fried dandelions

[freemotion]

I have been waiting with eager anticipation for the dandelions to bloom, and they're here today!!! I know I read about frying them, but I can't find the thread it was on.

Anybody have a recipe? Do you use the fully open blossoms or the buds or the partially open ones?

I have a pound of lard left from my rendering last fall, it is calling for dandelions!

 

[miss_thenorth]

Fried Dandelion Flowers
2-3 cups fresh new dandelion blooms
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
optional (other favorite seasonings like garlic powder, onion salt, or seasoning salt-go light on the seasonings until you're sure you like the flavors with the blooms)
Beat the egg and add the milk. Whisk in the flour and seasonings. You can dip the flowers and fry immediately, but the batter stays on better if it's refrigerated for a half hour or so.

When the batter is lightly browned, lift the flowers out of the oil and drain them on paper towels.

Fried Dandelion Flowers are good served as appetizers or as a side dish with ham.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I also read in my wild foraging book that you can boil the roots to make a tea that cleanses the liver and keeps yeast infections at bay. Young leaves can be added to salads, but old leaves are bitter.

 

[Tallman]

I also read in my wild foraging book that you can boil the roots to make a tea that cleanses the liver and keeps yeast infections at bay. Young leaves can be added to salads, but old leaves are bitter.

Do you just boil the root and use the water as tea or is there more to it? Have you tried this tea?

 

[miss_thenorth]

I also read in my wild foraging book that you can boil the roots to make a tea that cleanses the liver and keeps yeast infections at bay. Young leaves can be added to salads, but old leaves are bitter.

Do you just boil the root and use the water as tea or is there more to it? Have you tried this tea?

No, I haven't tried it--I just read it. I am going to look more into it tonight online. I was not aware of the liver cleanse until I read that today in my book.

 

[Wifezilla]

I don't get to have dandelions anymore. The DUCKS eat them all

 

[miss_thenorth]

Okay--I found this:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/ecs/forums/thread.html?docid=THR37197

and this:

http://www.dandeliontea.org/

 

[freemotion]

I'm having a tough time naturalizing them in my pasture. All the animals favor them and will seek them out first. That tells me something about their value!

I find even the emerging new greens to be intolerably bitter, though. Hope the blossoms are better. I'll be picking some tomorrow morning, can't wait!

When I walk the dog on the xmas tree farm next door, I often pull large dandelions (which the family appreciates, all the weeding I do....I call it foraging free eggs and milk ) and bring huge bundles home, which all the critters go nuts over.

 

[Wifezilla]

All the animals favor them and will seek them out first. That tells me something about their value!

Must be the vitamin C and the calcium.

I just looked them up to make sure I was remembering their nutritional value correctly. Apparently they are ALSO very high in vitamins A, K and potassium. http://www.foodscout.org/food/dandelion_greens.html

Anyone here ever make a "spring tonic"?

 

[miss_thenorth]

Anyone here ever make a "spring tonic"?

No, and how dare you leave us haning like that (elaborate please?!?!???)