In my copy of "A Midwest Gardner's Cookbook" (by Marian K. Towne, Indiana University Press), there's a great recipe for Dandelion Coffee. Here's what it says:
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Dandelion Coffee (Decaf) (p 12, in the Spring section of recipes)
Dig up roots, trim off leaves and stems and any small rootlets. Wash off earth and scrub roots well. Put in warm place to drain and dry.
Cut larger roots in half and into shorter lengths. Spread pieces on shallow roasting tin and bake in hot oven (400F) for 30 minutes until roots are brown and dry throughout. Allow to cool before grinding. Spread grounds on baking sheet and roast for 7 minutes in moderate oven (350F).
To prepare, put 5 to 6 T. of grounds in warm jar or pitcher. Pour on 1 pint boiling water, stir, and let steep for 1 hour. Strain into pan or microwave-safe mug to reheat.
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The next recipe is for Dandelion Wine, and begins with "Pick dandelion blossoms in early morning when dew is present, using only perfect, open blossoms." Sounds lovely! Maybe I'll try that when they start blooming...
I am iffy on this dandelion coffee idea (mostly because anything that is "decaf" and "coffee" is inherently wrong in my head), but dandelion wine is sort of fantastic. I hope they both turn out well, though!
ReplyDeleteYeah, calling it "coffee" is misleading. It's not a tea though, either, because it's not brewed with leaves or plant matter... I think that roasting/brewing = coffee, even if it's strange. Dandelion wine up next when they start flowering!
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