Dollops of Sunshine

DANDELIONS GET A BAD RAP. They are the scourge of lawn perfectionists everywhere. There are tools specifically for rooting them out; these are called ‘dandelion weeders,’  and there is no shortage of chemical concoctions aimed at poisoning them.

I for one have never quite understood these anti-dandelion sentiments. I thought, somewhere in the back of my mind, that I would grow to disparage them as I got older. So far, I haven’t reached this nebulous milestone of true adulthood. I think I never will, and truthfully, I don’t want to—the same way I don’t want to gripe about “kids these days and their crazy hair-dos and loud music –if you can call that noise music!”

Dandelions are scrappy, persistent dollops of sunshine, and who couldn’t use that in their lives? They will grow just about anywhere. Their roots are used in herbal tonics for blood-strengthening. Their leaves are a delicious salad and braising green. You can buy bunches from Wegmans or pick your own. The smaller leaves are less bitter, and braising them mellows them, especially if you dress them with sweet balsamic vinegar.  The flowers can be made into wine, jelly, and, I’ve heard, tempura.

The jelly is sweet, floral and tastes like honey. It is wonderful with eggs, with cheese, in crepes, on corn pancakes, and in jam tartlets.  I particularly like it with crackers and blue cheese.

Pick just the flower heads, choosing ones that are just a little tight in the middle, a little closed. Harvest away from roads, and, of course, from untreated lawns. Pick about 30 heads, and set aside 10 nice ones to use the petals.

Dandelion Flower Jelly

30 dandelion flower heads, 10 set aside

2 ½ cups water

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 packet of pectin

4 ½ pint-sized canning jars with lids

Bring water to boil in a saucepan with a lid. Take off the heat and submerse 20 flower heads in the water and cover. Let steep for 45 minutes. Strain the flowers, reserving the liquid. Measure 2 cups of liquid back into the pot. Add the lemon juice and sugar. Heat to dissolve the sugar. Follow the instructions on the pectin packet, and add. Pull the petals loose from the 10 reserved flower heads and sprinkle into the jelly. Pour into clean hot canning jars and screw on the lids. Either can them with a hot water bath, or eat right away and give the other jars to friends! The jelly will keep in the fridge for at least a month.

Tagged as: dandelion jelly, dandelions, food column, Katie Church, Recipe