Dandelion fritters

People have foraged for food in nature throughout history. Edible plants, berries, fruit, and nuts were gathered as an important supplement to everyday meals. Today, foraging is a popular activity, and there is real satisfaction in gathering, preparing, and enjoying your own food. Foraging trips can also help younger family members understand where ingredients come from, and learn to value them.

Remember to take care of nature, and gather ingredients in a sustainable way.

Dandelion fritters

You find dandelions almost everywhere and you especially notice them when the bright yellow flowers light up the landscape. Dandelion leaves, buds, and flowers are all edible, and are in fact a high quality wild herb. Pick the young, light green leaves, and choose dandelion plants that grow in shaded areas, as these are less bitter.

For this recipe, you must use very fresh and juicy dandelion flowers without stems. Gently press them, and make sure they feel firm and springy. Rinse them very thoroughly shake off the water and carefully pat the flowers dry in a tea towel. Then you are ready to make fritters over the fire.

Procedure

Mix the flour and salt and add the milk a little at a time. Whisk in the eggs and then the honey. The batter should be like a light pancake batter.

Melt a generous knob of butter in a frying pan. Dip the flowers well into the batter and place them in the pan. Fry until golden on both sides. Take care that the pan does not get too hot, so the fritters do not become too dark before they are cooked through.

Serve with honey.

Ingredients

4 persons
  • 20-30 fresh dandelion flowers
  • 120 g wheat flour
  • 200-250 ml milk
  • 0,5 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 eggs
  • Butter
  • Honey for serving

Cook's notes

The honey in the batter can be replaced with a little modern sugar.