By Matt Landi
Santa Cruz Sentineltacruzsentinel.com
Posted: 04/09/2013
Flowers have long been admired as a universal symbol of beauty. Their fragrance and color intoxicate the human senses. We offer them as gifts on special occasions or simply to show appreciation. But flowers also can be a unique part of the culinary experience. While we commonly eat the unopened buds of flowers like artichokes, the open blooms of many popular plants also be eaten. In fact, the culinary use of blooming flowers goes back thousands of years, to around 140 B.C. and perhaps beyond.
Many cultures have
eaten flowers, with traditional uses still prevalent worldwide today, while new traditions are constantly springing up. Renee Shepherd of
Renee's Garden Seed Company in Felton is an expert on edible flowers. She not only offers the seeds of many flower varieties for sale but includes several fantastic recipes in the cookbooks she's written. While in current society we've grown accustomed to identifying and celebrating these individual varieties, that may not have always been the case. "Edible flowers go back a long way in history," notes Shephard. "Centuries ago distinguishing the blossoms of herbs and other flowering plants wasn't so distinct. They were just all known as edible blossoms."
Shepherd has a few simple rules to follow for including edible flowers in your diet. "Only eat flowers that you grow from seed or know exactly where they came from. Standards for what you can spray on flowers are different than they are for food. It's also important that we do not assume something is edible just because it's on your plate in a restaurant. Always check with the staff."
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| Nasturtium |
Perhaps the most well-known of these so-called edible flowers are
nasturtiums. Native to Central and South America, they come in a plethora of shapes and colors. In Renee's collection alone, there are 14 different varieties. Both the flowers and leaves are edible and ,according to Shepherd, nasturtiums "taste like watercress with a touch of honey. They're very nice paired with salmon or other fish."
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| Arugula Blossom |
The flowers of many common kitchen herbs are also very much edible. Arugula, cilantro, thyme, rosemary and basil among others, all have flowers that are edible. "Just about any herb blossoms are nice," said Shepherd. "When we start to perceive flowering as just another productive stage of the plant rather than the end it extends the culinary life of the plant."
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| Zucchini Blossom |
Another common edible flower is the squash blossom. The flower of any squash or pumpkin variety can be used, as well as summer squashes like
zucchini, which are prolific.
Along with nasturtiums to a lesser extent, squash blossoms are one of the few flowers you might find available at local grocers or farmers markets. However, as is true with all of these, it's best to use them when they are freshly picked; they're at their best right out of the garden. Some common uses for squash blossoms are lightly battered and sauteed in olive oil or stuffed, as Shepherd suggests, "like a ravioli."
At
Camp Joy Gardens in Boulder Creek, Towhee Nelson Huxley has seen an increased interest in edible flowers at the nonprofit's annual plant sale, which is coming up at the end of the month.
"I always love these flowers as part of the garden, and it would seem as if more restaurants are incorporating these little jewels in their food preparation."
Some of the varieties included in the mix at Camp Joy include
borage,
calendula, roses, rose hips, chive blossoms,
comfrey, nasturtiums,
johnny jump-ups, oregano and rosemary. Uses of edible flowers are many and typically determined according to the level of sweetness present in the flower.
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| Sweet Lavender |
Sweet lavender (not to be confused with Spanish lavender), which is highly fragrant on its own, can be steeped in milk to add sweetness or infused into sugar for baking. The same can be done with scented geraniums. Violets and violas, which have an almost minty flavor, are another desert flower that are often candied and used as an edible decoration in baked goods.
A few of the more unique uses include using calendula, popular at both Camp Joy and Renee's, as a color substitute for saffron. Borage, which has a cucumber-like flavor, can be frozen in ice cube trays filled with water and added to summer beverages. Anise hyssop, which according to Shepherd, "tastes like root beer," can be used as a tea or chopped up in stir fries, leaves and all.
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| Anise Hyssop |
The Central Coast's lengthy growing season means there's still plenty of time to create an edible garden, as many of these varieties can be put in the ground right up until July. We not only have thousands of years of history to guide us in discovering these new flavors, but also plenty of local experts like Shepherd to point us in the right direction.
"I'm most interested in selling seeds or flowers that are enjoyable," she said.
In the case of edible flowers, that means on the table and on the plate.
The following recipes are great uses for edible flowers. The four recipes from Renee Shepherd of Renee's Garden Seed Company in Felton are from her cookbooks, 'Recipes from a Kitchen Garden,' and 'More Recipes from a Kitchen Garden,' both available at reneesgarden.com.
These rich but not too sweet shortbread cookies have just a hint of sweet lavender fragrance and flavor. They are perfect to serve with tea, milk or lemonade. I make several batches to divide up and tuck into pretty decorative boxes or tins I've lined with pastel tissue paper. Be prepared to share the recipe -- or, better yet, write it up on lavender-colored paper to include in the box. -- Renee Shepherd
Lavender Shortbread
Makes about 4 dozen
1 1/2 cups (3/4 pound) butter, at room temperature (no substitutes)
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons very finely chopped lavender florets (fresh or dried)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Cover bottoms of two baking sheets with parchment or brown paper. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, lavender, and mint with an electric mixer. Mix until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add flour, cornstarch, and salt and beat until incorporated. Divide dough in half. Flatten into squares and wrap in plastic. Chill until firm.
2. On a floured board, roll or pat out each square to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Cut the dough into 1 1/2 -inch squares or rounds. Transfer to baking sheets, spacing cookies about 1 inch apart. Prick each cookie several times with a fork.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until pale golden (do not brown). Cool slightly, then transfer to a rack. Sprinkle with lavender powdered sugar.
4. Garnish with lavender powdered sugar: Put 4 or 5 sprigs of lavender flowers in a sealed jar with powdered sugar for a day before using the sugar.
Open-faced finger sandwiches that offer a handsome smorgasbord of colors and flavors. Decorate each sandwich with several savory edible flower petals and herb blossoms and serve. Expect to be applauded for your artistry! -- Renee Shepherd
Blossom Tea Sandwiches
One large cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup finely chopped chives or scallions
Thinly sliced cracked wheat or white bread, crusts removed
Lots of edible blossoms: nasturtiums, chives, arugula, basil, borage, calendula, bush or pole snap bean flowers or herb blossoms, rinsed and patted dry
1. Squeeze chopped cucumber in a kitchen towel to remove as much moisture as possible; set aside.
2. Blend the cream cheese, seasonings and chives or scallions. Add cucumber
and combine well but do not overmix.
3. Spread on bread and cut into finger-sized open sandwiches.
4. Decorate the tops of the sandwiches with petals of various edible
flowers.
A lovely, old-fashioned way to decorate cakes, custards, and puddings. -- Renee Shepherd
1 cup fresh viola flowers, gently rinsed and patted dry
1 egg white, at room temperature
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1. Beat egg white until frothy. With a small, clean art or pastry brush, coat all sides of each flower's petals with beaten egg white gently and completely. Sprinkle flowers carefully and completely with sugar. Place on a cake rack over a baking sheet and let dry thoroughly in a cool dry place.
2. Store in a covered airtight container until ready to use.
A summer treat that shouldn't be missed. -- Renee Shepherd
Ricotta-Stuffed Squash Blossoms
Blossoms12 to 15 fresh squash blossoms; number used will
vary depending on size, so have a few extra on hand.
FILLING1 pound ricotta cheese
1 medium onion, very finely chopped
1/2 cup toasted almonds, finely chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons melted butter
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all the filling ingredients together except the melted butter. Stuff squash blossoms carefully; don't overfill.
3. Drizzle the melted butter over blossoms and bake for 15 minutes.
Chive blossoms give a delicate onion flavor to a simple omelet. It is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or a light dinner.
Blue Flower Chive Omelet
Time: 5 minutes prep, 15 minutes cooking
Yield: 2 servings4 eggs
4 tablespoons milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons minced chives
3 tablespoons butter
About a dozen or so chive blossoms, gently washed and dried
1. Melt the butter in a frying pan. Combine eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and chives in a blender and pour into the hot, buttered pan. As the edges of the omelet begin to set, reduce the heat somewhat and with a spatula turn the uncooked eggs to the bottom of the skillet until they are all cooked.
2. Sprinkle the washed chive blossoms across the top of the eggs and then fold the omelet over and let cook another few minutes. Serve.
-- Recipe from
homecooking.about.com
Corn Tortillas with Fresh Flower Petals
Time: 15 minutes prep, 30 minutes cooking
Yield: about 20 tortillas
1 pound masa flour
4 teaspoons salt
Cold water
Edible flowers, petals only (try confetti, nasturtium, pansy, roses or Johnny jump-ups)
1. Mix together flour and salt in medium mixing bowl. Slowly add water, as needed, and knead gently until a smooth dry masa is formed.
2. Remove small piece, roll into a ball (about half size of a golf ball). Continue to do so until all masa is used. Next, take a tortilla press and between 2 pieces of plastic, place a masa ball and press half way.
3. Now open, remove plastic from show side of tortilla, lay edible flower petals on half-pressed tortilla, recover with plastic, and finish pressing. Remove tortilla and place it between 2 pieces of wax paper.
4. Continue process until all masa is used. On a warm griddle remove 1 piece of wax paper and place raw tortilla on griddle. Cook on one side until golden brown, about 45 seconds, then turn over and cook for 1 more minute; serve.
-- Recipe from Chef John Sedlar, Abiquiu Restaurant, Santa Monica, via
homecooking.about.com
Grilled Salmon with Nasturtium Vinaigrette
Time: 15 minutes prep, 10 minutes cooking
Yield: 4 servings
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup shallots, finely minced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3/4 cup chopped nasturtium flowers
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
8 (3 ounces each) boneless salmon fillets
2 tablespoons olive oil
Chives for garnish
1. Preheat grill or broiler.
2. Whisk together balsamic vinegar, shallots, olive oil, and dill weed until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in nasturtium flowers and chives.
3. Rub salmon fillets with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill or broil salmon about 3 minutes per side, depending on thickness, but take care not to overcook.
4. For each serving, place 2 salmon fillets on each plate. Whisk the nasturtium vinaigrette briefly to re-combine, then spoon over salmon. Garnish with chopped chives.
-- Recipe from
homecooking.about.com
2 stalks of green onion, chopped
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