Summer Dandelion Fritters

Ingredients

• 3 cups dandelion flowers from a clean place
• 1 egg beaten (preferrably local)
• 1 cup milk goat or cow
• 1/4 cup all-pupose flour King Arthur
• 1 cup Cornmeal locally grown or grow yourself
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup vegetable oil or more for frying

100

• 6 ounce Fresh Chèvre Fat Toad Farm
• 3 tablespoons milk goat or cow
• 2 tablespoons horseradish

Directions

1. For sauce, whip ingredients together and set aside. Serve with the dandelion fritters.
2. Collect 2-3 cups of dandelion flowers. Try to pick nice big ones, because they are easier to coat with batter. Do not pick dandelions from fields where manure has just been spread, from roadsides, or from areas around the house where pets spend time. Choose the cleanest place to harvest from. It’s up to you whether to wash them. I choose not to, but if you do wash them, use cold water, and dry them on paper towels to absorb most of the water. Cut the stems back to the base of the flowers. The more green you leave on the flower, the more bitter the taste. I like the bitter, but it’s a personal preference.
3. Next, make the batter. Beat the egg and then add all other ingredients except oil. Whisk together until fully incorporated.
4. Heat oil on high in a large frying pan. Cover bottom of pan with a quarter inch of oil, or about one cup. The oil is ready when you flick a few drops of water, and the oil spits back at you.
5. Holding a flower at its base, dip it into the batter and drop into the hot oil, flower side down. Be careful of the hot oil. Repeat this quickly until the pan is full of dandelions. Cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. If the flowers are getting brown too quickly, turn down the heat.
6. Remove flowers with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
7. Serve hot with dandelion fritter dipping sauce.