Dandelions

Photo by Lisa Densmore

"It turns out the weed I tried in vain to eradicate is a nutritious herb, valued in Europe and the sub-Indian continent for myriad medicinal uses."

Stop the lawn mower! Try these delicious
dandelion ideas for a multi-course meal.

I grasped the base of the plant below its jagged-edged leaves, urging its roots to release their tenacious hold on the dark brown soil. Gotcha! I gave the green and yellow clump a satisfying fling into a nearby wheelbarrow.

Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) had become the bane of my landscaping existence.

As the mound grew, I felt much closer to winning the day’s battle with this persistent weed, though I knew the war was hopeless. For every dandelion I uprooted, three sprouted in its place. The cursed yellow flowers grow everywhere, not only around my house, but also along roads, in fields, along hiking trails, even in the sand at the beach.

“What good is a garden if you can’t eat anything in it?” chided my unsympathetic husband as I yanked another yellow-flowered weed from the perennial border near our front door. That small patch of dwarf shrubs, peonies, lilies, phlox and monardia had taken hours of research and planning, multiple trips to the garden store, and countless hours of nurturing. I didn’t appreciate the sarcasm.

That evening, an old college friend paid a surprise visit. In return for dinner, she offered us a bottle of her homemade dandelion wine. After sampling the sweet drink, I wondered if there might be other uses for the ubiquitous plant. It turns out the weed I tried in vain to eradicate is a nutritious herb, valued in Europe and the sub-Indian continent for myriad medicinal uses. Though bitter when eaten alone, it is a nutritious enhancement in many recipes. I’ve since called a truce in my dandelion war and have happily harvested it ever since. — Lisa Densmore

DANDELION RECIPES

Fried Dandelion Flowers

Ingredients

1 cup vegetable oiL
1 egg, beaten
1 quart dandelion flowers (stems removed as close to the flowers as possible)
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok to 375 F. As the oil is heating, combine the milk, salt, egg and pepper in one bowl. Place the flour in another bowl. Roll the dandelion blossoms in wet mixture, then dredge in the flour. Fry the coated blossoms in hot oil until lightly brown. Place the fried flowers on a paper towel to remove excess oil, then serve immediately.

Photo by Lisa Densmore

Dandelion Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

1 large handful of dandelion greens
1 cup milk
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 can pumpkin or 2 cups freshly pureed pumpkin (or other similar squash)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 cup sour cream,
1 quart chicken broth optional garnish

Chop the dandelion greens into bite-size or smaller pieces. In the bottom of a soup pot, sauté the dandelion greens, onion and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes. Garnish each bowl of soup with a dollop of sour cream.

Dandelion Blossom Cake

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup dandelion petals
3 eggs
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
2 cup flour
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup dried sweetened coconut
1 teaspoon baking soda

Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine sugar, honey, oil and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, and mix until just blended without lumps. Add remaining cake ingredients.

Pour cake batter into a greased and lightly floured 9x13-inch cake pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from the center of the cake. Mix frosting ingredients together and set aside. Allow cake to cool completely before frosting.

Dandelion Pasta Salad