The Bishops’ Kitchen – July 21

DANDELION & LEMON BISCUITS

• 20 dandelion heads
• 125 g softened butter
• 100g caster sugar
• 1 egg, zest of 1 lemon & 1 tbsp juice
• 180g plain flour
• 20g cornflour
• 1/4 tsp salt

Method:

Prepare the flowers: wash heads then remove petals by pinching firmly and pulling (a little green is ok but not too much as it can impart a bitter taste).
Cream the butter & sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and lemon zest. Sift in the dry ingredients and combine well. Add lemon juice and the petals then mix.
Dollop spoonfuls onto a baking tray and cook for 12 mins. at 180°C/Gas 4 until golden.
Cool on a wire rack and enjoy.

DANDELION & BACON SALAD

• Large handfuls of unopened dandelion flower buds
• 1 bunch (about 2 large handfuls) young dandelion leaves
• 4 rashers rindless, smoked, streaky bacon
• 4 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 tbsp wine vinegar
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• Salt & black pepper

Method:

Wash the dandelion flowers and leaves and pat dry between paper towels.
Cut the bacon into small pieces and fry in a dry pan over fairly high heat until crisp then drain on paper towels.
Toss the dandelion flowers in the bacon fat over a medium heat until the buds are just open then drain on paper towels.
Put the dandelion leaves in a salad bowl and mix in the fried bacon and flowers.
Put the oil, vinegar and sugar in a small screw top jar and season with salt & pepper.  Seal the jar, shake well then add to the salad and toss lightly.

All recipes are from village resident, Richard Childs.

Missed a recipe? Click HERE to view Richard’s earlier recipes and other seasonal ideas.

The dandelion (Taraxacum officiniale) is a type of daisy. Found in virtually every kind of habitat and lawn, it is vital to many pollinating insects such as bumblebees, butterflies, hover flies, day flying moths and solitary bees. They are frequently treated as an unwanted weed.

The flower head is infact made up of lots of individual flowers known as florets or ray flowers. Each common dandelion flowerhead contains approximately 150 – 200 florets.
A rich source of vitamins, minerals, the leaves, root, and flowers can all be eaten.

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