Battered & fried Dandelion flower-heads
This is one of THE most simple & accessible.. & fun(!) foraged meals out there!!
The Batter :
Equal parts Flour & Water,
salt & pepper to taste.... SO simple!
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Actually.. any spices ‘to taste’
I usually make mine with S&P, a little bit of garlic salt & a pinch of cayenne!
Simply heat some oil in a pan & drop the battered flowerheads into the pan.
Press gently with a fork, wait 2- 3 minutes, flip the flowers & press again with fork.
2minutes on the second side & you have it!
Fried Dandelion Flowers!
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Individual flower-fritters
Dandelion Petal-Fritters
Remove the flower petals & mash them into the batter.. Ideally you want twice as much petals to batter.
To create the patties, simply take a small handful of the mixture & press them into flattened discs.
Once in the pan follow the same technique as when the flowers were whole - pressing with a fork to flatten
& cook for 2 -3 min each side !
Spring Greens Salad w/Dandy fritters on the side!
​Tahini Dressing
Great on the salad of course, but also on the fritters!
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¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
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¼ cup tahini
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2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
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2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
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2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
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1 tsp each salt & pepper
Flower petal fritters
Fresh Nettle Stew
This is the time of year to eat Nettles.
As the plants grow beyond 12" - they become more fiberous & the stinging hairs are fully developed = not good eating then!
This time of year Nettles will not sting as severely as they will in a month or so... but if concerned... wear a glove on your non-dominant hand & with your other hand, using scissors, snip the stem.
Taking just the tops, snipping at a node (place where leaves emerge from the stem) will allow the plant to regrow quickly & more fully! Which we want so we can continue to harvest the leaves all summer long
for use in tea & tinctures!
As with any soup or stew your herbs & spices make the broth!
For my 1st Nettle Stew of the season I used Salt & pepper, garlic, jalepeño & at the last minute decided to add a bit of turmeric, so it gave the overall flavor an Indian flair!
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4 cups of water over a medium heat
add
1 small onion
1 carrot
1 small potato
-all chopped small
2 cloves garlic
1 small jalepeño
2 tablespoons turmeric powder
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allow to come to a low boil.
& simmer for 5 -10 minutes
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Chop mushrooms of your choice -
I used 1 king oyster & 1 large shiitake this time
(big thank you to Hillside & HighTide Mushroom
companies for making these beauties accessible year round!)
Add to the pot.
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I also chose to add a can of cannelli beans
You may prefer a different bean - you may also choose to add
pasta or rice..
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Lastly, rinse & chop 3 cups of fresh Nettle Leaves & add to the pot.
Nettles behave exactly like spinach in the kitchen.. so only need to be cooked for a few minutes!
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Eat Your Weeds! & Bon Appetite!
-& send me a note if you try any of these wonderful Spring Wild-Plant recipes!