Pan-Fried Dandelion Flowers
Share
- ✉
-
Author Notes: When I was a kid I loved it when my mom would make this for us. She got it from my dad's mother who would make it for her kids when they were young. She would use either bread crumbs or cracker crumbs as her dredge. I use panko and add a little lemon to complement the vegetal flavor of the flowers. Give this delicious snack a try next time your yard is over loaded with dandelions, and maybe, just maybe you will hate these dastardly weeds a bit less. - hardlikearmour
Serves 2 to 4 as an appetizer
- 15 to 20 dandelion flowers - make sure they've not been treated with herbicides or pesticides, please!
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 & 1/2 cups panko
- zest from one lemon, lemon then cut into wedges
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- olive oil
- clarified butter (optional)
- Thoroughly rinse dandelion flowers. Be careful not to get the latex on your clothes as it will stain. Carefully slice of the stem end because if you cut off too much the flowers will disintegrate. Carefully remove the small dark green sepals - I find my fingernails the best tool for this task. You want to remove all the dark green bits because they are bitter, but leave the light green "meat" to keep the flower intact. Place cleaned flowers on paper towels to dry after they've been cleaned.
- In a small bowl beat eggs and water until well-combined. Set aside. This is your "dip."
- Combine panko, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in another bowl. Mix well. Set aside. This is your "dredge."
- Heat enough olive oil or a 50-50 mix of olive oil and clarified butter in a sauté pan so it is about 1/8th-inch deep on medium to medium-high. Your pan should be large enough to fry the dandelions in 2 batches without crowding.
- While your oil is heating dip then dredge your dandelion flowers, making sure both sides are well coated. I like to stir the panko mixture occasionally to make sure the seasoning is well-distributed. Place dipped and dredged dandelions on a clean plate.
- Drop a few panko crumbs into your oil to make sure it is adequately heated. The crumbs should start to sizzle immediately. Once oil is hot enough fry dandelions on one side until golden brown, then flip and fry the other side. This should take no more than 2 minutes per side, and the second side takes less time than the first.
- Remove fried dandelions to a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil. When all dandelions have been fried, transfer them to a serving plate and spritz with lemon juice. Serve immediately with additional lemon wedges if desired.
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Spring Vegetable Recipe
Tags: kid-friendly
More Great Recipes
Share a Recipe
Enter one of our contests, or share that great thing you made for dinner last night.
Add a Recipe
almost 2 years ago CookingMomTR
I'm shocked...I never thought about doing this. I'm definitely trying these this weekend.
about 2 years ago Louise Faith
This encourages me to try dandelion flowers in a stir-fry or dropped into a soup or stew & they will take much less prep : )
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
If you do it, let me know how it turns out! I've never tried them any other way.
about 2 years ago prettyPeas
This sounds great--I've made them before with a beer tempura batter and gotten great reviews. People have a hard time guessing just what has been battered and fried--it's neither extremely bitter like dandelion greens nor floral--just good and vegetal.
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Thanks! There's also a dandelion fritter recipe posted that uses a beer batter. Removing the sepals really removes any bitterness (though is a bit persnickety!)
about 2 years ago Sagegreen
OMG! I am so glad to be catching up with recipes after a work-imposed hiatus. Love this idea. Now I can bless my backyard crop amidst the lawn instead of curse them!
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
They are pretty tasty, though cleaning them is a bit of work. Definitely a good conversation starter.
about 2 years ago Chauncey
Darn, had a big crop last month (04/2011). Saving recipe so I can go out and harvest the flowers to prevent seeding, instead of throwing them away (no compost pile :-(. )
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
I hope you get a chance to try them! Unfortunately you'll probably get another big crop at some point in the future!
about 2 years ago cheese1227
Very fun!
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Thanks! I finally talked to my dad today, and found out his mom used to make them for him when he was a kid.
about 2 years ago TiggyBee
Very cool!
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Thanks, TB!
about 2 years ago Burnt Offerings
Lovely - sounds like zucchini blossom fritters - but what do they TASTE like?
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
There's only one way to find out ;)
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
I've been thinking about this -- I guess they taste vaguely like asparagus, but I don't really have a good comparison.
about 2 years ago mrslarkin
Mrs. Larkin is a trusted source on Baking.
What a great idea! Since as long as I can remember, this has been my favorite flower. Love seeing meadows full of these in the springtime. Thanks, hla!!
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Thanks, mrsL! I bet your kids would love these.
about 2 years ago wssmom
Astounding! Where did your ad go to survival school? (Confession: the wss in my name stands for Wilderness Survival School ....)
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
I have no idea. I think he actually taught a survival course. I'll find out next time I talk to him.
about 2 years ago gingerroot
These are so creative and sound delicious! I love that they were inspired by a food memory.
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Thanks, gr! Especially since I talked to my mom on Mother's Day about it!
about 2 years ago VanessaS
What an interesting idea - makes me wish I had a yard!
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Thanks, VanessaS!
about 2 years ago KaffeeAndKuchen
Do you suggest using smaller/new flowers or will any age dandelion work?
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Fully open flowers are best, and I prefer the larger ones if I can find them.
about 2 years ago cookinginvictoria
I am a big fan of dandelion leaves, but I must confess that I have never eaten the flowers. These sound very intriguing -- an updated version of fried zucchini blossoms, which I absolutely love. Great sounding recipe and really beautiful photo, btw.
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Thanks, civ! I do hope you try them.
about 2 years ago TheWimpyVegetarian
This sounds so interesting!! For the first time in my life I'm going to be excited about dandelions in the yard so I can try this. Love this!
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
I hope you get a chance to try them! Let me know if you do.
about 2 years ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
This is a wonderful idea - I'll bet children would love it!
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
My mom wouldn't make it as often as we'd have liked as kids! Cleaning the flowers is fairly painstaking, so now I can see why!
about 2 years ago Bevi
I'll be making these in about a week when my lawn is yellow with dandelions.
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Let me know if you get a chance to try them.
about 2 years ago Panfusine
wow, and to think I spent the whole afternoon pulling these blossoms off my lawn & tossing them! just waiting for the next crop to spring up..
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Don't worry, they'll be back!
about 2 years ago Midge
I'm so intrigued. Would love to try them.
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Give it a go!
about 2 years ago dymnyno
This sounds interesting and I just got "The Wild Table". Now, where are dandelions when I want them!!!!
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
I've been inundated by them! Too bad I can't just ship some to you.