Dandelion Blossom Fritters

I grew up in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, where sagebrush, pine trees and prickly pear cactus flourished.  Needless to say there was little in the way of manicured lawn, what little we did have was generally a sea of dandelions.  My sister and I learned to forage for edible plants at a young age, as our mother was a botanist and our father was a renaissance man of sorts, and dandelions were one of the easiest and, thanks to my parents, tastiest finds.  I have fond memories of fresh dandelion blossoms being batter and fried for an afternoon snack or side dish at dinner.  I recently relocated to Montana, where spring is just beginning and the many of the lawns host their fair share of dandelions and fritters were on my mind.  They are just as easy and delicious as I remember them being, providing a great use for an otherwise common weed.   Dandelion blossom fritters pair well with buckwheat flatbread and rye or wheat berry salad. 

The blossoms should be used immediately and may be rinsed, but are easier to fry dry.

2 c dandelion blossoms, stems removed

1 large egg

¼ c flour

¼ c milk

2 tbsp oil

salt and pepper

1. In a small bowl, whisk the egg, milk and flour together until smooth.  Season the batter with salt and pepper.  Makes about one cup of batter.

2. Place the oil in a medium skill over medium heat.  Once the oil is heated, dip a dandelion blossom in the batter, holding the flower by the bottom to fully submerge the blossom in the batter, gently shake and place in the skillet.  Repeat the process until the skillet is full.  Fry the blossoms until golden brown, flipping as needed, about 1 minute.  Remove the blossoms and set aside drain on a paper towel, while continuing to fry the remaining blossoms. 

3. Season the fritters with salt and pepper as desired.  Serve immediately.

Serves 3-4

Tabbouleh

Edible herbs are part of longstanding culinary traditions in the Middle East, so much so that the word tabbouleh comes from tabil, the Arabic term for seasoning. Tabbouleh, a traditional Middle Eastern salad served as part of lunch and dinner, is most often made from fresh herbs, tomatoes and bulgur. Wheat berries are made into bulgur through a process of soaking, cooking, drying and cracking the whole kernels and is one of the oldest human culinary uses of wheat. Depending on the region, different tabbouleh recipes may have different proportions of bulgur to fresh herbs; however, I like to make mine about equal, so the herbs are fragrant against the chewy texture of the wheat berries. Homemade tabbouleh is delicious with roasted eggplant salad and balsamic marinated vegetables.

½ c bulgur

1 bunch parsley, finely chopped

2 tbsp mint, finely chopped

1 medium tomato, finely diced

1 small onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, pressed or finely chopped

1 lemon, juiced

½ tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Soak the bulgar in water until tender, about 1 hour, drain thoroughly and set aside in a medium-mixing bowl.

2. Add the remaining ingredients to the bulgar and gently fold to combine. Marinate the tabbouleh for at least an hour before serving. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Serves 3-4

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Sweet potatoes have been on my mind lately, possibly because they are commonly served during winter holiday meals or maybe because I am in the south, where sweet potatoes have been cultivated since the 16th century. In the southern States, sweet potatoes seem to be preferred over regular potatoes and due to their sweeter nature; they are found in a wide array of both savory and sweet dishes, including pies, casseroles, breads, stews and fries. Lately, I have come across sweet potato pancakes on menus and signs; at first I thought were similar to a European potato pancake using grated sweet potatoes as a base, which sounded delicious. However, I subsequently learned, in the south, they are referring to traditional breakfast pancakes, in which cooked mashed sweet potatoes are used in addition to the flour. I found baking the sweet potatoes before adding them to the pancakes, added a depth to the pancakes and created a rich sweet potato flavor in the finished product.

Sweet potatoes can be baked in advance. Sugar and spices can be adjusted to taste, depending upon personal preference.

1 lb sweet potatoes

2 c flour

2 ¼ c milk

¼ c butter, melted

2 eggs

4 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

pinch of nutmeg

½ tsp salt

vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the whole sweet potatoes in the oven and bake until tender, 30-45 minutes. Remove from oven, cool slightly, peel and blend until smooth in a medium mixing bowl.

2. Add the dry ingredients to the blended sweet potatoes and thoroughly combine. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs and butter, add to the dry ingredients and potatoes, and gently fold to combine into a smooth batter.

3. Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat. Once heated, coat the griddle or skillet with oil. Drop about ¼ c of the batter on to the griddle or skillet, repeating until the griddle or skillet is full. Cook pancakes until bubbles appear on the surface, flip and cook until both sides are golden brown and pancakes are fully cooked. Repeat process with remaining batter.

4. Serve sweet potato pancakes warm with butter and maple syrup, if desired.

Serves 3-4

Bacon and Broccoli Quiche

A quiche seems like one of the quintessential French dishes adopted by American cuisine during the 20th century, savory cream and egg custard filling in an open face pastry crust. However pastries filled with savory custard date back to at the Romans and the term quiche comes from the German word kuchen for cake, as the modern idea of quiche came about in medieval German cuisine. Any number of different meat, cheese and vegetable variations may be made into a quiche, though bacon and cheese is especially classic given the popularity of quiche Lorraine. I am fond of quiches with vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, leek, onion or mushrooms in addition to desired meats and/or cheeses.

The bacon and broccoli can easily be substituted for any number of alternative meats, cheese or vegetables depending upon availability and personal preference.

1 c flour

½ c butter, cubed

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 tsp fresh herbs, finely chopped

cold water

3 eggs

1 c cream

1 head broccoli

2 strips bacon, thinly sliced

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1. Combine flour, salt, pepper and herbs in food processor and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until well combined with flour. Add water 1 tbsp at a time while pulsing until flour mixture just begins to hold together. Remove from processor, form dough into ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

2. Place flattened dough in between two sheets of parchment paper and roll dough into a 12" circle. Place rolled dough on a 9" pie pan, gently press dough into the shape of the pan and form edge of dough as desired. Refrigerate the dough in the pie pan for 30 minutes before baking.

3. Place bacon in a medium frying pan over medium heat and brown bacon, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Once bacon has browned, combine bacon with broccoli and set aside. Whisk cream, eggs, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined and set aside.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pre-bake crust until set and lightly golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Once crust has set, remove from oven, leaving oven on. Arrange broccoli and bacon evenly along the bottom of the crust. Pour egg mixture over broccoli and bacon. Return quiche to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until firm and clean to a knife. Remove quiche from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

5. Serve quiche warm, room temperature or chilled.

Makes one 9" quiche

Fresh Lemon Tart with Sweet Rosemary Crust

Lemon, Citrus x limon, is the tart fruit of an evergreen, by the same name. Likely native to Asia, lemons were generally utilized for their medicinal properties as well as ornamental appeal. They spread to the Middle East and Europe about 2000 years ago, but were not truly cultivated until 500-1000 years ago. Lemons were brought to the States by Italian explorers, as they were being cultivated in Italy at the time, and eventually made their way into cuisine in the States during the 18th and 19th centuries as their cultivation increased in California and Florida. Lemons might be one of my favorite fruits to cook with due to its endless versatility. A fresh lemon tart is delicious with a little cream and a chilled glass of white wine sangria.

Lavender may be used in place of rosemary.

For the lovely Annie, on her birthday.

2 lemons, sliced paper thin

3 tbsp sugar

1 c flour

1 tbsp sugar

½ c cold butter, cubed

1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

½ tsp salt

1 cold egg

1 tbsp butter, melted

1. Combine lemons and 2 tbsp sugar, cover and macerate lemons in a non-reactive dish for 12-24 hours at room temperature. After macerating, adjust sugar to taste.

2. Next, combine flour, sugar, salt and rosemary, add butter and gently work into dry ingredients. Add egg and gently work in until crust barely holds together. Place dough in the refrigerator until chilled, about 30 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using fingertips, press chilled crust into a 10" tart or 9" pie pan. Chill crust in pan for about 15 minutes.

4. Place crust in the oven and pre-bake until lightly golden brown, 8-12 minutes depending upon thickness of crust, watching carefully so as not to over cook. Leave oven on, but remove crust from oven.

5. Drain lemons, retaining liquid and spread evenly over baked crust. Combine liquid from macerated lemons and melted butter, evenly spoon over lemons. Return the tart to the oven, allowing lemons to heat and slightly brown, 2-4 minutes, watching carefully, so as not to overcook. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

6. Serve tart warm, room temperature or chilled. Plain or with cream or ice cream.

Makes one 9-10" tart

Rustic Peach Berry Tart

Peaches are such a classic summer fruit and so fitting for an early August dessert. Both the botanical term persica and the word peach derive from an early belief in Europe that peaches originated in Persia. Originally domesticated in China thousands of years ago, peaches, a member of the rose family, made their way to Persia and the Mediterranean along the Silk Road. Domesticated peaches are classified as either clingstone, flesh clinging to the stone, or freestone, flesh free of the stone. Berries are a lovely compliment peaches and taste delicious on the shortbread like crust of this peach berry tart.

Any berry may be used in addition to or in place of strawberries.

1 ¼ c flour

2 tbsp sugar

5 tbsp butter

1 egg

1 tbsp milk

¼ tsp salt

2 peaches, pitted and sliced into ½ inch pieces

½ c strawberries, trimmed and quartered

¼ tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp corn starch

2 tbsp butter, softened

1. Combine flour, sugar and salt in a medium-mixing bowl. Add the butter and gently combine well with the flour mixture. Add the egg and milk; gently combine until the dough holds together. Press the dough evenly into a pie pan and place the crust into the fridge for about ½ an hour.

2. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine peaches and strawberries in medium mixing bowl. Add the cinnamon, brown sugar and cornstarch and combine well.

3. When the oven is preheated, remove the crust from the fridge and spread fruit evenly over the dough. Dot the softened butter over the fruit. Place the tart in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

4. Remove pie from oven. Let cool for about 20 minutes before serving. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled.

Makes ones 9" tart

Chapatis : Whole Wheat Flatbread

Chapatis are a version of roti or any unleavened flat bread found in South Asian cuisine. Common to Indian cooking, chapatis vary in shape and ingredients depending upon the region; however, they are all made of whole wheat flour and cooked on a hot skillet. Flatbreads, like chapatis are important parts of the meal, as they serve as both the carbohydrate and eating utensil. Though they are superb with any number of Indian dishes, chapatis can be eaten at almost any time with almost anything. They are a great alternative to other flatbreads, crackers and leavened breads. Fresh handmade chapatis are delicious and easy to make. Chapatis are delicious served with curries such as matar saag paneer or hummus and baba ghanoush.

2 c wheat flour

2 tbsp ghee or softened butter

½ c yogurt

1 tsp salt

1. Combine flour and salt. Thoroughly work in ghee or butter using fingers. Slowly add yogurt to flour mixture until dough holds together, more or less yogurt may be used as necessary. Continue kneading dough until elastic and dry to the touch. Wrap dough is plastic wrap and set aside for 1-2 hours.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Roll dough into 1" balls. Place dough ball between two sheets of parchment paper and roll dough into 8-10" rounds, about 1/8" thick.

3. Place chapati on skillet and cook until both sides are golden brown, about 1 minute per side. After cooking, wrap chapati in a towel or plastic bag to keep them soft. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until all dough has been cooked.

4. Serve chapatis warm or room temperature. Chapatis will keep for 3-4 days but are best eaten fresh.

Makes 12-16 chapatis

Rustic Apple Pie

Apple pies are quintessential Americana cuisine and though delicious throughout the year, pies are a lovely summer dessert. Apples, a member of the rose family, were among the earliest trees to be cultivated by humans in Central Asia where apples originated. Apple trees were brought to the States during the 17th century and continue to be one of the most widely cultivated trees. Though in the States we consume only a handful of different apples, there are actually thousands of apple cultivars presenting a vast range of characteristics. Apples are the perfect filling for a freeform pie due to their sturdiness and relative lack of juice. Rustic apple pies are the perfect summer dessert, fresh, easy and delicious.

1 ¼ c flour

½ c butter

1 tbsp sugar

½ tsp salt

ice water

4 medium macintosh or similar apples

2 tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp corn starch

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp butter

1 egg, beaten

1. Gently combine flour, butter, sugar and salt until crumbly in texture, either by hand or food processor. Slowly add ice water, 1 tbsp at a time, gently combining ingredients until dough forms into a ball. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place dough in fridge.

2. Peel apples and slice into ¼-½ inch wedges. Toss apple slices with lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Set apples aside.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove dough from fridge and place between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll dough into a 12-14 inch crust round. Remove top sheet of parchment paper, place crust round and bottom sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

4. Mound filling into a circle in the center of crust about 1" thick, leaving a 2" edge. Place small pieces of butter on top of filling. Fold edge of crust around apple filling, gently pressing folded crust around filling. Using a pastry brush, brush crust with egg.

5. Place pie in oven and bake until crust is golden brown and apples are tender, 30-40 minutes. Remove pie from oven; cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled.

Makes one pie

Veggie Burgers

Burgers made with vegetables, grains, egg and cheese are a great alternative or addition to burgers made with meat. Though it is possible to grill a veggie burger with a good amount of fat and care, they fry up just as easily and taste just as delicious. Most any ingredients can be used for the burger depending upon what flavors are desired but I have found beans create great texture and flavor not to mention additional protein. Veggie burgers are delicious topped with traditional and non-traditional burger toppings and a great with any number of vegetable sides.

Different kind of beans may be used, along with different cheeses and herbs.

½ c cooked black beans

1 c cooked chickpeas

2 eggs

½ c bread crumbs, finely ground

½ tsp rosemary, finely chopped

½ tsp oregano, finely chopped

1 shallot, finely diced

1 scallion, finely diced

½ c cheddar cheese, grated

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1. Place chickpeas and black beans in a food processor and pulse into a course meal. Combine beans, eggs, breadcrumbs, rosemary, oregano, shallot, scallion, cheese, salt and pepper in a medium-mixing bowl. Thoroughly combine ingredients.

2. Form mixture into patties of desired size, depending upon burger preference.

3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry patties in batches until golden brown, 3-4 minutes per side. Serve veggie burgers warm with bread and toppings of choice.

Makes 4-12 patties depending on size of patty

Southwestern Wheat Tortillas

I have many fond memories of my father in the kitchen making fresh tortillas. Generally, we would not eat them with a meal but instead fresh and hot, on their own or slathered with butter. My father taught me a few important lessons for making homemade tortillas, add warm water slowly, let the dough rest before rolling and roll the tortillas as thin as possible. Now, whenever I make tortillas, I always think of making tortillas in the kitchen I grew up in and what my father taught me. Tortillas, a flatbread originating in the New World, are eaten in many countries, with variances in ingredients, size and thickness, depending upon the region. These tortillas are made from wheat flour and use a leavening agent to make them puffy, thick and chewy as is common in regions of the Southwestern States, Belize and Guatemala. Tortillas are delicious with any number of accompaniments such as fresh corn salad and stewed pork and beans or simply on their own.

For Burt, who loves tortillas.

2 c flour

1 ½ tsp powder

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp vegetable oil

warm water

1. Combine flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Add oil and evenly mix with dry ingredients. Add warm water, 1 tbsp at a time, thoroughly combining ingredients with water each time until dough holds together. Once dough is combined, knead dough until elastic, 2-3 minutes. Cover dough and set aside for at least 30 minutes.

2. Roll dough into cylinder, about 1" thick. Cut cylinder into 1" wide segments. Roll segments into round balls and cover with a towel. Heat large grill or skillet over medium-high heat.

3. Place a ball in between 2 12" squares of parchment paper and roll balls as thin as possible to form tortillas, 10-12" diameter. Place tortilla on skillet and cook until golden brown, 30 seconds to one minute per side. Remove tortilla when cooked and place in a clean dishtowel to keep warm.

4. Repeat step 3 until all tortillas have been cooked.

5. Fresh tortillas are delicious warm or room temperature, plain or with any number of accompaniments. Tortillas will keep for a few days in a plastic bag, though are best eaten fresh.

Makes 6-8 tortillas

Summer Squash Fritters

Young squash, such as zucchini and summer, are a vegetable stand-by for me, and I try to always have them on hand because they are a useful versatile vegetable. I have found they can be added to many different dishes to increase the amount and diversity of vegetables consumed, not to mention texture and flavor. However, they are also lovely on their own, or at least made the central ingredient, with their smooth texture and light taste. Though they are so mild and fresh, they do maintain integrity while cooked, a nice quality in any ingredient. I decided to pair them with fresh herbs and lemon for a spring inspired fritters. Technically a fritter is coated with a batter and then fried, but I decided to combine the vegetables with the batter, creating a cross between a fritter and a pancake of sorts, proving culinary terms and labels can be complicated indeed. These fritters would be delicious paired with a beet salad and roasted potatoes.

Straight summer squash or zucchini will work just as well as the combination.

1 medium zucchini, grated

1 medium summer squash, grated

2 scallions, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, pressed or finely chopped

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

1 egg

¼ c parmesan, grated

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper, ground

1 tbsp olive oil

1. Place grated zucchini and summer squash in a colander, sprinkle with salt, toss and drain for about 20 minutes. Wrap the squash in cheese cloth and squeeze to remove excess water. Once squash is mostly dry, wrap in a clean dish towel and set aside.

2. Combine scallions, garlic, lemon zest, pepper, parmesan, flour and egg in a medium mixing bowl. Stir to combine, add squash and thoroughly mix ingredients.

3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Form batter into 1" balls and flatten into patties, about ½" thick. Fry patties until golden brown, 3-4 minutes per side. Continue process until all batter has been fried.

4. Serve fritters warm, room temperature or cold.

Makes 8 fritters

Leek Galette

A galette is a free-form rustic pie or tart, depending on the crust used, commonly associated with French cuisine. Galettes are great alternatives to traditional pies and tarts as their lack of structure and ease in forming make them beautiful and unique, leaving size, shape and form up to each individual cook. A galette can be made either sweet or savory depending upon preference and can be filled with any number of different ingredients as long as the filling is not too moist, as the crust needs to be able to contain the filling on its own. After discovering leeks are delicious baked on their own with few additional ingredients, I started making leek galettes a few years ago. Leek galettes go well with any number of dishes including butternut squash soup or purée, mashed carrots or smashed new potatoes.

For everyone who requested this recipe.

Crust

1 ¼ c flour

½ c butter

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

¼ - ½ c cold water

Filling

2 leeks, trimmed, halved and chopped into ¼ wide strips

1 tbsp butter

salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten

1. To make filling: heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add leek and sauté until lightly cooked and brilliant green, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set filling aside to cool while making crust.

2. To make crust: thoroughly combine flour, butter, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl or food processor. Slowly add ice water, 1 tbsp at a time, to flour mixture and gently combine until dough begins to form. Being careful not to add too much water or over work dough. Form dough into a ball and place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Crust may be made and refrigerated up to one day in advance.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove crust from refrigerator and place in between two 18" sections of parchment paper. Roll dough into large circle, between 10-12" in diameter and ¼" thick. Remove parchment paper from crust and place crust on a baking sheet.

4. Mound filling into a circle in the center of crust about 1" thick, leaving a 2" edge. Fold edge of crust around leek filling, gently pressing folded crust around filling. Using a pastry brush, brush crust with egg.

5. Place galette in oven and bake until golden brown, 25-40 minutes. Remove galette and cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

6. Slice galette and serve warm, room temperature or chilled.

Makes one 8-10" galette