Last week, I posted a picture on Facebook (both the blog page and my personal page), showing my set up for turning dandelion flowers into tasty fritters. There was such a response, and so many people wanted to know how to make dandelion flower fritters themselves, that I decided I'd better post on the topic.

As it turns out, I'm in the middle of writing a dandelion cookbook. Dandelions are highly nutritious, available almost everywhere, and FREE. So I try to take advantage of them. And there are so many ways to cook them they do indeed deserve their own cookbook - which is why I only briefly mentioned them in A Vegetable for Every Season Cookbook.

Dandelion Flower Fritters Recipe

About 3 handfuls (or less) of dandelion flower heads (no stems attached)
Olive oil
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
Salt
Pepper
2 teaspoons cumin (optional)
2 teaspoons ground coriander (optional)
1 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon baking powder
Water

Skillet
Tongs or a couple of forks for turning the flowers
Plate lined with paper towels



1. I usually let the children gather the dandelion flowers. Then I let them sit outside for about 10 or 15 minutes so all the little insects crawl off them. If you want to, you can run cool water over them and pat them well dry; I'm too impatient for that. Do be sure, however, to only collect flower heads where you are certain no chemical sprays are used. Also avoid picking flowers near roadways because dandelions soak up all those car fumes.

2. Place the skillet over medium high heat and cover the bottom with oil. Give the oil some time to heat.

3. In the meantime, stir together the flour, a little salt and pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. In truth, you only really need the flour and baking powder, but we enjoy some spices mixed in. If you like, experiment with different spices.

4. Add water a little at a time, stirring in, until the batter is the consistency of pancake batter.
 5. Dip a flower in the batter, coating completely, and place it flower side down in the hot oil in the skillet. Repeat until the skillet is full of dipped flower heads. Cook until the batter is crispy, then turn the flowers over with tongs (or forks) and cook the opposite side. It's important to fully cook the batter on the flowers so it's crispy, not mushy.

6. Remove the finished flowers and place on the plate lined with paper towels.

Trust me; these are YUMMY!





For more information about harvesting and using dandelions, see these posts:

"Ah Sweet...Dandelions?" (including a recipe for cooking dandelion leaves)
How to Make Dandelion Tea (from the roots of the plant)
Making Dandelion Jelly
Teaching Children to Forage (with dandelion cookie recipe) 
Eating Dandelion Flowers
How to Preserve Dandelion Greens
Dandelion Leaf Noodles
Dandelion Medicine 
Dandelion Leaf Green Smoothie
Dandelion Root Medicine: Where to Find It, How & Why to Use It
How to Make Dandelion Wine


Cautions: According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, very rarely, people have reactions to dandelion. If you're allergic to "ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigold, chamomile, yarrow, daisies, or iodine, you should avoid dandelion. In some people, dandelion can cause increased stomach acid and heartburn. It may also irritate the skin. People with kidney problems, gallbladder problems, or gallstones should consult their doctors before eating dandelion." Dandelion is a diuretic, which means it may also make other medications less effective. To learn more about this, visit the University of Maryland Medical Center website.