Eat Dandelions

All parts of a dandelion are perfectly edible, which makes it a versatile ingredient when cooking. You can fry the petals on their own with a cornmeal batter for a light, delightful snack. Or you can use them in a dough for some spring-inspired muffins. If you’re a bigger fan of the green stems, however, you can make them the star of a risotto and use the yellow petals for garnish.

Ingredients

Fried Dandelions

• 20 dandelions
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme
• ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 egg
• Pepper to taste

(makes 20 dandelions)

Dandelion Muffins

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (250 g)
• 1 cup oats (90 g)
• 1 cup coconut milk tonic (237 ml)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup coconut oil (59 ml)
• ¼ cup honey (59 ml)
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup dandelion petals (24 g)

(makes 12 muffins)

Dandelion Risotto

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 6 cups vegetable broth (1.5 L)
• 1 spring onion
• 1 cup arborio rice (200 g)
• ½ cup white wine (118 ml)
• 1 bunch dandelion greens
• ½ cup grated asiago cheese (50 g)

(makes 4 servings)

Steps

Frying the Flowers

1. Prep your dandelions. Trim the flowers from their stems. Rinse them under cold running water. Then gently pat them dry with paper towels.
2. Make your batter. First, beat the egg in a small bowl. Then, in a second bowl, stir to combine the cornmeal, salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano. Set these close to the stovetop, with the cornmeal mixture in between your skillet and the egg.
3. Heat your skillet. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with cooking oil. Set the burner to medium heat. Flick some drops of water into the skillet to tell when the oil has heated up (the water should immediately begin to sizzle when the skillet’s ready).
4. Dip the flowers in batter and fry them. With each flower, dunk it in the egg first. Then dip it in the cornmeal mixture to coat it evenly. Next, place it in the skillet. Fill the pan with as many as you can and cook each for roughly three minutes, or until they turn golden. Repeat as needed until all have been cooked.
5. Drain the excess oil and serve. Once each batch is cooked, transfer them to paper towels. Let the towels absorb the excess oil. Then serve as is while they’re still hot or at room temperature, according to your tastes.
   • Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. Eat within the next couple days.

Baking Dandelion Muffins

1. Mix the flour, oats, tonic, and lemon juice. Stir the flour and oats together in a large mixing bowl. Then pour in the coconut milk tonic and lemon juice. Stir until evenly combined. Then cover the bowl with its lid or plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.
2. Combine the rest of the ingredients. First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius). While that heats up, beat your eggs in a small bowl. Add that to the flour-and-oats mixture and stir to combine. Do the same with the coconut oil, honey, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Finally, rinse your petals under cold running water, pat them dry with paper towels, and mix them in, too.
3. Knead the dough. Wash your hands first. Then squeeze and knead the dough. Continue to do so until strings of gluten begin to form.
4. Bake your muffins. Line your muffin tray with paper liners or cooking oil. Divide the dough evenly between each section. Once the oven is ready, place the tray inside. Bake between 15 to 20 minutes, until the tops begin to brown. Remove from heat and allow them to cool until they’re safe to touch, then enjoy.

Making Dandelion Risotto

1. Prep your onion and greens. Cut the white bulb from the green stems. Dice the bulb into pieces approximately ¼-inch (0.6 cm) in size. Then slice the stems thinly. Next, wash and dry the dandelions. Trim the flowers from the greens, and then chop the greens up.
2. Heat your vegetable stock. Pour it into a large saucepan and then cover the pan. Turn the burner to low-medium heat. Reduce or turn off the heat before it comes to a boil. Keep it covered to prevent it from evaporating.
3. Heat your oil and butter. Coat the bottom of a large skill with the oil. Add the butter and turn the heat to medium. Stir the butter around as it melts to coat the bottom evenly.
4. Saute the rice and white onions. Add the diced white onions to the skillet first. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onions turn translucent. Then add the rice and stir it in, adding more oil if necessary to coat it. Saute for one more minute.
5. Add the liquids and dandelion greens. Start by stirring the wine into the rice and onions. Once the rice has absorbed all the moisture, pour in ½ cup (118 ml) of the stock and stir it in. Once the rice has absorbed that, keep adding a ½ cup of stock at a time. Add the dandelion greens about 10 minutes into this process.
6. Test for texture, season, and serve. As you start nearing the end of your stock, take test bites of the rice before adding more. When the rice turns al dente, add one last ¼ cup (59 ml) of stock. Then stir in your grated cheese, plus salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with the green slices of onion and dandelion petals and serve immediately.
   • Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. Eat within the next couple days.

Things You’ll Need

Fried Dandelions

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Small bowl
• Egg beater
• Large mixing bowl
• Spoon for stirring
• Skillet
• Cooking oil
• Stovetop
• Water
• Paper towels

Dandelion Muffins

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Large mixing bowl with lid or plastic wrap
• Spoon for stirring
• Muffin tray
• Paper liners or cooking oil
• Oven

Dandelion Risotto

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Water
• Paper towels
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Large skillet
• Large saucepan
• Spoon for stirring

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make Vanilla Sugar
• Make Oregano Olive Oil
• Make Italian Seasoned Chicken
• Chop Basil Leaves
• Eat Wood Sorrel
• Eat Chicory
• Use Ginseng Root
• Eat Purslane
• Eat Kudzu
• Eat Heartsease

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