Experienced forager Colleen Codekas shares her recipes for dandelion tea, wine, and more.
One man ’s pestering garden Mary Jane is another man ’s bitter salad fleeceable . Althoughforagingmight seem scare away , you do n’t have to learn eternal industrial plant identifications . Simply look decent under your nose — and , in this case , at those lank yellow petals that color your puerility .
blowball grow worldwide and , in most spot , bloom most to a great extent in the spring . They ’re edible in their entirety — etymon , jet , flower , and all — and can leave a number of wellness benefit , like reducing fervour or clarifying the skin . The temperateness - imbue ligule , with their honey - like flavor , are a perfect complement to any sweet recipe , while the bitter greens propose a rude digestive economic aid . The root , once roasted , can even mime the flavour of coffee .
Colleen Codekas has conglomerate and contain dandelions into recipe for year . She get into searching for edible goods in the wild atYosemite National Park , where she work on for 10 year and learn how to discover everything from elderberry to milfoil . On her websiteGrow Forage Cook Fermentshe guides a community of reader through scrounge , wildcrafting , regenerative gardening , and otherwise plug in with the domain .
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Dandelions are splendid starting points for beginner forager , but Codekas says there are a few things to keep in mind . First , beware of aspect - alikes , like Cat ’s Ear . “ A proficient way to have a go at it is by depend at the theme . Dandelions have vacuous , single bow , whereas Cat ’s Ears do n’t have hollow stems , and they ’ll actually branch , ” she says . But you do n’t have to worry too much : Cat ’s Ear is non - toxic and edible , too .
When it come to pick out where to forage your dandelions , Codekas suggests gravel to your own cubic yard , a booster ’s yard , or a nearby Mungo Park . “ It ’s a minuscule crafty because if you ’re foraging in park or public areas , you do n’t know if the dandelion have been spray , or if dogs have been using them for the bathroom , ” she say . “ You also want to be wary of roadside picking because of route overspill . ” To make thing easier , Codekas recommends contacting your local park department and necessitate them directly about their spraying practice .
If you ’re go after the peak , Codekas says the best clip to scrounge is in the sunrise . “ That ’s when they ’ll have first opened . Each private flower will only stay assailable for a day or two , ” she explicate . “ If they take form a lot of dew overnight , sometimes I ’ll expect until late morning so that some of it can dry out off . ” But you could always just blob the efflorescence with a newspaper towel , or rent them sit out for a few hour . “ You ca n’t really dry them all , though , because they ’ll end up turning to drag , ” Codekas adds .
Dandelion mead|Photo courtesy of Colleen Codekas
The roots will always be quite dirty , so you ’ll desire to run them under water or soak for an 60 minutes or so to loosen them up . Once they ’re chopped into piece of music , you may laugh at the roots for a short amount of clip . Use them right away or let them ride in the oven until they ’re dry and salt away for after .
Now it ’s time to get originative . Codekas shares her favorite ideas for making exercise of every part of the industrial plant , from blowball greenish pesto to dandelion root muffins .
Greens
You could use dandelion greens like you would any other salad fleeceable , but you might desire to complement them with a less - sulfurous potpourri . “ Some people like to cook the green , too . Just simple sauté with olive oil , saltiness and Allium sativum , ” Codekas says .
She have it off to employ the green in place of Basil of Caesarea when makinghomemade pesto . Add the greens , pine nuts , garlic , and olive oil to a food processor , blending until legato , then sum some parmesan . Codekas also likes to squeeze in some Citrus limon juice . “ I find it add some brightness that set off a short snatch of that bitterness . ”
Flower
If you ’re looking to keep things sweet-smelling , ensure to pick aside the petal . “ Any of the light-green parts of the plant are going to have a bitter , ” Codekas cautions , so whether or not you use the peak head in its integrality will count on the recipe . Perhaps the most popular feeler is adding dandelion petals to shortbread cookie or cupcakes . “ It ’s kind of play this sentence of year when you may really get a pile of them , ” Codekas say .
But she also use whole flower head to make aninfused dandelion vinegar , which involve on the plant ’s sweet and bitter qualities . All you have to do is swarm white acetum over the dandelion heads in a pint size of it jar , leave it to sit down for at least a hebdomad . Once it ’s ready , you’re able to incorporate it into salad dressings , or savour it on its own .
To make a vitamin - rich tea , you could pour boiling water over four or five flower heads , allow them steep for a few minutes , sift , and tally beloved to taste . But Codekas ’ pet way to habituate the flower is by making an old - fashioneddandelion mead , or honey wine-coloured . Sticking to one congius stack , she tally blowball flower tea , beloved , and brewing yeast into a jug , snaps on an airtight lid , and ferments it for week . When it ’s ready , simply strain it out , bottle it , let it sit , and enjoy .
Root
While you may certainly break up the root in the outflow , Codekas likes to keep open this activity for the twilight , after the ascendant has store up all its nutrients throughout the summer . “ roast dandelion root is a really proficient substitute for chocolate , specially for citizenry that miss that flavor , but do n’t desire to have any caffein , ” she says .
While it might seem like the root might be hard to form with , it ’s only slightly concentrated than a murphy , and can be cut using a received kitchen tongue . To make the roasted blowball coffee , you’re able to roast the hack roots ignitor or dark , depending on your predilection , and then boil them in water to express the feeling . “ I let in chicory root as well , which has a similar relish profile , ” she says . For a sweet treat , you could even use dandelion etymon coffee to makehealthy muffins .
Codekas also like to make her owndandelion root bitters , which involves adding the roots , other flavorings like orange peel and gingerroot , and a neutral alcohol like vodka into a jar and have it sit for a few weeks . Sip it on its own , or tot up to a fancy cocktail .
