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FeedMay 2008 Savvy Host Recipes
Following recipes adapted with permission from Abundantly Wild: Collecting and Cooking Wild Edibles in the Upper Midwest, by Teresa Marrone (Adventure Publications, August 2004).Dandelion Rosé Wine
Yields 5 bottles (750 ml. each)Follow standard winemaking procedures for sterilization, fermentation, and bottling to make this sweet wine.
2 quarts dandelion petals* (yellow parts only)
2 lbs. sugar (about 4½ c.)
2 c. cut-up raspberries
juice from 2 oranges
juice from 2 lemons
½ lb. white raisins, chopped
5-gram packet wine yeast, Montrachet
or champagne
1 tsp. yeast nutrient
Place dandelion petals in sterilized stoneware crock. Pour 1 gallon of boiling water over petals. Cover crock with muslin and let stand in a warm location for two days, stirring occasionally with a sterilized spoon. After two days, add remaining ingredients. Re-cover; let stand in warm location for four days, stirring twice each day with a sterilized spoon. On the fourth day, strain liquid through cheesecloth into sterilized jug; discard solids. Seal jug with air lock, and let stand in a cool location for secondary fermentation. Rack wine into clean jug whenever it throws 1⁄8-inch of sediment. When fermentation stops and wine clears (generally two or three months after primary ferment), transfer into sterilized wine bottles. Cork and let age for at least one month before drinking; three or four months is more traditional.
*Pick dandelions on a sunny day after the dew has dried off and flowers have opened. Cut or pull off stems and green petals at the base of the flowers. Pick and clean enough dandelions to yield 2 quarts of just the yellow parts (you will need about 3 quarts of flower heads prior to pulling off the green parts).
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Dandelion Greens
Serves 4Don’t use a buttermilk substitute made by “souring” regular milk with vinegar. Stick with cultured buttermilk from the dairy case for this dish.
4 medium Yukon gold potatoes
1 medium sweet potato
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 c. cultured buttermilk
1 c. dandelion greens, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ tsp. coarse salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
Peel both regular and sweet potatoes, and cut into 1-inch-thick rounds. Combine in non-aluminum saucepan with garlic and buttermilk. Heat over medium-high heat until bubbles start to form in the center. Before the milk comes to a full boil, cover and reduce heat so the milk is simmering. Cook 5 minutes. Distribute dandelion greens over the top of the potatoes. Re-cover and cook for additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook for about 15 minutes longer, or until potatoes are tender and most of the milk has been absorbed (there should still be a bit of milk in the mixture). Mash coarsely, leaving plenty of larger chunks. Salt and pepper to taste.
Simple Morel Pizza
Makes 8 slices12-inch pre-baked thin pizza crust, or thin focaccia
2–3 ramp bulbs (wild leeks) or 1 shallot, chopped
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. butter
2 c. coarsely chopped morels
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. dry sherry
¼ tsp. salt
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place pizza crust on baking sheet; set aside. In medium skillet, sauté ramps in oil over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Using a pastry brush, spread mixture evenly over the top of the pizza crust. Add butter to same skillet and melt over medium heat. Add morels and sauté until their juices are released. Add sherry and continue to cook until all liquid has cooked away, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt. Spread mushrooms evenly over the pizza crust. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake in center of oven until cheese is golden with a few brown spots, about 15–20 minutes.
Easy Fiddlehead Gratin
Serves 4 Harvest ostrich fern coils while the head is still tightly coiled and the leaves are very small. The plants become inedible once the coils open and the ferns leaf out.
2½–3 c. ostrich fern coils and stems (stems cut into 1-inch lengths), scales rubbed off
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
¼ c. seasoned bread crumbs
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. butter, cut into small chunks
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a small casserole pan with nonstick spray; set aside. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling. Add fiddleheads. Return to a gentle boil, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and refresh immediately with cold water. In a mixing bowl, toss drained fiddleheads with cream; transfer to prepared casserole dish. In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and butter. Rub the mixture together with your fingers until it is in small bits and fairly well mixed with the crumbs and cheese. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over the fiddleheads. Bake for 20 minutes. For a nice finish, place under the broiler for a few minutes to brown topping.
Following recipe provided by David Schreiber, www.thegreatmorel.com.
Schreiber’s Stuffed Morels
Makes 12–1812–18 morel mushrooms, depending on size
4 Tbsp. butter
¼ c. onion, finely chopped
1 clove fresh garlic (medium-sized)
3 Tbsp. spinach, freshly chopped
4 Tbsp. cream cheese
½ c. crabmeat, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 egg
3 Tbsp. seasoned breadcrumbs
¼ tsp. lemon pepper
2 pieces crisp bacon, finely chopped
Clean morels. Soak them overnight in salt water. Re-hydrating the mushrooms to their full potential produces more morel broth during cooking. Select enough morels so the caps will cover the bottom of a glass pie dish. Rinse mushrooms and let them drain for an hour or so. Spray baking dish with nonstick spray. Cut off morel caps and save the stems. Arrange caps to cover bottom of dish with the inside part of the mushrooms facing up. In a medium-sized sauté pan, combine half of the morel stems, butter, onion, garlic, and spinach. Sauté until liquid is simmered away. Add remainder of ingredients and spoon into morel halves. Cover stuffed mushrooms with a light blanket of Italian blend or Monterey Jack cheese. Bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Place under the broiler for a few minutes to brown cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes; serve.
Following recipe provided by Lee Ann Landstrom of the Eastman Nature Center.
May Salad
Serves 41 bundle young dandelion greens
1 bundle young plantain greens
1 bundle young clover greens
1 bundle curled dock
Rinse, chop, mix, and serve with dressing of choice.
Following recipe provided by the Wiebke Trading Company.
Morel Stuffed Trout
Serves 44 trout (at least 2½ lbs.)
8 morels, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 jalapeños diced
¾ c. chicken stock
1 c. bread crumbs
1 stick butter
Sauté morels, onion, and peppers in butter until onion is clear. Add chicken stock and bread crumbs. Mix well. Stuff fish and bake at 350 degrees for 20–25 minutes.
11 ISSUES (1 YEAR)
