We here at The Dandelion Appreciation Society love Dandelions. We feel the Dandelion has gotten a really bad rap and has somehow become the quintessential scapegoat for all that is considered to be a "weed" in the world of the sterile toxic green lawn.
We are here to help educate to the contrary. Dandelions are one of the most beautiful and useful plants on the planet!

Recipes

The recipe page is for MEMBERS to share their tried and true Dandelion recipes from around the world. Many of these recipes have been handed down through generations and have been an important part of the family and communal culture of an area. 


Pasta and Dandelion Greens
By Alan Russo
This is a simple Italian recipe that has been in our family for as long as I can remember. There are no weights and measures as you make this the way you feel at the time or what amount of ingredients you have on hand. I only use organic ingredients but, of course , you can use what you have.
Sauté as much fresh garlic as you like in a generous supply of extra virgin Olive Oil. Use enough oil to completely coat the amount of pasta you will using, you don't want this dish to be dry, it should be dripping when you eat it!. Wash as many Dandelion Leaves as you plan to use and dry well. Take off the thick bottom part of the stem before coarsely chopping the leaves. When the garlic is getting translucent (not brown) add the chopped leaves an sauté till limp. Add salt and pepper to taste.
 In the meantime cook your pasta till 'al dente", we use Spaghetti but your favorite pasta will do. Strain the pasta and toss with the Dandelion/garlic mixture and serve hot. Thats it, enjoy!


Hot Dandelion Drink
By Alan Russo
 This is by no means an original recipe, but I have made it many times and wanted to add it to the list. Many People call this a coffee substitute, though it tastes nothing like coffee, I guess just the fact that it is brown and can be drunk instead of coffee is good enough. Not to mention, it is way healthier than drinking coffee.
 Gather as many large Dandelion tap roots as you can without decimating the supply in any given area. Also, be conscience of the area you are gathering in, make sure it is safe and unpolluted.
 I find the best way to clean them is to take off the small "hairy" rootlets than blast the large tap root with the garden hose full blast, this will even take the dirt out of the crevices in the root. Dry them and cut them long ways as many times as you safely can for the size of the root. Take these and place them in a toaster oven or other appliance that will achieve a low ( below 200F) temperature. Roast them till they turn brown and are dry enough that they will "snap" when you try to break them. the darker you roast them the darker the drink will be. If you need to turn the oven up a little to achieve the brown, do so , but I like to consider saving as much nutritional value as possible this is why I roast at a low temp.
 Take your roasted roots and grind them in a coffee grinder and seal in a jar when cool. Usually a teaspoon in a cup of boiling water makes a good drink, but use as much or as little as your pallet desires. I usually strain the drink before serving to the uninitiated but do not for myself. A little raw honey or Stevia are good choices to add. Another good addition is to add Roasted Chicory Roots if you are lucky enough to have them growing in your area.
Peace


Dandelion Flower Fritters
By Alan Russo
This is one of my favorite Dandelion Flower recipes.
I like to have the fritter batter ready before I pick the Dandelion Flowers because the flowers will close if you wait too long before you use them.
Batter recipe: 1 c. sifted flour( I use organic spelt)
                        1/2 tsp. salt
                        1 tsp. baking powder
                        2 eggs
                        1/2 c. milk or soy/rice milk
                        1 tbsp. melted butter

Sift together dry, than add wet and stir into a batter.
Of course if you have a favorite batter recipe you can use that too.
Collect plenty of fully opened Dandelion Flowers, do not wash. I leave about 1/2 inch stem on them as a convenient way to dip them and hold them when eating, no need for toothpicks when serving guests!
Simply dip the flowers in the batter and deep fry at about 375 F till golden brown. Makes a great appetizer for your wild edible feasts.

14 comments:

  1. I don't see a dandelion wine recipe... i have it somewhere would it be appropriate for your recipe collection? I used to make it years ago in a number 10 crock. I remember it as a special treat when we were out Christmas carroling the gentleman at our last stop always had some in his root cellar. It was a great "warm me up"

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  2. Thank you for commenting.
    Personally I don't drink alcohol but I hear the wine is good. I didn't want to monopolize the recipe section, I was hoping other members would add lots of recipes as there is certainly no shortage of Dandelion recipes around the world.

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  3. I remember having Dandelion Jelly at a friends house as a child, anyone have that recipe? BTW - my husband adores Dandelions and feels who has the right to call them weeds and not flowers.

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    1. A weed is anything growing where you don't want it. For me, that's grass growing in my flowers. I too love dandelions. My neighbor's girls, greatly conflicted, they love their dad's monoculture lawn, but come over constantly for the wildflowers, salamanders, etc.

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    2. approx 200 dandelion flowers (optionaly remove green parts to decrease bitterness)
      juice of 2 oranges and 1 lemon
      add together, cover with water until just covered,
      boil for 15 minutes.
      strain and use the liquid to make jelly via your preferred jelly making method.
      This is one way to do it, there are many varieties. Principles remain the same by boiling the flowerheads and jellying the liquid.

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  4. a friend once said to me that weeds are just unwanted flowers, but Dave my husband and myself love Dandelions, and now we have found your web page == many thanks for so many interesting recipes.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by, glad you like the site!
      I have a poster that I have made that says pretty much the same thing :(http://sacredsuncreations.artistwebsites.com/featured/perspective-alan-russo.html )
      Peace

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  5. Alan, are there different kinds of dandelions? How can I be sure I have the right kind or does it matter?

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    Replies
    1. Hey Sandy,
      No, there is only one Dandelion( Taraxacum officinale). There are many plants that look similar, as Dandelion is a Composite, one of the largest family's of plants in the world. Always use a good field guide or better yet, find someone that is familiar with the plant to show you. It is best to wait for it to flower so you have the whole plant to scrutinize when trying to ID for the first time as there are many plants with similar leaves you don't want to eat.
      Good Luck!
      Peace

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  6. Is it safe to identify the dandelion by the distinctive yellow flower?

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    Replies
    1. Yes. The only thing even close to the flower form and color is about 1.5 to 2 feet tall, smaller bloom and the leaves look nothing like a dandelion.

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    2. Sandy,
      I have to disagree. I don't know where you live, but there are other flowers that I have seen people mistakenly call Dandelion. One is Hawkweed. Best to get a good ID book and key it out, or even better, find someone who knows Dandelions and have them show you the difference. Always be 100% sure in your ID before using a plant for food or medicine.
      Also, see reply above on your previous post
      Peace

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  7. I have a recipe for Dandelion Salve, it's good for Arthritis and joint pain. I make it for my 93 year old Grandma and she swears by it! http://adriennescauldron.blogspot.com/2018/06/dandelion-salve.html

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  8. Thank you for the receipt! Did not previously think of adding dandelion to balms, know a few people who might find relief in this.
    I use vitamin E in this kind of remedy to prolong shelf life and increase skin care.

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