cooking with dandelions

Well, I did it. I made dandelion syrup. With all those lovely dandelions decorating my yard, I decided to take the plunge. I took about 200 dandelion heads, just the yellow parts, I understand the green makes it bitter, so try to get all the green off of it. Take the yellow petals and place them in water. I didn't measure the water, but had enough that I could boil the mixture down. I boiled it on a soft boil for about 10 minutes or so, then took cheese cloth and removed the petals. Then I added a cup of sugar to the dandelion water and reduced that by half. The results? A pint of liquid gold! It has a nutty, vanilla like taste. The family and friends love it! I can already tell, I'm going to have to get more dandelion flowers to make more syrup. This time though, I think I'll steep the petals a little longer to see how it tastes.

lol I made it for the first time this year and it is as hard as a rock. I never made syrup before and this first try wasn't a good one. It is sitting in a quart jar and I am not sure what to do with it. I thought about trying to soften it and put in pan to make hard candy. I will try again though to see if I get it right this time.

Ooh, you just created dandelion brittle. Add some type of nuts to it and have a great candy for everyone to enjoy. This was my first time too. I don't think I used enough dandelion petals, so next time I'm going to use more and see if I can get a stronger flavor. I know most of the recipes I've seen for it say to add lemon or orange flavoring to it, but I didn't and it's got a nice nutty/vanilla taste to it. Almost like a mild butter pecan syrup.

I will have to try this. I made dandilion greens and we did not like them along with poke. I just couldnt bring my self to enjoy them for some reason. I have tons of dandilions but my bees need them I may have to go to a neighbors and pick them. lol

It's really good. I have found a lot of recipes using dandelions, but haven't had a chance to post them yet. Maybe next week I'll try to get them posted.

When we harvest dandelion for greens, we also save the root to be dried and stored for medicinal purposes. There is also the "crown", i.e. the white portion of leafy growth between the root and the greens. The crown can be steamed like cauliflower and eaten with butter, cheese or vinegar, etc.
Dandelion contains one of the highest concentrations of vitamin A known to the natural world.
As for the greens, we saute ours lightly in olive oil, butter or a spot of chicken fat and serve with boiled egg, sunflower seeds and a bit of onion. Hard to beat them that way.

I like to cook dandelion greens w/garlic in olive oil/butter with an egg or two scrambled into them (depending on how many I'm cooking) and then you sprinkle on some bread crumbs just before it's done.

Gramp made them that way.

I'll have to try the greens. Don't you have to get them when they are still rather small to prevent a bitter taste?

Yes, small ones are better. Once they have flowered the greens will be more bitter.

Sonshine wrote:Ooh, you just created dandelion brittle. Add some type of nuts to it and have a great candy for everyone to enjoy. This was my first time too. I don't think I used enough dandelion petals, so next time I'm going to use more and see if I can get a stronger flavor. I know most of the recipes I've seen for it say to add lemon or orange flavoring to it, but I didn't and it's got a nice nutty/vanilla taste to it. Almost like a mild butter pecan syrup.

Wow , Katrina, that really is amazing ! I have to collect those flowers !