Dandelion Honey & other wild food recipes

Aril

I'll try to remember to post it up when I get my paws on it!
Aril

donna73

dandelion honey sounds great, ive just been reading hovel & garden ih hills by elizabeth west as recommended by someone on this sight, so feeling really inspired!

maybe this will convince my grumpy father in law that "weeds" really are useful!!!!

donna73

hi again can i ask, how did you sterilise the jars &lids?, and how many jars did it make?

the_optimist

I've sterilised mine in the oven. Apparently you can just put them in the dishwasher but I'd just emptied it, so couldn't try it. I ended up with two jam jars full. It probably depends on how long you're boiling the liquid (it was a bit of trial and error).

I had a slice of toast with honey today and it was delicious!

the_optimist

I've just changed the title because I am hoping others might add some more interesting recipes. I'd love to know how to make the honey with parsley or how to make acorn coffee. What else can we use and make.....

.....Maybe we'll end up with a nice collection of different recipes.

mioliere

Have just found this thread - (OMG, it seems yet again that I have spent most of the day on MSE!) - all sounds fascinating and will keep looking in! I have a book called Seven Hundred Years of English Cooking which is bound to have some good recipes - I'll have a look if I can tear myself away from the computer!

the_optimist

mioliere wrote: »

I have a book called Seven Hundred Years of English Cooking

That's sounds interesting, bet there are some great recipes in there (as long as it doesn't mention Tescos :rotfl: )

Aril

As per my friend's instructions:
Use whole acorns. Green acorns picked from the tree give a stronger, sharper flavour, whilst brown ones picked from the ground are mellower and earthier. However, to eliminate the sharpness after bashing with a mallet or rolling pin to crack the shells, they can be boiled for a minute or two or until the water turns to a ruddy colour, which is the tannin leaching out. Sieve through a flour sieve or muslin, then follow instructions for baking.
collect your acorns and wash them under the tap, place them in a food bag and bash them with a mallet or rolling pin, If you want a mellower flavour follow the instructions above.
Preheat over to 200-210C. Mince them in an old fashioned mincer or in an electric blender until the pieces are half to 3mm in size. Place the onto a baking tray and bake them in the top of the oven for about 20-25 mins until dark brown or nearly black.
You can then make coffee as usual in a cafetiere, filter or with a teaball or in a teapot using a tea strainer. Leave to brew 5 mins then stir.
Add milk and sugar to taste.
NB you may need to use to use twice as many granules of acorn coffee as opposed to normal coffee as the strength varies.
Dandelion coffee
Use roots, scrub clean, dry out and follow above.
Enjoy!
Aril

redballoon_2

do you need to take all the green off that is around the dandelion head??

donna73

hi everyone, i tried making the dandelion honey this afternoon, but it went wrong, all looked ok until about 45 mins after sugar had been added, then it went very dark in colour( i suppose the sugar was burning) i was cooking it on a low heat as you said and stirring it. also it definately wasnt right because it was going rock hard as it cooled, like toffee,

HELP....any ideas where i went wrong?