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FeedJune/July 2007 Savvy Host Recipes
Cooking with Edible flowers
Be sure to use flowers that are free of pesticides. The best way is to grow your own, but you can also find safe edible flowers and herbs at these locations:Dehn’s Garden Stand
MinneapolisMinneapolis Farmer’s Market stand features herbs and many edible flowers, such as nasturtiums, dill flowers, and calendulas. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. 312 Lyndale Ave. N.
Cisco Minnesota
Mounds ViewLocal herb supplier will special order a wide variety of edible flowers with two or three days’ notice. Varieties include baby roses, chive blossoms, and snapdragons. No minimum order required. 763-785-7319.
Webster Farm Organics
ForestonOffers an array of edible flowers to its Community Supported Agriculture members. Selection includes nasturtiums, pansies, violas, marigolds, borage, and oregano blooms. The farm offers several metro-area “drop off” points. For a brochure or more information, call 320-587-0310.
Cornercopia
MinneapolisStudent-run organic produce stand sells a variety of edible flowers, including nasturtiums, pansies, and marigolds. Wednesdays from July 12 to August 30, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Along Church St., on the University of Minnesota campus
Mississippi Market
St. PaulBC Gardens in Belgrade supplies edible flowers, including marigolds, violets, pansies, calendulas, and chive blossoms to Mississippi Market throughout the summer. 651-310-9499. 622 Selby Ave.
Following recipes provided by Stephen Larson of Gourmet’s Garden Bed & Breakfast
Jicama, Pepita, and Sweet Bell Pepper Slaw
Makes 2 dozen hors d’oeuvres24 freshly opened tulip petals (or substitute Belgian endive leaves)
2 c. jicama, finely julienned
¼ c. sweet red bell pepper, minced
¼ c. carrots, finely shredded
¼ c. pepitas (pumpkin seed meats),
roasted and salted
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. kosher salt
⅛ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. extra virgin pumpkin seed oil
Wash and dry the tulip petals (or endive leaves), lay out on a large platter, and set aside until needed. Combine the jicama, bell peppers, carrots, and pepitas in a mixing bowl and toss well. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Place a scant tablespoon of the slaw into the cup of each petal and serve.
Mixed Edible Flower Salad
Makes 4 saladsFor the dressing:
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar¼ tsp. sugar
⅛ tsp. kosher salt
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
Leaves and flowers stripped from 6 sprigs of flowering thyme (about 1½ tsp.)
½ c. walnut oil
Combine the vinegar, seasonings, and thyme in a mixing bowl, and whisk well to blend. Slowly whisk in the oil in a thin but steady stream. Set aside until needed.
To finish the dish:
5 c. mixed spring greens (about 6 oz.)¼ c. edible flower petals (nasturtiums, pansies or marigolds) (petals only!)
1 small crisp/sweet apple, cored and quartered, cut into thin slices (Gala, Haralson, Cortland, etc.)
¼ c. oven-toasted walnuts, cooled and chopped
4 1-oz. slices of high-quality blue cheese
Put the greens and flower petals into a large mixing bowl. Toss with the dressing and apples, then divide among plates. Top each salad with 1 Tbsp. of the walnuts and a slice of blue cheese. Serve.
Following recipes provided by Bonnie Dehn of Dehn’s Garden
Nasturtium Punch
Serves 61 dozen nasturtium flowers
½ c. sugar
1 c. water
¼ c. lemon juice
crushed ice
Wash and finely chop nasturtium flowers and their stems. Mash them into a paste with sugar. Add boiling water and lemon juice. Cover tightly. Place mixture in the refrigerator for an hour or more. Pour through a sieve on crushed ice that partially fills the glasses.
Charming Crabmeat Salad
12 oz. “flaked style” crabmeat⅔ c. celery, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. chives, chopped
1 Tbsp. Italian parsley, chopped
½ c. light mayonnaise
dash of Tabasco sauce, optional
dash of fresh ground pepper
gladiolus or daylily blossoms
Combine crabmeat and celery in a bowl. In another small bowl, blend mayonnaise, chives, parsley, and pepper. Add the dash of Tabasco sauce. Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the crabmeat. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate. Prepare the flowers by separating them into single blooms and washing gently. Stuff each bloom with crabmeat. Serve.
Nasturtium Vinegar
2 c. white wine vinegar2 c. nasturtium blooms (approximately 22 to 24 blooms)
Harvest your nasturtium blooms early in the morning when they will be easier to rinse and clean. Heat vinegar until steam rises. Do not boil. Place nasturtium blooms into clean, decorative bottles. Pour vinegar into the bottles. (Tip: Bottles and blooms need to be free of moisture to prevent cloudy vinegar.) The vinegar will turn a peach color and can be used as vinaigrette on summer salads. It also makes a great gift.
Wild Rose Jelly
Makes approximately three 8-oz. jelly jars1 quart wild rose petals (make sure they are pesticide free)
2¼ c. apple juice
3½ c. sugar
1 to 2 drops of food coloring, optional
3 oz. liquid fruit pectin
Place ingredients in a 6-quart saucepan. Boil 15 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Two cups of rose/apple juice should remain. Pour juice back into the saucepan—careful, juice is hot. Add sugar and food coloring. Mix well. Bring to rolling boil, stirring constantly. While stirring, add liquid fruit pectin. Boil 1 minute longer (keep stirring). Remove from heat and skim the residue from the top. Pour into sterile jelly jars. Seal with paraffin.
Following recipes provided by Marc Paavola, executive chef at Birchwood Café
Daylily-Asparagus Sauté
Serves 44 daylily blossoms, blanched and placed in ice bath
1 lb. asparagus
½ red onion, thinly sliced
Using a 2-quart saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Blanch lilies for 30 seconds and transfer to ice bath. Gently pat dry with a towel. Heat a few tablespoons of your favorite oil in a large sauté pan. Add asparagus and red onion, and season with salt and pepper. After just a minute or two, add the daylilies and sauté for 30 seconds. (Remember not to overcook your asparagus. It should still have some crunch to it and be bright green.)
Fingerling Potatoes
Serves 4 to 62 lbs. fingerling potatoes
3 chive blossoms, petals removed
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1 lemon, zested
1 to 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Spread potatoes on a cookie sheet and coat lightly with oil. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Roast until tender (about 20 minutes). Mix parsley, chive blossoms, and lemon zest in a separate bowl. Toss potatoes with mixture and serve.
Sherry-Oregano Marinated and Grilled Quail
Serves 42 shallots
1 lemon, ½ sliced; ½ crushed
1 orange, ½ sliced; ½ crushed
1½ c. sherry
1 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. pepper, freshly ground
4 whole quail (may substitute chicken, turkey, or pork tenderloin)
Use a non-reactive bread pan, or a similar pan, for marinade. Put shallots, lemon, orange, sherry, olive oil, and pepper into a blender and “pulse” several times. Oranges should still be chunky. Pour over quail and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Grill as normal.
Following recipes provided by Judi Barsness, owner of Chez Jude
Sage Ice Cream
Serves 6 to 102 c. heavy cream
2 c. half & half
⅓ c. fresh sage and sage flowers, coarsely chopped
4 strips lemon zest (2 in. long)
9 large egg yolks
¾ c. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
Stir together cream, half & half, sage, sage flowers, and lemon zest in a saucepan. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, for 10 minutes. Whisk half of hot cream mixture into egg mixture. Whisk egg mixture into remaining cream in saucepan. Cook the resulting custard, stirring constantly, until it thickens. (This will take approximately 5 minutes. Use a thermometer to see when mixture reaches 170 degrees. DO NOT BOIL.)
Pour custard through fine mesh strainer into a bowl in an ice bath. Stir while cooling. Chill custard at least 3 hours. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Yields 1 quart.
Lavender Ice Cream
Serves 8 to 123 c. heavy cream
3 c. half & half
1 whole vanilla bean, sliced lengthwise
⅓ c. fresh lavender flowers, finely chopped
12 large egg yolks
⅔ c. sugar
Stir together cream, half & half, vanilla bean, and lavender flowers in a saucepan. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, for 10 minutes. Whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Whisk half of hot cream mixture into egg mixture. Whisk egg mixture into remaining cream in saucepan. Cook the resulting custard, stirring constantly, until it thickens. (This will take approximately 5 minutes. Use a thermometer to see when mixture reaches 170 degrees. DO NOT BOIL.)
Pour custard through fine mesh strainer into a bowl in ice bath. Stir while cooling. Chill custard at least 3 hours. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Yields 1½ quarts.
Following recipe provided by Bonnie Dehn
Marigold Pound Cake
Serves 8 to 16, depending on pan size1 c. butter
1½ c. sugar
3 large eggs
½ c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. lemon extract
2 c. flour
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
4 Tbsp. marigold petals (outer petals of 5 blossoms)
Cream butter and sugar. Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and set aside. Mix milk and vanilla. Add alternately with flour mixture. Stir in lemon peel and marigold petals. Pour mixture into a greased 9-inch-by-5-inch loaf pan or a 9-inch tube pan. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 60 to 65 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn out and cool. Serve with whipped cream and fresh raspberries for a beautiful summer dessert.
11 ISSUES (1 YEAR)
