Spring Dandelion Recipes
Dandelion Recharge
Dig up a dozen or more spring dandelion roots (before flower buds appear). Chop into 1” pieces and simmer in 3-4 qts of water for 3 hours or more. Turn off heat, and add a handful of hibiscus flowers and let steep for 1 hour. Add the juice of 2 lemons and honey to taste. Drink hot or cold. Dandelion recharge restores your sodium/potassium electrolyte balance.
Delicious Dandelions “Italiano”
I learned this from Susun Weed. It’s delicious and easy! Gather a bunch of dandelion leaves. Cut into one-inch pieces, and put in pan. In a teapot, boil water & pour over dandelions to cover them. Then, turn on fire under dandelions. Let the water come to a boil again (about a minute) and then drain off the water. Now sautee a few cloves of garlic in olive oil. Put the dandelions in a bowl and add garlic. Mix approx 3 parts olive oil & 1 part tamari & 1 part vinegar and pour over dandelions. This delicious and rich dish will last for one week in the fridge, or keep it out on your kitchen counter and it will get eaten up in an afternoon! It’s high in iron, calcium, potassium, vit B, and it’s wonderful for your kidneys and liver.
Dandelion Fritters
Children love to help make (and eat) this tempura-like dish. Prepare three bowls: one with dandelion flowers, one with water (or beaten egg), and one with flour (or cornmeal). Season if desired. (I like salt, pepper and garlic). Dip a flower first in the water (or egg), then in the flour/cornmeal, and then sautée in hot oil. I usually use olive oil, but any oil works just fine. The fried dandelion flowers can also be eaten with tamari or hot sauce.
Dandelion Wine
I got this recipe from Susun Weed and it is a great one. (You may need to wait another few weeks to make this.) You’ll need: 3 quarts dandelion blossoms, 2 1/2 lbs. sugar, 2 lemons, 1 orange (optional), & 1 yeast “cake” (any variety will do the trick.) Pick your blossoms with delight! Pour 5 quarts boiling water over the blossoms. Let the mixture stand between 3 hours - 3 days. Strain and add the sugar, lemon & orange rinds. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Cut up orange and lemons and pour cooked mixture on top of fruit. When mixture cools to just above body temp, add yeast which has been dissolved in 1 cup of the warm mixture. Let entire mixture stand 12 hours, and strain. Let it stand for 2 months and strain again. Sample in 4 - 6 months. It is traditional to make the wine at the summer solstice and drink it in the winter. However, in Colorado, our dandy flowers bloom in the spring. Don’t wait too long to make your wine. I’ve missed the flower season by waiting ‘til summer.