Fry
by: hardlikearmour
May8,2011
4
1 Ratings
- Serves 2 to 4 as an appetizer
Jump to Recipe
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
What You'll Need
Ingredients
- 15 to 20 dandelion flowers - make sure they've not been treated with herbicides or pesticides, please!
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoonwater
- 1 & 1/2 cups panko
- zest from one lemon, lemon then cut into wedges
- 1/2 teaspoontable salt
- 1/4 teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
- olive oil
- clarified butter (optional)
Directions
- 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.
Tags:
- American
- Vegetable
- Make Ahead
- Serves a Crowd
- Fry
- Vegetarian
- Appetizer
- Snack
Contest Entries
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I am an amateur baker and cake decorator. I enjoy cooking, as well as eating and feeding others. I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with my husband and our menagerie. I enjoy outdoor activities including hiking, mushroom hunting, tide pooling, beach combing, and snowboarding.
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41 Reviews
Rohan May 7, 2018
Huge bump but just tried this today. Didn't bother removing the sepals tho. Excellent snack, thanks heaps. Rohan
CookingMomTR June 9, 2011
I'm shocked...I never thought about doing this. I'm definitely trying these this weekend.
Louise F. May 23, 2011
This encourages me to try dandelion flowers in a stir-fry or dropped into a soup or stew & they will take much less prep : )
hardlikearmour May 23, 2011
If you do it, let me know how it turns out! I've never tried them any other way.
prettyPeas May 19, 2011
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.
hardlikearmour May 19, 2011
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!)
Sagegreen May 15, 2011
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!
hardlikearmour May 15, 2011
They are pretty tasty, though cleaning them is a bit of work. Definitely a good conversation starter.
Chauncey May 15, 2011
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 :-(. )
hardlikearmour May 15, 2011
I hope you get a chance to try them! Unfortunately you'll probably get another big crop at some point in the future!
cheese1227 May 11, 2011
Very fun!
hardlikearmour May 12, 2011
Thanks! I finally talked to my dad today, and found out his mom used to make them for him when he was a kid.
TiggyBee May 10, 2011
Very cool!
hardlikearmour May 10, 2011
Thanks, TB!
Burnt O. May 9, 2011
Lovely - sounds like zucchini blossom fritters - but what do they TASTE like?
hardlikearmour May 9, 2011
There's only one way to find out ;)
hardlikearmour May 10, 2011
I've been thinking about this -- I guess they taste vaguely like asparagus, but I don't really have a good comparison.
mrslarkin May 9, 2011
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!!
hardlikearmour May 9, 2011
Thanks, mrsL! I bet your kids would love these.
wssmom May 9, 2011
Astounding! Where did your ad go to survival school? (Confession: the wss in my name stands for Wilderness Survival School ....)
hardlikearmour May 9, 2011
I have no idea. I think he actually taught a survival course. I'll find out next time I talk to him.
gingerroot May 9, 2011
These are so creative and sound delicious! I love that they were inspired by a food memory.
hardlikearmour May 9, 2011
Thanks, gr! Especially since I talked to my mom on Mother's Day about it!
VanessaS May 9, 2011
What an interesting idea - makes me wish I had a yard!
hardlikearmour May 9, 2011
Thanks, VanessaS!
KaffeeAndKuchen May 9, 2011
Do you suggest using smaller/new flowers or will any age dandelion work?
hardlikearmour May 9, 2011
Fully open flowers are best, and I prefer the larger ones if I can find them.
cookinginvictoria May 9, 2011
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.
hardlikearmour May 9, 2011
Thanks, civ! I do hope you try them.
TheWimpyVegetarian May 9, 2011
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!
hardlikearmour May 9, 2011
I hope you get a chance to try them! Let me know if you do.
boulangere May 9, 2011
This is a wonderful idea - I'll bet children would love it!
hardlikearmour May 9, 2011
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!
Bevi May 9, 2011
I'll be making these in about a week when my lawn is yellow with dandelions.
hardlikearmour May 9, 2011
Let me know if you get a chance to try them.
Panfusine May 8, 2011
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..
hardlikearmour May 8, 2011
Don't worry, they'll be back!
Midge May 8, 2011
I'm so intrigued. Would love to try them.
hardlikearmour May 8, 2011
Give it a go!
