But here they had a purpose! They were picking them so I could make something. I wasn't exactly sure what but it seemed like a good reason to keep them busy for a while!
The boy was just as happy as he found a dead bird to poke with a stick.
I decided to make some dandelion bhajis for lunch, shoved between to slices of freshly cooked granary bread it made a good lunch.
They were dead easy to make.
Ingredients: -
100g of dandelion petals (that's a lot of flowers!) no green bits if you can help it, they're bitter
Some wild garlic flowers flowers - about 25g
100g of gram flour
2 large eggs
1 onion chopped fine.
I started by chopping the onion then leaving it in a bowl of water while I prepared the flowers.
The flowers take ages, in the end I used a sharp knife to cut most of them off, I tried scissors but I guess ours just aren't up tot he job. Then drain and squeeze the onions and add all the ingredients together and mix into a batter
I shallow fried them, but then I'm too tight to use lots of oil, I'm sure they'd be better deep fried. Cook them until golden.
They had an interesting taste, I'm not saying it was super memorable but you could taste the dandelion. I think next time I might use shallots instead of onions to make sure the alliums don't over power it.
Chucked between some freshly cooked bread it made for a good lunch.
I'd like to try making some syrup next so might get my pickers on that soon! We have about 3 acres covered in the flowers so don't have to go far for picking! It's that or champagne! although I dread to think how many flowers I'd need for that!
They sound interesting. I'll give it a try, but first tell me about dandelion champagne. I am intrigued.
ReplyDeleteI was just going to use my rough and ready recipe that I used for elderflower adn meadow sweet wine in the past. Think it'll work for anything. Need to get my army of pickers onto it though!
DeleteDandelion honey. I read this but no longer have the recipe. Put fresh flower petals, no green bits, not wet, into a clean jar. Cover with hot honey, seal. Next day, drain though a sieve and muslin cloth to capture all petals. Fill jars with the golden honey. No idea how it tastes but the lady said lovely colour, lovely taste.
ReplyDeleteMost recipes are not honey but sugar syrup. This was from Elaine at Mortgage Free in Three, many years ago. I suppose you could gently reheat the honey after sieving to be extra safe and put it back into hot clean jars.
DeleteSounds interesting. I think I might have to give this a go if my pickers are up to it. Be good for our porridge in the mornings!
DeleteMy grandmother was famous for her dandelion wine. It was our job as kids to do the picking of the flowers for her. She made it in a big barrel in her garage. The grownups said it had quite a kick. She sat in her chair every evening and had a small glass before her dinner.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great memory! Do you have the recipe that she used? I bet it would eb fun to try and make it. It's years since I made any wines. I tend to just make rough and ready champagnes now that take about a month to brew!
DeleteSorry, I don't have the recipe. She probably didn't have an actual recipe. She was an amazing cook and baker and everything was measured by handfuls and sight. What is truly remarkable about it is she had very minimal senses of taste and smell due to a high fever as a child. She could taste in a general way, she knew if it was sweet or vinegary or salty but could not detect any more subtle flavors. None of us can replicate anything she made and have it come out as good as hers. Thanks for letting me stroll down memory lane. :)
DeleteIm going to make this tomorrow. My dad is making wine and I've done a batch of dandelion jelly. Trimming them is dead simlle with a paring knife; hold the yellow parts pinched on your left hand and cut the green base off. Any remaining green parts will peel off in one piece.
ReplyDeleteI need to make some more stuff with them, but somehow even though I'm here all the time my day just disappears! I've got lots of jobs done though, but I always expect to get more done than is possible!
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