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Dandelion Love Jam

Dandelion "Love" Jam

In the old days, a love potion was said to be made from dandelion jam! To many, the dandelion is just a weed taking over the whole yard. To kids, it's a favorite material for weaving a little sunny crown; to thrifty cooks, it's an ingredient for dishes and a folk remedy. The plant's young leaves have no bitterness and are used in salads. Honey is made from the unopened buds, and fragrant wine and aromatic jam from the flowers. Roasted roots stand in for coffee. Dandelion jam is considered very good for you — it's said to cleanse the blood and liver, give you a lift, and ease the aftereffects of a cold. Unlike many medicinal plants, the dandelion has no known side effects and is completely safe. Jam-making season runs from late April to mid-May, when the flowers are fully open and rich in nectar.

Galina

Recipe author

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Dandelions (yellow May dandelion flowers, with the sepals but no stems; pick them at midday on a warm, sunny day in a clean, unpolluted spot)

350

Sugar

Water

500

Lemon

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 7 % 2 g

Fats 0 % 0 g

Carbohydrates 93 % 28 g

119 kcal

GI: 21 / 0 / 79

Cooking method

Step 1:

Pick the dandelion heads and pull off the stems.
Step 2:

Every part of the plant contains a milky sap. There isn't much in the flowers, but it's still a good idea to soak them in cold water for about 20 minutes before using to take out any bitterness. (Some cooks skip the soak so as not to wash away the beneficial pollen.) Rinse the flowers well in several changes of water beforehand, since they may hold a little sap near the stem as well as tiny insects. Squeeze out the flowers.
Step 3:

Put them in a pot. Pour in the hot water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes over moderate heat.
Step 4:

Take it off the heat and let it steep for 20 minutes.
Step 5:

To make the jam more fragrant, I add lemon. Wash the lemon and cut it into thin slices, peel and all.
Step 6:

Strain the infusion into your cooking pot. Squeeze out the flowers — you won't need them anymore. Add the sugar to the liquid, then the sliced lemon. Simmer for 30 minutes over low heat, skimming off any foam.
Step 7:

While hot, pour into sterilized dry glass jars and seal tightly.
Step 8:

Once cold, the jam thickens considerably and keeps well in a cool place.

Dandelion jam is a lot like honey. It's a good option for people who are allergic to real honey, and you can add it to batter for honey cakes, honey gingerbread, and spice loaves. You can also stir it into a marinade for brushing chicken before frying — chicken treated with that marinade turns out remarkably tasty, with a beautiful golden crust. You won't find this jam in stores, which makes it all the more worth making yourself.