Dandelion Fritters
As soon as I learned about dandelion fritters from Alexis Nikole, one of my favorite TikTokers and foragers, “I thought oh! I gotta try this!” I anxiously waited a few weeks for the dandelions to shine their way into my world which made the anticipation that much sweeter.
I was a bit disappointed in myself in how plentiful recipes are for them on Google, yet I had never heard of them. I wrote down my own version of dandelion fritters and gave it a go.
The cornmeal gives the most delightful crunch while the petals give you a nice chew. If you’re hesitant to try them, please do, they’re delicious. The fritters remind me of fried fish but with the most delicate of herb flavors. You can always cook 2-3 fritters and if you don’t like them, skip the flower and make hoe cakes with the remaining batter.
When you pick the flowers, you can easily pinch them off right below the receptacle. If you go too high, the petals will separate. Michigan State University Extension Services says the stems are inedible due to a bitter milky substance. I don’t know if that’s purely from taste or something that’s not fit for human consumption. I like my life and AlexisNikole always tells her followers not to die so I don’t eat the stems.
Dandelion Fritter Ingredients
1 c cornmeal
1 tsp salt
½ tsp cayenne
1 egg
¾ c milk
2 tsp honey
Frying oil
3 c of dandelion flowers
Dandelion Fritters Directions
Mix 1 c of cornmeal, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp cayenne in a small bowl. Whisk together 1 egg, ¾ c milk, and 2 tsp honey until fully incorporated.
Pour the liquid mix into the dry mix and until incorporated.
Cover the bottom of a heavy bottom sauté pan with a ¼” of oil. Heat. Test the heat by dropping a tiny bit of the batter into the oil. Plenty of bubbles will form around the batter when it’s hot enough.
Batter the flowers. It’s a little bit tricky but you’ll get the feel for it. Put petal side down into the batter, fork over some batter over the top. I found it was easier to do with a fork than with a spoon. Flip it over and the petals will probably be bone dry so fork some batter over it. You might have to kind of press it down gently.
Put the flower in the oil petal side down. When the underside is golden brown, flip it. When both sides are golden brown, put it on a paper towel to drain the grease. If you have extra batter, drop it by the spoonful into the hot grease.
You can eat them plain or you could use a variety of sauces: siracha, chipotle mayo, Tobasco, honey mustard, hot honey, Cane’s sauce. The options are limitless.
