Dandelions - The Overlooked herb

The common Dandelion is often overlooked. It grows nearly everywhere from fields to forests to the side of the highway. They are that pesky "weed" that we spend so much time and money trying to get rid of. Time should be taken to admire this plant that puts up such a fight.

All parts of the plant are edible. The young leaves are amazing in salad and are often found in the mesclun mix in the grocery store. The leaves may also be cooked and served as a warm vegetable much like spinach. Mature leaves can be very bitter. Especially if they grow in the sunlight. The very best leaves are young and are growing under something where they are well shaded. If you are growing your own, putting them under straw baskets or mesh works the best. They are at their best when they are a light green. Alternately, you can also harvest the leaves in the fall after the first frost which will remove their bitterness.

The roots can be dug up in the spring or fall. They can be peeled, sliced and boiled with a pinch of baking soda. It will require you to change the water two times during the cooking process to eliminate and bitter taste. They can be used much like parsnips.

The flowers can be used to create an amazing wine. The unripened buds can be eaten raw and used in salads. The seeds are chewy and delicious as a snack. Take the little fluffies off them and they can be eaten as is, toasted and put on salads, used in granola, or ground and used like flour. You can also use the seeds to grow sprouts for salads and sandwiches.

Dandelion Wine Recipe:

3 qts dandelion flowers
1 lb white raisins
1 gallon water
3 lbs granulated sugar
2 lemons
1 orange
yeast and nutrient


Pick the flowers just before starting, so they're fresh. You do not need to pick the petals off the flower heads, but all the stalk should be removed. Put the flowers in a large bowl. Set aside 1 pint of water and bring the remainder to a boil. Pour the boiling water over the dandelion flowers and cover tightly with cloth or plastic wrap. Leave for two days, stirring twice daily. Do not exceed this time. Pour flowers and water in large pot and bring to a low boil. Add the sugar and the peels (peel thinly and avoid any of the white pith) of the lemons and orange. Boil for one hour, then pour into a crock or plastic pail. Add the juice and pulp of the lemons and orange. Allow to stand until cool (70-75 degrees F.). Add yeast and yeast nutrient, cover, and put in a warm place for three days. Strain and pour into a secondary fermentation vessel (bottle or jug). Add the raisins and fit a fermentation trap to the vessel. Leave until fermentation ceases completely, then rack and add the reserved pint of water and whatever else is required to top up. Refit the airlock and set aside until clear. Rack and bottle. This wine must age six months in the bottle before tasting, but will improve remarkably if allowed a year.

Fried Dandelion Leaves

In a saucepan, add your favorite cooking oil. Olive oil works great but alternately flax seed oil or a nut oil may be used as well. Heat the oil on medium-high. Once the pan is hot, add the dandelion leaves to the pan and cook quickly. It can be seasoned as you like. I always cook it up with a little garlic in the pan and squeeze lemon juice over the top when it is done. And don't forget some salt and pepper to taste. You may also add other greens to the pan like spinach, mustard greens, beet greens, and zucchini for a tasty stir-fry.

Fried Dandelion Flowers

• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• optional (other favorite seasonings like garlic powder, onion salt, or seasoning salt-go light on the seasonings until you're sure you like the flavors with the blooms)

Beat the egg and add the milk. Whisk in the flour and seasonings. You can dip the flowers and fry immediately, but the batter stays on better if it's refrigerated for a half hour or so.

When the batter is lightly browned, lift the flowers out of the oil and drain them on paper towels.

They are good served as appetizers or as a side dish with ham.

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