Fresh Dandelion Leaves and Roasted Root For Beer
Despite the lack of warm spring weather, I finally get to play with a recipe from Leda Meredith’s book “The Forager’s Feast.” It’s a delightful combination of roasted dandelion roots and chopped, fresh leaves, with a hint of fresh ginger. I have been waiting for the right time to start this for weeks since she first shared it on Facebook.
My yard is plentiful with dandelions, but they grow in one particular spot in abundance so I go out every day and pick what I can before they go to seed. I can see the dandelion “patch” from the kitchen window, and it keeps me inspired to gather what I can and either freeze the blossoms or use them right away to make something fun.
After harvesting a huge pile of leaves and roots (you need 8 oz. of chopped leaves and 1/2oz. of the roasted root) I set the littlest helpers to work removing snails and worms and all sorts of mayhem from the clumps. They stand on the bucket of oats and flour to reach the sink, but there is nothing like a child’s delight in a job to make things go quickly.
I chopped and weighed as they washed and giggled. It made short work of things.
The above photo is the finished product before adding the ginger root and water to simmer.
The smell was amazing! I admit that I tasted a sip just to see how gingery it was, and it’s heavenly right now. I can’t imagine how good it’s going to be in a few weeks.
Have you ever fermented ginger beer? I enjoy that and kombucha regularly, so dandelion beer is just an extension of yummy fermented foods in our farm kitchen. It should be delicious!
