FlowerFetti Pierogis: Flowers as Flavor!
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With the proliferation of spring blossoms that burst forth in spring comes a surprising discovery: a whole pantry’s-worth of flavor can be found in those beautiful blooms. I’m not exaggerating when I say that flowers flavor most of my dishes this time of year, as you can probably tell from the selection of flower-forward recipes I have to share! I think most people view edible flowers as just a garnish, something that adds to the beauty of a dish but doesn’t contribute much else. Allow me to change your mind, dear reader. Let us go on a culinary exploration of just what those May Flowers have to offer!
Sweet and Floral:
Wild violets have an extremely unique fragrance and flavor that is amazing captured in desserts.
Fruit tree blossoms* (like cherry and plum) taste of sweet almonds or spring breezes and ephemerality.
Lilacs have a distinct flavor, best captured gently to avoid grassiness or bitterness.
Forsythia has a slight rootbeer-like fragrance
Elderflowers have an enchanting ethereal scent, with notes of anise and lemon. Wonderful in sweet dishes, just make sure to separate them from the stems. Some decorative varieties are not edible
Honeysuckle* is sweet and can be a bit soapy. Only some species are safe to eat, so be cautious!
Cornflower petals have a slight lemon-mint fragrance.
Primroses are sweet, light, and floral.
Gorse blossoms have a strong coconut-like fragrance and flavor
Mimosa tree flowers are sweet with tropical fruit notes. They infuse well into teas and desserts
Roses can vary dramatically, from raspberry to peach to classic perfumey rose
Strong:
Magnolia tepals (ancient petals), are spicy and gingery (and are wonderful pickled or baked into a cake!)
Tulip petals* range in flavor from sweet iceberg lettuce to something with a little more spice. Stay away from other bulbs, though - daffodils are toxic!
Lavender packs a punch, and is best paired with citrus or chocolate to avoid a soapy flavor.It also holds its own as a flavoring for meat and vegetable dishes when combined with coffee, rosemary, and/or paprika and other strong herbs and spices.
Dandelions are a bit bitter and have a strong note of pollen
Dianthus have an unmistakable and unique clove-like flavor.
Hibiscus buds and blossoms are tart and lemony
Mild:
Pansies are like their cousins violets, but with an ever-so-subtle wintergreen hint, good in both savory and sweet dishes.
Redbud and Black Locust blooms have sweet, pea-like flavors that compliment many spring dishes wonderfully.
Calendula tastes nutty and just a tad spicy and adds wonderful color to a variety of dishes.
Hollyhock petals don’t have much flavor, but they can lend a lot of color to a dish
Squash blossoms taste mildly nutty with a hint of squash flavor
Dragonsnaps have a mild flavor and bright colors
Carnations: have a mild spiced flavor similar to dianthus, but less intense
Mild Savory:
Sunflower petals taste nutty and sometimes a little bit bitter
Borage blossoms taste remarkably like cucumber
Bluebells taste like oysters! Really!
Yucca* petals have a mild, artichoke-like flavor. They must be processed a certain way to be safe to eat
Daylily buds* have a taste and texture similar to green beans, great when sauteed in butter
Biscuitroot lomatium* flowers have a parsley-like flavor
Peppery:
Currant blossoms have a resinous, strong flavor that can be really lovely in the right dish
Nasturtiums have a spicy, peppery flavor best suited to savory dishes
Bee Balm flowers have a mild oregano-like flavor
Chive blossoms have a mild onion-like flavor, similar to the blossoms of others in the onion/garlic family
Brassicas (mustard, broccoli, etc.) often taste “hot” or peppery and can vary greatly. Did you know that broccoli IS the flower buds?
Herb flowers from edible herbs like mint, rosemary, thyme, basil, and sage taste like milder, sweeter versions of the herb itself
Have I convinced you that edible flowers have so much more to offer than just their beauty? Can you see now how a dish can be not just decorated by edible flowers, but flavored by them too? I hope so! This is by no means an exhaustive list either; the more you learn about gardening and foraging, the more edible flowers you will discover along the way.
For this particular recipe, turn to delicate spring flowers to suit your palate and availability, but don’t be afraid to explore other categories as well - borage is great in laminated pasta! Make sure to double-check any flower with an asterisk (*) next to it for special preparation or identification instructions, and always try a little bit first when introducing any new plant into your diet. Also, make sure that you forage, harvest, or purchase your flowers from clean environments. Most floral shops carry flowers that have been heavily sprayed with insecticides, making them unsuitable for eating! Make sure you remove any thick areas (like stalks) - in fact, it is best to just use the petals themselves for the pasta part of this project.
Flowerfetti Pierogis:
Welcome to the crossroads of innovation and nostalgia. Funfetti birthday cake. Grandma’s fresh pasta, or Grandmama’s fried pierogies. Pea shoots nibbled in the garden while weeding. Sweet blueberries. Vanilla frosting.
This dish is a rather blasphemous mash-up of Italian pasta techniques, Polish pierogi flavors, retro-classic ‘funfetti’ birthday cake, and salad. Yeah, it sounds weird. But the flavors all actually blend together in a really delightful way, and since this dish is already breaking all of the rules, you get to decide whether it is dinner, dessert, or even breakfast. Ready for an adventure?
Fresh flower petals are pressed between thin layers of pasta dough, which is then stuffed with a mixture of goat cheese, ricotta, more edible flower petals, and a bit of honey. These filled pastas/dumplings are sealed well, then boiled briefly to cook and fried in a bit of butter. They are served with a simple sauce of coconut and blueberries, with plenty of crunchy pea shoots and more vibrant flowers. This dish is lightly sweet, refreshingly fresh, and full of interesting textures to explore.
One of the best things about making pasta is that it is a process done more by feel than by measurement. As long as you have some flour (pasta flour is best!), some eggs, and some patience, you can bring it all together in a really rewarding way.
Flowerfetti Filling:
4 oz chevre, room temperature
1 c. ricotta, room temperature
¼ c. honey
1 c. edible flower petals
1 tsp. Orange zest
2 tsp. Vanilla bean paste
Directions:
Mix the honey and the two cheeses together until well-combined, then stir in the flower petals, orange zest, and vanilla bean paste.
Pasta Ingredients:
3-4 c. pasta flour
2 eggs
1 tsp. Olive oil
About 1 cup of edible flower petals
Fine spray bottle filled with water
2 Tbs. butter
Directions:
Sift a mound of flour onto a clean work surface, then dig a little hole in the center. Crack the eggs in and and add the oil and mix until they are evenly worked into a paste. Then just keep incorporating more and more flour, slowly, until it is a firm ball. Then, knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic. (About 10-12 minutes of kneading.) You should be able to stretch the dough and see light through it (the “windowpane test”) Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
Using a pasta machine or a rolling pin on a lightfly-floured surface, roll half of the dough out to be very thin - I used the second-thinnest setting on the pasta machine. (Keep the other half covered.) Gently lay the rolled pasta out on a lightly-floured surface. Keep it slightly damp by misting it with a spray bottle every now and then - you don’t want it to get soft or sticky, but you don’t want it to dry out while you place the flower petals all over the pasta.
Once the length of pasta is completely covered with all the flower petals, roll out the reserved half of the pasta dough. Give the flower layer one final gentle misting, then place the other pasta sheet on top. Press out any air bubbles, then run it through one of the thicker settings on the pasta machine to laminate it together. Put it through a couple more times until the dough is fairly thin, then lay it out and cut out 4 ½” circles. As you fill each pierogi, keep the rest of the circles covered so they don’t dry out.
Put a large pot of water on to boil and lightly salt it.
To fill the pierogi, place a circle in your palm and add about 1 Tbs. of filling. Rub a little water around the edges, then fold it into a half moon and pinch the edges, forming a well-sealed crescent. (I also pleated the edges of mine for extra security.)
Once all of the pierogies have been formed, gently lower them into the water. At first they will sink to the bottom, then rise to the top. After they have risen, cook for about 1 minute more, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat, then add half of the pierogies. Fry just the bottom side until golden brown, then remove. Plate as desired below!
Plating:
½ c. blueberries
½ c. coconut milk
Fresh pea shoots
Extra edible flowers for garnish
Directions:
Blend the blueberries and coconut milk until you have a completely smooth puree. Add a large spoonful to the middle of a pasta bowl, then tap with the back of a spoon to make a fun splatter design (careful, this gets messy!)
Arrange some cooked pierogies on top, then garnish with fresh crunchy pea shoots and a couple of edible flowers. Serve immediately.
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Join me for a little winter night magic as we bake this cake full of rich seasonal flavors and black cocoa!