Dried up [left over from winter storage], shredded turnips and fresh chopped dandelions make a tasty fritter with the addition of an egg, some milk and flour, maybe some flavoring herbs or spices, a pinch of salt. Beets, carrots, parsnips, rutabaga, even shredded pumpkin or squash will work. Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche.
For those of you who think dandelions are the bane of your lawn, dig them up, scrub the roots, slice the tops off then chop all of the roots, including the hairs finely and roast in a very slow oven, stirring often so they don't burn.
My husband does not drink wine, he says he doesn't like the aftertaste, but later in the day when he walked through the kitchen, he asked me why he smelled carob. Everytime I opened the oven door to stir the danelions, I smelled dark berries and chocolate. We discussed the way the palate works, how the tongue, throat and nose all catch different smells and tastes that contribute to the bouquet of food. Maybe someday I can convince him to try a wine with a carob or chocolate bouquet.
To make «coffee» from your roasted roots, steep in water that has just come to the boil, remove from the heat. After 10 minutes or so, strain, pour and sweeten to your taste. Then tell me what smells are wafting from your cup …
