|
Although we'd never actually eaten dandelions, we had heard that they make a mean salad. We headed out to find more information. A search on "dandelion edible" gave us a lot to work with. The first web page returned was a wonderful essay simple entitled "The Edible Dandelion." The page points out that not only are dandelions edible and easy to find, they are also "eatable" (we assume this means tasty) and quite nutritious. Apparently, the leaves of the dandelion are the most commonly used part and are similar in flavor to endive. The essay recommends harvesting the
leaves in early spring before they turn bitter. Other parts of the plant can be used as well. The roots can be cooked and served hot with salt and butter, added to a salad, or even dried, roasted, and ground to serve as a cheap coffee substitute. The blossom can be made into wine, and the whole plant can be brewed as a beer. Dandelion recipes are as numerous and easy to find as the weed itself. Here are a few we located: When harvesting plants from nature, a little common sense pays off. Make sure to read the Ten Rules of Edible Flowers before foraging for dinner ingredients.
|
