a dinner plate. Place the beaten egg in a shallow bowl, then place the egg, the plate with the cornmeal mixture, and the blossoms near the stove.
Swirl the oil into a frying pan and heat over medium heat, until a pinch of flour sizzles and browns.
Use a fork to roll five or six dandelion blossoms in the egg, then in the cornmeal mixture, and drop them into the hot oil. Fry the blossoms until crisp and golden, generally a minute or so.
Turn the fried blossoms onto newspapers or paper towels and pop them into a warm oven.
Repeat with the rest of the blossoms, replenishing the oil as necessary.
Sprinkle lime juice over the fried blossoms and serve hot.
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Several of you asked re. Dandelion wine, and while there may be many recipes out there, here's a few good ones! Let us know how it turns out!
http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/dandelio.asp
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I used to have the recipe for the wine... but have not been able to find it... any help?
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I had no Idea about being able to dandelion Dandelion linguine!! sounds GREAT must try this thanks Stephanie L.
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I always thought dandelions were pretty growing up in MI. I loved to blow them when they turned white. Our neighbor used to make dandelion wine so he would come over & pick ours. I just always thought they were pretty.
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Dandelions are like balls of happy sunshine, their seeds blowing in the wind like snowflakes of summertime.
~Eyasha Pearl~
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Cyndi (and everyone),
Try this. This is from when my son was in preschool.
QUICK AND DANDY MARMALADE
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients:
clean and coarsely chop enough to yield 4 cups young dandelions (entire plant)
1 small lemon
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp. powdered low-sugar fruit pectin
Directions:
With a vegetable peeler, pare bright color peel from the lemon. Remove and discard remaining white pith and seeds. Course chop lemon and rind.
Cover all ingredients with water and boil for 15 minutes.
Let cool but not to setting point. Pour into containers. Cover. Refrigerate to set. Will keep in refrigerator about 2 weeks.
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Cyndi here is what I found on the net about the jelly you might like. Also just type in dandelion jelly recipe in your browser bar and will bring up many, but until then, here is this recipe. Have a blessed day...Brenda
Dandelion Jelly Recipe
Submitted by: rec.food.recipes Mary Filmore MaryFilmore
Ready in: 30-60 minutes
Difficulty: 3 (1=easiest :: hardest=5)
Serves/Makes: 5 jars
Related Categories:
--Jams and Jelly Recipes
Ingredients:
4 cups yellow parts of dandelion blossoms
3 cups boiling water
4 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons Freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 package powdered pectin
Directions:
Pull the yellow blossoms apart from the green parts. Get lots and lots of blossoms.. While you are collecting them, you can freeze what you already have. Make sure there are no green parts since the green parts have a bitter flavor. I pack the blossoms into a 4 cup measure. More blossoms mean more flavor for the jelly.
Bring the water to a boil and fill the water with dandelion blossom shreds. Simmer over very gentle heat about 10 minutes. Pour the water and blossoms through a strainer. Press the blossoms as dry as possible to extract the maximum amount of water. Add more blossoms to the strained water and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Continue simmering and straining until all the blossoms are used up. Add more water to make up 3 cups. You lose some water because it is caught in the blossoms. Strain the water very well. I use a coffee filter. Combine water with lemon juice, sugar and pectin. Bring to roiling boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Boil hard for one minute. Skim. Pour into hot jars and seal. I haven't used food coloring but I have seen this jelly lightly tinted and it looks prettier.
This recipe for Dandelion Jelly serves/makes 5 jars
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I have always loved to blow on dandelion flowers since a child-but didn't realize I could eat them, too, so this is very interesting.
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Thank you for this...I am a lover of dandelions from the flowers to the greens to the roots! I do not put chemicals on them to kill them.
In Healthy Cooking we have a discussion called Dandelions for Dinner which has more info and recipes; here is the link http://www.care2.com/c2c/groups/disc.html?gpp=48&pst=1319&thread_options_open=1
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