Edible Flowers

Recipes, Cooking tips and maybe some 'Home Made' secrets !
Post Reply
fabindia
Legendary Laner
Posts: 2058
Joined: 03 Oct 2010, 20:23
Gender: Male
Location: North East

Edible Flowers

Post by fabindia »

With summer flowers on their way, I was wondering what flowers I can use to brighten up our salads. I know nasturtium flowers are edible and they are bright enough. In Thailand we use something called a 'butterfly pea' which are a beautiful blue colour.

Any ideas as to what to try/grow?
Michael
User avatar
albertajune
Legendary Laner
Posts: 5073
Joined: 02 Oct 2010, 15:39
Gender: Female
Location: Aldermaston, Berks.

Re: Edible Flowers

Post by albertajune »

I have just been reading about how good dandeline flowers and leaves are for us. )t'
I am now a widow and live with my memories.
User avatar
albertajune
Legendary Laner
Posts: 5073
Joined: 02 Oct 2010, 15:39
Gender: Female
Location: Aldermaston, Berks.

Re: Edible Flowers

Post by albertajune »

Just seen that Thompson and Morgan 's web site has a longlist of edible flowers which can be grown. Also a list of flowers that are poisoners. Worth looking at.
I am now a widow and live with my memories.
User avatar
Spreckly
Legendary Laner
Posts: 5822
Joined: 26 Mar 2011, 14:21

Re: Edible Flowers

Post by Spreckly »

That's good information June.
fabindia
Legendary Laner
Posts: 2058
Joined: 03 Oct 2010, 20:23
Gender: Male
Location: North East

Re: Edible Flowers

Post by fabindia »

albertajune wrote: 26 Apr 2021, 13:53Also a list of flowers that are poisoners.
The poisonous ones are good to know too.

I've always fancied foraging for wild mushrooms but never felt I could identify the good ones from those that might kill you. )reap(

Will check out the Thompson and Morgan website - thanks.
Michael
User avatar
Spreckly
Legendary Laner
Posts: 5822
Joined: 26 Mar 2011, 14:21

Re: Edible Flowers

Post by Spreckly »

I had a look at the list of edible flowers, forgot to write them down though.
User avatar
lancashire lass
Legendary Laner
Posts: 6520
Joined: 28 Jun 2007, 15:17

Re: Edible Flowers

Post by lancashire lass »

Thought I'd just update this thread about edible flowers. My first experience was when my family was living abroad - not so much eating but sucking the nectar from the flower (it was a particular purple wild flower which was bell shaped no bigger than a 5p piece - you carefully removed the base of the flower from the caylx (the green part which was originally the outer "leaves" of the flower bud) and sucked the nectar out which had a tiny sweet hit on the tongue, but that's about it)

Anyway, some reference material for anyone interested - from the Royal Horticultural Society site:
Edible flowers from your garden

Home-grown flowers, free from pesticides and soiling by dogs and other pets are best. Many of the plants listed here as having edible flowers are widely offered for sale. However, unless they're labelled for ‘culinary purposes', grow them on for at least three months to reduce the risk of pesticide residues, and only harvest subsequent flowerings. Many garden favourites are edible and a few are listed below:

Alpine pinks (Dianthus) – a clove-like flavour ideal for adding to cakes as flavoured sugar, oils and vinegars

Bergamot (Monarda didyma) – a strong spicy scent, makes good tea and complements bacon, poultry, rice and pasta

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum) – petals flavour and colour creamy soups, fish chowder and egg dishes in the same way as calendula

Daisy (Bellis perennis) – not a strong flavour but petals make an interesting garnish for cakes and salads

Day lily (Hemerocallis) – add buds and flowers to stir fries, salads and soups.
Crunchy with a peppery aftertaste but may have a laxative effect. Avoid buds damaged by gall midge

Elderflower (Sambucus nigra) – used to make wine and cordials, or place in a muslin bag to flavour tarts and jellies, remove before serving. Elderflowers can be dipped in batter and deep fried

Hibiscus (H. rosa-sinensis) – refreshing citrus-flavoured tea, enhanced by rosemary

Hollyhock (Alcea rosea) – remove all traces of pollen and decorate cakes with crystallized petals

Lavender (Lavandula augustifolia) – flavoured sugar, honey or vinegar can be used to in cakes and biscuits while sprigs compliment roast pork, lamb and chicken

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) – brightly-coloured, peppery flowers are good in salads and pasta dishes. The whole flower, leaves, and buds can be used or just the petals for a milder flavour

Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis) – intense colour and a peppery taste useful in soups, stews and puddings. Petals can be dried or pickled in vinegar or added to oil or butter

Primrose (Primula vulgaris) – decorate cakes with crystallized or fresh primrose or cowslip flowers. They can be frozen in ice cubes

Rose (Rosa) – all roses are edible with the more fragrant roses being the best. Petals can be crystallized, used to flavour drinks, sugar and even icing for summer cakes

Scented geraniums (Pelagonium) – flowers are milder than leaves and can be crystallized or frozen in ice cubes for summer cordials

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) – blanch whole buds and serve with garlic butter. Petals can be used in salads or stir fries

Sweet violet (Viola odorata) – delicate flavour, suitable for sweet or savoury dishes as well as tea. Use candied violets and pansies as a garnish on cakes and soufflés

Tiger lily (Lilium leucanthemum var. tigrinum) – delicate fragrance and flavour enhances salads, omelettes and poultry, plus can be used to stuff fish
Edible flowers from your vegetable patch and herb garden

Generally refers to plants traditionally grown for their flavour, fragrance or medicinal qualities. Widely grown herbs include mint, sage, marjoram and lemon balm, but ‘herb’ is a very broad term that can cover a huge diversity of plants.

Herb flowers like basil, chives, lavender, mint, rosemary and thyme impart a more subtle flavour to food than the leaves.

Borage (Borago offincinalis) – the cucumber flavour of these attractive blue flowers adds interest to cakes, salads and pate. Flowers are easily removed and can be frozen in ice cubes or crystallized

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) – sweet, clove-like flavour compliments tomato dishes as well as oils, salad dressings and soups. Use aromatic leaves of both green and purple in Mediterranean dishes

Dill (Anethum graveolens) – aniseed flavour, ideal addition to salads, vegetables and fish dishes. Add flowers to mayonnaise, white sauce and pickles

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) – mild onion flavour, good in salads, egg dishes and sauces for fish

Clover (Trifolium pratense) – both red and white clover flowers can be used to garnish fruit and green salads or make wine from whole red flowers

Courgette or marrow flowers (Cucurbita cvs) – can be eaten hot in a tomato sauce or cold stuffed with cooked rice, cheese, nuts or meat. Use male flowers so as not to reduce yield (unless you're suffering from a glut!)

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) – all parts are edible and enhance salmon, pâtés and salads. Flowers preserved in vinegar can be used in winter

Garden pea (Pisum sativum) – add flowers and young shoots to salad for a fresh pea taste

Mint (Mentha spp) – apple, pineapple and ginger mint, plus peppermint and spearmint flowers can all be used in vinegar and butter for both sweet and savoury dishes

Pumpkins and squashes (Cucurbita cvs)– pick male flowers once the females are pollinated. Use in the same way as courgette flowers.

Rosemary (Salvia [formerly Rosmarinus] officinalis) – a sweet flavour similar to the leaves can be used fresh to garnish salads and tomato dishes or to flavour butter

Salad rocket (Eruca vescaria) – adds peppery flavour to salads
Other things to take into consideration include:

Avoid old, faded or dusty flowers from roadsides and areas frequented by livestock or dog walkers

Beware of bees and remove small insects from flowers by giving them a shake to encourage bigger insects to leave, then dipping them in a bowl of cold salt water and dry on paper towel

People susceptible to allergy, especially pollen, should not eat flowers
Insects and diseases are best dealt with by cutting back and encouraging regrowth as no pesticides are specifically approved for use by home gardeners on edible flowers
I always thought Hibiscus was poisonous but thinking about it now, many commercial herbal teas contain hibiscus which apparently have some medicinal properties. I do remember having a Hibiscus growing in our garden in South Africa which we bought at the same time as an Oleander and were told they were poisonous so perhaps I presumed both were not edible.

On the same note, please note the Latin name is important when identifying which seeds / plants to grow in the garden for culinary use as some people may be familiar with common names but regions / countries may be referring to completely unrelated different plants. Also if you keep pets, it's worth checking that what may be edible for people may not be edible for cats and dogs and may be harmful. And remember that flowers may be edible but not all parts of the plant are (a classic is the elderflower used in wines or deep fried in batter - but the bark, roots, stems & leaves however, (and even small amounts in raw elderberries) contain cyanide inducing glycosides)

And don't forget that bees are particularly fond of some flowers - lavender and borage immediately spring to mind but also include most herbal flowers. So not only are edible flowers useful for the kitchen and summer drinks but for wildlife too!

PS Elderflower champagne is the easiest thing to make ... will try to dig out the recipe I have ...
User avatar
lancashire lass
Legendary Laner
Posts: 6520
Joined: 28 Jun 2007, 15:17

Elderflower champagne and cordial recipes

Post by lancashire lass »

Elderflower Champagne

This is the same recipe I have used - there's no need to add brewers yeast as the elderflowers contain natural yeasts. And if you don't have any brewing bin or other brewing equipment, you can get by using a clean bucket, clean jug and bottles with screw caps (as you will need to release excess gas from initial fermentation ... if you don't, those 2L plastic pop bottles can resemble rugby balls and glass bottles can explode)
Ingredients
5 L Water
12 Elderflower Heads, Large
700 g Sugar
3 Lemons, Juice and Zest

Instructions

Harvest your Elderflower: You are looking for large clean heads between 15-20cm in diameter and sort through to remove any bugs or other debris

Heat 2 litres of water to just below boiling point and pour into a large steralised bucket and add the sugar

Stir until the Sugar has disolved

Add 3 litres of cold water

Add the juice and yest of 3 lemons and stir

Finally add the Elderflower

Cover with a muslin cloth firmly secured to prevent any creepy crawlies invading and leave to sit for 3 days, if after 3 days you have no sign of bubble or fermentation then add 7g of champagne or wine yeast (this should be readily available in health food stores)

Leave for a further 3 days and then strain through a sterilised muslin cloth and allow to sit for a couple of hours to allow it to settle

Siphon off into bottles of your choice, ensuring that you release the pressure of the fermentation every 2-3 days to prevent any exploding bottles

After 2 weeks your champagne will be ready to drink!
Scroll down the same page on the site for Elderflower Cordial syrup
Ingredients

2.5 kg Sugar
25 Elderflower Heads, Large
6 Lemons, Juice and Zest
1.5 L Water

Instructions

Add 1.5 litres of water in a large pan with the sugar and heat without boiling until the sugar has completely dissolved

Then bring the syrup to the boil and then take off the heat

Add the Juice and Zest of the Lemons and the Elderflower heads to the liquid and allow to steep for 24 hours

Strain the resulting syrup through a steralised muslin cloth and decant into a bottle

Notes

Simply dilute the syrup to taste and it will keep in the fridge for 2-3 weeks although it rarely lasts that long. I love to serve elderflower cordial with slices of cucumber for extra freshness!
User avatar
Mo
Legendary Laner
Posts: 15359
Joined: 30 Apr 2007, 09:39
Location: Cheshire (nr Chester)

Re: Edible Flowers

Post by Mo »

I think I read somewhere that elderflowers and gooseberries go well together (maybe because they are ready at the same time)
They remind me of the Silver Jubilee - since the Playgroup were not included in the school's PTA party (I tried but failed) we had a picnic in my garden. The elderflowers were in full glory.
Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
User avatar
lancashire lass
Legendary Laner
Posts: 6520
Joined: 28 Jun 2007, 15:17

Elderflower & Gooseberry recipes

Post by lancashire lass »

Mo wrote: 29 Dec 2022, 11:34 I think I read somewhere that elderflowers and gooseberries go well together (maybe because they are ready at the same time)
Yes, you are right ... but having said that, I personally haven't ever made anything with the 2 together (despite growing gooseberry bushes on the allotment before I gave it up, and several mature elders in my garden) I found a couple of recipes which might be of interest:

Elderflower & gooseberry vodka from the BBC Good Food site:
Ingredients

300g gooseberries
20 elderflowers heads, flowers picked and stalks discarded
few strips lemon peel
700ml bottle good-quality vodka
350g golden caster sugar

Method

STEP 1
Divide the gooseberries between two 1-litre jars and very lightly bruise with the handle of a wooden spoon. Add the flowers, top with the lemon peel and pour over the vodka. Submerge the elderflowers with a circle of baking parchment and seal with a lid. Leave to infuse for at least 48 hrs or up to 1 week.

STEP 2
Once infused, line a sieve with kitchen paper and set over a large bowl. Pour in the vodka, then discard the strained berries and flowers.

STEP 3
Tip the sugar into a pan with 350ml water and gently heat until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat, bring to a simmer and cook until syrupy and reduced by half – about 10 mins. Cool to room temperature, then add 100ml to the elderflower liquor. Stir well and taste, adding more until you are happy with the sweetness.

STEP 4
Decant the vodka into bottles and store in a cool, dark place. It will keep for years, but the flavour will diminish after a year.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gooseberry & Elderflower cordial from the Guardian:
Nature's serendipity never ceases to amaze. Throughout the year she brings us ingredients that match perfectly. Think Jersey royals and spring's young mint, apple and blackberry, turnips and . . . hmmm.

Anyway, the flavour-match at this time of year is elderflowers and gooseberries. Together worth so much more than the sum of their parts.
Hard green gooseberries and the sweet-scented creamy white blossoms of the elder combine to make a syrup that magically tastes of the muscatel grape used to make sweet pudding wines. You can use this syrup as a cordial, to make a superior slushie or as the basis for a very delicate-flavoured dessert jelly. It's delicious over ice with fizzy water.

Makes 1 x 75cl bottle
8 elderflower crowns
1 kg gooseberries (not too ripe), topped and tailed
750g granulated sugar
250ml water

1 Sterilise a glass screw-cap wine or juice bottle (the hot cycle of the dishwasher is fine).

2 Pick over the elderflowers and remove any insects. Do not wash them, as you will lose much of the flavour. Remove the bitter stalks and tie the flowers up in a muslin bag.

3 In a heavy-bottomed pan heat the water and the sugar very gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves. When you have a thickish syrup add the gooseberries and cook on a low heat for about 10 minutes until the fruit starts to break apart. Turn off the heat and add the elderflowers in their bag. Allow the flowers to infuse the syrup, taste after 5 minutes, and if they have given a good flavour to the syrup take them out.

4 Drain the mixture through a jelly bag or muslin. When it has stopped dripping (after an hour or two) pour into a clean, sterilised bottle. Store in the fridge.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gooseberry & Elderflower Fool from the BBC Good Food guide:
Ingredients

500g gooseberry
3 tbsp caster sugar
4 tbsp elderflower cordial
juice ½ lemon
350ml double cream

Method

STEP 1
Wash the gooseberries thoroughly, top and tail them, then place in a wide heavy-bottomed pan with the sugar, cordial and lemon juice. Simmer over a gentle heat until all the gooseberries have burst.

STEP 2
Lightly crush with a fork, tip into a bowl to cool and chill for at least 2 hrs. This can be done up to 2 days ahead.

STEP 3
Lightly whip the cream to a soft dropping consistency, then swirl in the cooked gooseberries to give a rippled effect. Spoon the fool into glasses and chill until you are ready to serve.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gooseberry & Elderflower Crumble from Traditional Yorkshire recipes site:
Here’s a recipe that uses elderflowers to complement the sharpness of the gooseberries. If you can’t be bothered to collect the elderflower heads (umbrels), you could use elderflower cordial instead.
Ingredients

900g/2lb gooseberries, topped and tailed
225g/8oz caster sugar
4 elderflower heads (umbrels), washed and dried. Alternatively, use two tablespoons of elderflower cordial
90g/3½ oz unsalted butter
175g/6oz plain flour
pinch of salt
28g/1oz hazelnuts, chopped

Method

Place the gooseberries in a buttered oven proof dish and sprinkle with 150g/5oz of the caster sugar.
Place the elderflower heads amongst the fruit
In a mixing bowl, rub the butter into the flour and salt until it resembles fine breadcrumbs
Stir the remaining sugar and chopped hazelnuts into the mixing bowl
Spread the dry mix evenly over the top of the gooseberries
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200C/400F/Gas 6 for 40-45 minutes until the top is crispy. Serve hot or cold with custard, cream, or ice-cream.
Post Reply