When cooking with wild edibles, it can feel overwhelming or baffling as to how to use them. They all have a distinctive flavor, but most can be compared to other vegetables we use regularly. It takes some experimentation. I think foraging for and cooking with wild edibles requires us to tap into our adventurous spirit (by definition: a willingness to take risks or try new methods, ideas or experiences).
In my cookbook, Homestead Kitchen, I have a few recipes that we have developed utilizing some of Alaska’s wild edibles. One of the kids’ favorites is Dandy cakes.
Also read Spring Foraging Guide: Nettles, Dandelions & Wild Edibles
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Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 1 cup tender young dandelion petals just the yellow and white parts, no green bits
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup goat’s milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- Grapeseed oil for the pan
- Maple or birch syrup for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dandelion petals, flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, goat’s milk, eggs, honey, and coconut oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together until just combined.
- Coat a large, well-seasoned cast-iron skillet with a thin layer of grapeseed oil and heat over medium heat. When the pan is hot, pour about 1 1/3 cup of the batter into the pan for each cake.
- Cook until bubbles begin to form on the surface and the edges start to turn golden. Flip and cook until the bottoms are golden. Transfer the pancakes to plates and serve hot with syrup or rhubarb sauce.
Notes
Recipe Note: If you harvest the yellow petals of dandelions within a week of their first opening in the spring, they are deliciously sweet all on their own.
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