Edible Flower Recipes
Dr. Eva Pip, University of Winnipeg Ret.
These pretested recipes are designed to make the most of your summer garden, and combine art, nutrition, decadence and social satisfaction all in one dish. They will REALLY impress your guests and your gatherings will be remembered for a long time. DO NOT SUBSTITUTE OR EXPERIMENT WITH OTHER FLOWERS, OF WHICH YOU ARE NOT CERTAIN. Present the food in fancy serving dishes to enhance the visual appeal, and accessories such as candles, flowers in vases and nice table linen are never out of place. Wherever possible, use REAL dishes, glasses, cutlery and cloth napkins to honor your guests, unless you have a very large informal group of people, or it is a come-and-go event, such as a garden tour. Real china must always be used at a tea. Always check that your dishes (especially serving dishes, teapots and pitchers) are food-safe, and are not designed for strictly ornamental purposes with lead or cadmium glazes.
Ascertain that neither your family nor your guests are allergic to any of the ingredients. When I personally invite guests for a meal, I always ask at that time whether they have any allergies. At pot lucks however, this may be problematic. These days wouldn’t it make sense for all potentially allergenic or unconventional ingredients that are not immediately identifiable and obvious, to be labelled at pot lucks, buffets, dinner parties and picnics.
And, always adhere to safe food handling practices and hygiene. Always refrigerate promptly if you are making the dish ahead of time. If it is more than two days ahead of time, freeze it. If it contains fish, meat, dairy, or mayonnaise, present it on a tray or platter of ice if it will be sitting out at a buffet in warm summer temperatures, and never place food for extended periods in the sun. Put out smaller portions at a time, and replenish from the fridge as necessary. Keep hot dishes hot, on a heating tray or in a slow cooker. Cover dishes that will be accessible to flies, dust and other elements: there are elegant clear glass or acrylic domes available that will still show off your food but will keep it safe. Do not use the crafty imported ‘basket’ or woven mesh domes outdoors because they cannot be washed properly and smaller insects and other things can still get through, and some of these covers contain questionable third-world dyes. Remember always to wash all garden largesse before using. But the cardinal rule is: always strive for maximum freshness.
Go Forth and Enjoy! Make People Happy and God Bless!
Bergamot (Monarda)
Bergamot Blue Cheese Pasta(for blue cheese lovers)
250 g egg noodles
1 tbsp grapeseed, sesame, olive or hemp oil
1 tbsp chopped parsley leaves
150-200 g crumbled blue cheese
Petals of 6-8 bergamot flowers
Sea salt and pepper
Cook pasta in boiling salted water until desired level of doneness. Drain. Add oil and parsley. Toss well. Season. Place in serving dish. Sprinkle the blue cheese and bergamot petals on top. Serve immediately.
Carnation or Pinks (Dianthus)
Wine Pears (This is a spectacular dessert)
6 ripe but not mushy pears, peeled but with stalks left intact
300 mL full-bodied red wine such as burgundy
2 tsp brown sugar
16 flowers of garden pinks, green parts removed
Put wine and brown sugar in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add petals from 10 dianthus flowers. Place peeled pears in wine and simmer for 15-20 minutes, turning pears so that all sides get an even blush color. Remove pears to a plate, and continue to simmer the wine sauce until it is reduced to a thick syrup. Let cool.
Place a pear in the center of a beautiful individual serving dish or plate, and pour syrup over pear so that it pools around the base of the fruit. Garnish with a dianthus flower (green parts removed). If desired, a dollop of whipped or vanilla ice cream may be added on the side.
Nasturtium
Nasturtium salad
Mixed mesclun and lettuce leaves to serve 6
1 cup sweet seedless grapes, cut into halves (red or purple look the best)
20-30 nasturtium flowers, stems removed
For dressing, combine 2 tbsp grapeseed oil, 1 tsp prepared mustard, 1 tsp wine vinegar
Salamagundy
This is a variation on a very old historical dish, dating back at least to medieval times, which is suitable for a cold buffet. You can use any combination of ingredients that you have on hand, when you need to feed a self-serve crowd – a meal in itself. The following is an example.
Chopped cold cooked chicken
Chopped cooked pork
Chopped hard-boiled eggs with mustard and mayonnaise
Chopped or flaked cooked salmon
Chopped cucumber with onion and sour cream
Chopped apples
Rice, cooked in orange juice
Sliced pickles and olives
Potato salad
Mixture of chopped lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, celery, radishes
Nasturtium flowers, and various herb flowers (mint, marjoram, summer savory, thyme)
Take a LARGE flat pan or tray. Arrange the respective ingredients in parallel stripes in pan. Sprinkle with flowers.
Nasturtium and Herb Flower Turkey Stuffing
¼ cup butter or margarine
1 chopped medium onion
2 chopped apples
1 ½ cups breadcrumbs
1 tbsp marjoram flowers
1 tbsp mixed herb flowers (rosemary, thyme, sage, basil)
4 tbsp chopped nasturtium flowers
2 tbsp dried cranberries
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in pan. Add chopped onions and sauté until soft and transparent (about 2 minutes). Add apples and cook another 1-2 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Season and stuff turkey. Roast turkey at 325 F. until done. Serve on large oval platter, surrounded by potatoes and carrots, garnished with whole nasturtium flowers.
Nasturtium Aspic Salad
12 or more nasturtium flowers
1 cup shredded cabbage or bok choi
½ cup shredded carrots
1 package lime-flavored jello powder
Cool transparent glass serving bowl in refrigerator.
Prepare jello according to package directions, and place in refrigerator. Let cool until it just starts to thicken. Remove jello and the cold empty serving bowl from refrigerator. Pour in jello to a depth of 2-3 cm in the bowl. Chill in refrigerator. (Leave rest of jello out on kitchen counter so it doesn’t set). Take serving bowl out of refrigerator when jello layer is reasonably firm. Spread cabbage and carrot mixture on top. Pour in another layer of jello to cover vegetables. Let set in refrigerator. Remove and arrange nasturtium flowers on top. Carefully pour rest of jello over flowers. Let set in refrigerator. When ready to serve, garnish with additional nasturtium flowers.
If you are making larger quantities (in a large transparent bowl) you can alternate layers of lemon, orange and lime jellos for additional vavoom. Or you may also make the salad in individual wine glasses or clear glass serving bowls. Just ensure that the beautiful layers are visible through the sides.
Stuffed Nasturtiums
18 large nasturtium flowers, of various bright colors
1 package cream cheese
3 tbsp mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
¼ chopped walnuts
1 tbsp finely chopped red or green pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped cucumber (no seeds)
½ tsp chopped fresh dill
2 tsp mixed herb flowers such as basil, summer savory, oregano
18 chive flowers (if still available when the above are flowering), if not, use your pickled chive flowers.
Soften cream cheese and combine with mayonnaise. Add walnuts, peppers, cucumber, dill and herb flowers. Mix and roll into 18 balls. Place a ball into each nasturtium flower. Press a chive flower into surface of each ball. If chive not available, you can use a mustard, radish, pak choi or scarlet runner bean flower (you may even want to have a variety). Arrange on platter, cover and keep chilled until serving. Makes a knockout appetizer.
Deep-fried Nasturtium Khrustyky (My nouveau take on an ancient Ukrainian snack)
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3 tbsp honey
2 eggs
2 tbsp margarine or butter
1 tbsp rum
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp nasturtium petals
1 tbsp finely chopped walnuts
2 tbsp dried blueberries
Salt, nutmeg, cinnamon to taste
Oil for deep-frying
Blend ingredients just until a soft ball of dough is formed. Add flour if dough is too sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Divide dough into sections and keep in fridge. Roll out each section into thin sheet on floured surface. Cut the dough into strips about 7-8 cm long and form into knot. Heat oil to 350 F. and deep fry until golden-brown. Drain on paper towels. Shake in plastic bag with flowered (see below) icing sugar.
Pot Marigold (Calendula)
(NOT French or African marigold Tagetes)
Special Company Fish Fillets
Cooked goldeye, halibut, or trout fillets to serve 4 (or other mild fish)
2 cups mesclun leaves, or tender lettuce leaf mixture
1 tbsp small carnation or pinks flower buds (Dianthus)
Petals of 8-10 calendula flowers, green parts removed
For dressing, combine 1 tbsp wine vinegar, 2 tsp fresh grated horseradish, and 1 tbsp grapeseed oil.
Place fillets on mesclun leaves, sprinkle with carnation buds, and drizzle with dressing.
Sprinkle with calendula petals.
Calendula Risotto
2 tbsp margarine or butter
1 chopped medium onion
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
3 1/3 cups chicken or mushroom broth (Campbell’s or Co-op)
1 ½ cups rice (not instant)
½ cup calendula petals
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Melt margarine in 2 qt pot. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and transparent. Add mushrooms and cook about 3 minutes, stirring to keep from sticking. Stir in rice. Heat the broth, and add in several portions to the rice, while stirring. Add about half of the calendula petals. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until desired level of doneness. Season. Serve immediately, sprinkled with remaining calendula petals.
Baked Potatoes with Calendula and Watercress
4 large Yukon Gold baked potatoes
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp sour cream
1 small chopped onion
2 tbsp calendula petals
2 tbsp chopped watercress or mesclun mixture
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Split cooked baked potatoes. Combine remaining ingredients. Smother potatoes with mixture and serve immediately. Garnish with calendula flowers (green parts removed).
Eva’s Insanely Easy Corn and Calendula Fritters (a satisfying lunch before your nap)
Gluten free
1 can creamed corn (Green Giant preferred)
3 eggs
¼ cup low-fat milk
2 tbsp rice flour
2 tbsp small-grind buckwheat groats (if you don’t have, increase amount of flour)
1 tbsp calendula petals
Mix all ingredients together in large bowl. Fry like thick pancakes in grapeseed oil until browned on each side and interior is not runny. Serve warm with generous portion of sour cream. Can be garnished with nasturtium flowers for company, if you are not eating all of them yourself.
Moroccan Chicken with Roses and Calendula (see below under Rose)
Calendula Tea-Cake
1 cup butter or margarine
¾ cup icing sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup chopped prunes
3 tbsp fresh calendula petals
½ tsp orange or vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Grease one loaf pan.
Cream the butter/margarine and sugar. Gradually blend in the beaten eggs. Mix together flour and baking powder, and fold into butter/margarine mixture. Add walnuts, prunes, petals and flavoring extract. Mix until blended. Spoon into loaf pan and bake for approximately 1 hour, or until top is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes. Garnish with crystallized flowers (see below). Best when served while still warm, but may be frozen for later use.
Calendula Lemon Cookies
½ cup margarine or butter
½ cup sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans
8 calendula flowers
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Grease a cookie sheet.
Cream butter and sugar. Add lemon juice and vanilla. Blend in eggs. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Blend into egg mixture. Add calendula petals and pecans.
Drop spoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheet. Bake about 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Each cookie may be iced and topped with a flower of calendula, pansy, miniature rose (all green parts removed), or sprinkled with petals of edible flowers.
Pansy
Confetti Pasta
250 g pasta such as spirals or egg noodles
1 tbsp grapeseed or olive oil
½ red pepper, ½ yellow pepper, ½ green pepper, cut into narrow slices
1 apple, cored, peeled and chopped
1-2 tbsp crumbled cheddar
1 tbsp pansy petals
Sea salt and pepper
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until desired level of doneness. Drain, cover and keep warm.
Heat oil in skillet. Add peppers and apple. Cook quickly for 2-3 minutes. Mix into pasta. Add crumbled cheddar and stir. Season. Serve immediately, sprinkled with pansy petals.
Rose
Morroccan Chicken with Roses and Calendula
2 cups long grain rice (not instant)
1 ½ tbsp grapeseed or olive oil
1 medium chopped onion
1 tbsp chive flowers (if still available, if not, use pickled)
¼ cup chopped dried apricots
2 tbsp slivered almonds
1 tbsp cinnamon
1.5 kg boned, skinned chicken, cut into stir-fry strips
1 tbsp fragrant rose petals (e.g. Hansa)
1 + tbsp calendula petals
1 tsp rose petal jam (see below)(if not using, increase amount of rose petals)
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Cook the rice in boiling salted water until just tender. Drain, cover and keep warm.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in skillet. Add onion and sauté for about 2 minutes until transparent. Add apricots, almonds and cinnamon. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and stir into the rice. Cover and keep warm
Add the rest of the oil to skillet. Add chicken strips and stir-fry until tender. Mix chicken into rice. Stir in rose petal jam (if using). Season to taste.
Place mixture into a beautiful shallow dish. Sprinkle with rose and calendula petals.
Serve immediately. The aroma is to die for.
Summer Refresher Salad for Two
2 oranges, peeled and segments cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups diced watermelon
2 tsp honey
Petals from 4 individual rose geranium flowers (or to taste)
Petals from 1 multipetalled rose flower, or 2-3 wild rose flowers
Toss together oranges, watermelon and honey. Sprinkle with petals and flowers.
SecretStrawberry Rose Cream Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup margarine or butter
½ cup icing sugar
2 eggs
2 cups whipping cream
Rose flower infused sugar (see below), amount according to taste
450 g fresh strawberries, sliced (with a few reserved whole for decoration)
2 tbsp fragrant rose petals
White or pink strawberry flowers for garnish, green parts removed
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Grease two 20 cm spring-form pans.
Cream sugar and margarine until fluffy. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Gradually beat the eggs into the margarine mixture. Fold in the flour.
Divide the batter between the two baking pans, and bake about 25 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
Remove cakes from pans and cool on wire rack.
When cakes have cooled, whip the cream until thick. Add some flower infused sugar (see below) and even cocoa powder to the cream during whipping, to taste (but leave enough for the cake). Divide the cream in half.
To one half of the cream, add 1 tbsp rose petals. Spread the mixture on top of one cake, and top with a single layer of strawberry slices. Place the other cake on top. Cover cake with the other half of the cream. Top with rest of strawberries and sprinkle with remaining rose petals. Decorate with a few whole strawberries, whole rose flowers and strawberry flowers.
Serve on glass plate or cake stand with more rose petals sprinkled around base of cake.This is for when you really want to impress. Remember to refrigerate promptly.
Eva’sSpecialRose Rosé Punch
Place 2 L chilled dry blush or rosé wine in a glass punch bowl. Add a 2 L bottle of ginger ale, and a 2 L bottle of carbonated spring water. Sprinkle a generous handful of whole raspberries and a few handfuls of fragrant rose petals of various colors. Add ice cubes (ice cubes containing flowers may be used for extra bling). Garnish with floating lemon and orange slices, pansies and miniature rose flowers. This makes a very nice, not too strong refresher for elegant summer garden parties or evening get-togethers. For another variation, you can use fruit-flavored wines such as Zinfandels and Merlots. Serve in clear wineglasses to best show off the color.