get fresh COOKING BY THE SEASON — by Sylvia Weinstock
WILD THINGS
Think twice before relegating your dandelions to the compost heap.
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What could be more seasonal and local than dandelions? Their jagged-edged leaves, flower buds, fuzzy yellow flowers and roots offer unique culinary possibilities. Although some people curse their tenacious proliferation, dandelions are valuable food plants with numerous medicinal properties. Those who consider them a nuisance may be surprised that this perennial herb is widely cultivated. The greens have become so popular they are available in local farmer’s markets. And while the fluffy white parachute-shaped seeds that form a dandelion’s puffball head aren’t edible, they are useful for creating new plants and making wishes. Dandelion roots should be harvested in the summer or fall when their bitterness peaks. They can be eaten as a cooked vegetable. Or roast and grind the roots to make a caffeine-free coffee substitute that tastes similar to chicory coffee. Brew the root grounds on their own, combine them with chicory, brew them with coffee or add dandelion root coffee to hot chocolate. In the early spring, try tender new dandelion buds, the sweetest parts of the plant. They can be used as a garnish or added to salads and soups. The golden flowers should be harvested when they are fully opened. Make your morning scrambled eggs sunnier by adding buds and flowers. For dandelion flower fritters, dip flowers in a batter made of 1 beaten egg, 1 cup milk and 1 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper. Drop battered blossoms into hot cooking oil in a deep fryer and fry until lightly browned; drain on paper towels. To make dandelion blossom syrup, boil 4 cups dandelion flowers in 4 cups of water. Cool and steep overnight. Press liquid from the flowers and reserve. Add a chopped unpeeled orange and 4 cups of sugar to the liquid. Simmer several hours until the mixture is reduced to the consistency of honey. Use the syrup in baklava, on pancakes or in any recipe that calls for syrup.
1 0 0 % O R G A N I C | FA I R T R A D E | L O C A L LY OW N E D & O P E R AT E D
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Dandelion wine is made with dandelion flowers, honey, water, yeast, oranges and/or lemons, ginger or cinnamon. Raspberries, strawberries or golden raisins are alternative additions. Tender young dandelion greens, harvested in early spring before the plants flower, are deliciously bitter (think chicory or escarole). Use them raw in salads with lamb’s lettuce, watercress, endive or with sweeter salad greens. Their bitterness marries well with bacon or chorizo, sautéed shallots and garlic in a salad drizzled with walnut oil balsamic vinaigrette. Older greens, harvested after the plant has flowered, should be blanched to remove their bitterness before using them in cooking. Dump the bitter water, and blanch them a second time. Sauté or steam the greens and use them in any recipe that calls for leafy greens. Try cooked greens in vegetable ravioli or lasagna, in a warm salad with seared scallops, sautéed shallots and roast potatoes, or with sautéed squid and chilies. The nutritious leaves are high in the antioxidant vitamins A, E and C. They are a good source of B-complex vitamins and are high in magnesium, iron and copper. Dent de lion (lion’s tooth) is the French word for dandelion. Its alternate French name, pissenlit, meaning “wet the bed,” and its vulgar English name “piss-abed,” refer to its diuretic properties. Crème de pissenlits (cream of dandelion soup) is a traditional French recipe. Trim, wash and blanch 6 cups dandelion greens in a pot of boiling salted water. Drain thoroughly. Chop greens and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add greens, the cleaned, sliced white parts of 2 large leeks, 6 cloves of garlic minced and 1 diced carrot and cook, stirring often, for 15 minutes. Add 4 cups vegetable stock and simmer 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Whisk in 2 1/2 cups milk or 2 cups half-and-half cream and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened. Puree the cooled mixture in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Serve garnished with flower petals and buds and float a few dandelion flower fritters on each bowl of creamy green soup.
www.eatmagazine.ca MARCH | APRIL 2011
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