Preparing Dandelions for Eating

SmartPricePoster

Sorry if wrong forum but does anyone know how to prepare dandelions (preferably without blanching as it seems a bit long winded) for eating - and so they don't taste bitter (I've heard a lot about the bitterness).

I'd preferably like preparation regarding leaves after the flower has sprouted as I have a load in my garden right now. Also, is the stalk edible too? And how would you eat the flower?

What could it be cooked with to mask the taste? I don't have a blender so green smoothies are a no go.

Also, is it safe to eat them from the garden? My dog does use it as a toilet, but he doesn't generally go near the dandelions for toilet. And no chemicals are used in the garden, it's just mowed once in a while.

Kernel_Sanders

SmartPricePoster wrote: »

What could it be cooked with to mask the taste?

Why would you want to bother picking and preparing something that tastes so bad? Get down to Asda or Tesco and pick up a tin of mushy peas for 6p instead!

SmartPricePoster

I don't like mushy peas. I want to eat it for it's health benefits.

EricMears

Dandelions are a pretty effective diuretic. Are there any other 'health benefits' ?

grahamc2003

SmartPricePoster wrote: »

http://www.redicecreations.com/article.php?id=13851

Suppose your doctor tells you, on your next visit, that he has just discovered a miracle drug which, when eaten as a part of your daily diet or taken as a beverage, could, depending on the peculiarities of your body chemistry: prevent or cure liver diseases, such as hepatitis or jaundice; act as a tonic and gentle diuretic to purify your blood, cleanse your system, dissolve kidney stones, and otherwise improve gastro-intestinal health; assist in weight reduction; cleanse your skin and eliminate acne; improve your bowel function, working equally well to relieve both constipation and diarrhea; prevent or lower high blood pressure; prevent or cure anemia; lower your serum cholesterol by as much as half; eliminate or drastically reduce acid indigestion and gas buildup by cutting the heaviness of fatty foods; prevent or cure various forms of cancer; prevent or control diabetes mellitus; and, at the same time, have no negative side effects and selectively act on only what ails you. If he gave you a prescription for this miracle medicine, would you use it religiously at first to solve whatever the problem is and then consistently for preventative body maintenance?

All the above curative functions, and more, have been attributed to one plant known to everyone, Taraxacum officinale, which means the "Official Remedy for Disorders." We call it the common dandelion.

Perhaps you should forward the article to the Heath Scretary, it could lower the NHS drugs bill to 0p.

Having said that, I've used danadelions for various things, just to see what they're like, and we have an endless supply. The roots make a decent chicory like coffee substiute - I cooked then for a while in the oven, then ground them. An acceptable drink (to those who like chicory type coffee, many don't, but we occasionally pop over to France to buy it since we can't find it for sale in the uk). Much too much hassle to use dandelions for this though imo.

Also the young leaves are very bitter, but fine mixed with lettuce - again, very much like unblanched chicory. You can't really eat a plate of dandelion leaves just by itself (as you can with lettuce for example).

Made tea from the flowers - probably the best use imo, just pour on boiling water - certainly as good as most 'fruit' teas you can buy in teabags these days.

suejb2

Find some Burdock and make your own pop.

Edwardia

I experimented with dandelions and I have to say the old ones aren't very nice.

What I did to grow my own as salad greens was to get the seed puffballs and with tweezers, tease them out and plant into a watered growbag and watered in, then left them to their own devices, watering if the compost looked dry.

As long as you don't let them grow puffballs you won't get a weed problem and they are best eaten young and tender.

The Japanese eat the roots as well and have them sauteed.

Loubay

I buy Dandelion tea from my local HF shop. I brew it, cool it and mix with cordial. Hope this helps.

kittycatface

personally i pick shake and eat or you could give them a quick rinse in a colander. the best times of year to pick are in early spring or just after frost so now should be fine as they will be less bitter.

I mask tastes by mixing with other salad leaves or putting in salad/sandwich with a sweet veg such as beetroot.

There is also a recipe for dandelion soup here:
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/cream-of-dandelion-soup-recipe.html but not tried or tested.

You can eat all parts of the plant but I prefer just the leaves, and to pour hot water on heads as tea (they can be dried to save out of season)

good luck

Ken68

I have loads in the driveway, can't poison because of the cats, so might start eating them. A piece of slate or brick placed over should blanch them to make edible and have a dehydrator so free coffee from the roots. Thank you OP. Very MSE.