Edible Flowers part 2

Desserts From Edible Flowers

Overview
Flowers have been used in cooking and to decorate food serving dishes since Roman times. They have been brewed in teas, offered as aphrodisiacs and used for flavoring in both sweet and savory dishes. Most people think first of using herbs in savory dishes when selecting plants from their gardens for cooking. A visit to the perennial flower garden can also add color and flavor to desserts and salads.
Step 1
Rose petals add fragrance add beauty to any cake. Place rose petals on an iced cake for decoration that is safe to eat. Make candied rose petals by dipping them in egg whites beaten with a little water. Then dip the petal in sugar and allow it to dry before placing it on any dessert.
Step 2
For a very elegant dessert, hollow out a rose leaving only the external petals and fill the center with ice cream, flavored whipped cream or any other soft dessert. Serve with crisp cookies and watch the delight on your guests faces.
Step 3
Lavender is popular for baking and serving with desserts. Dried or fresh flowers are added to cake and cookie batter. They can also be used as a decoration on an iced cake, but they lack the showy appeal of flower petals. Try lavender in a chocolate cake, chocolate icing or brownies.
Step 4
When using lavender, be sure to wash the flowers thoroughly. Use them while they are freshly picked. Dried lavender added to sugar makes a flavorful sweetener for teas and in baked goods. Lavender compliments lemon flavor so using both lemon and lavender in a recipe is a good choice.
Step 5
Carnations and nasturtiums make beautiful cake decorations. Their spicy flavor is more suited to salads and vegetable dishes; but as a garnish on a dessert, they are bright and inviting. The petals can be candied the same way as rose petals before using them.
Step 6
Pansies and violets may be used much like roses. They have a sweet, spearmint flavor that complements most desserts. Serve on cakes, ice cream or any dessert.
Tips and Warnings
Never eat flowers purchased at a flower store; the grower may have used pesticides. Some flowers are poisonous and should never be used with food. Be sure not to use both edible and non-edible flowers when decorating food items. The link below has a comprehensive list of flowering plants that are poisonous.

http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/blflowersnot.htm

Cooking with Flowers Tips and Hints
Asthmatics should avoid some flowers
By Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, About.com Guide

Yes, those flowers look beautiful as garnishes, but what do they taste like?
Bean blossoms have a sweet, beany flavor. Nasturtiums have a wonderfully peppery flavor similar to watercress and their pickled buds can be substituted for more expensive capers. Borage tastes like cucumber, and miniature pansies (Johny-Jump-Ups) have a mild wintergreen taste.
Violets, roses and lavender lend a sweet flavor to salads or desserts. Bright yellow calendulas are an economic alternative to expensive saffron, though not quite as pungent. Other flowers may have a spicy or peppermint flavor.
When in doubt, taste, but first be sure it's not poisonous.

Edible flowers tips and hints

Edible flowers as a garnish make any dish look special on your table, but be sure the flavor of the flower compliments the dish. Here are a few ideas to beautify your recipes and perk up your taste buds:
• Place a colorful gladiolus or hibiscus flower (remove the stamen and pistil) in a clear glass bowl and fill with your favorite dip.
• Sprinkle edible flowers in your green salads for a splash of color and taste.
• Freeze whole small flowers into ice rings or cubes for a pretty addition to punches and other beverages.
• Use in flavored oils, vinaigrettes, jellies, and marinades.
• One of the most popular uses is candied or crystalized flowers, used to decorate cakes and fine candies.
• Asthmatics or others who suffer allergic reactions to composite-type flowers (calendula, chicory, chrysanthemum, daisy, English daisy, and marigold) should be on alert for possible allergic reaction.
• Never use non-edible flowers as a garnish. You must assume that if guests find a flower on a plate of food, they will think it edible.
• Use flowers sparingly in your recipes, particularly if you are not accustomed to eating them. Too much of a pretty thing can lead to digestive problems.
• If you are prone to allergies, introduce flowers in small amounts so you can judge their effect. Some have a much more pronounced flavor than others, so you'll need to judge accordingly.

Fried Squash Blossoms Recipe

Use squash, pumpkin or zucchini flowers for this favorite recipe that is popular in Italy as well as Mexico. If you are lucky enough to have a garden and plant any type of squash, you will know how prolific they are. Nipping off the blossoms will help tame the harvest and help the remainders that grow into fruit.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

* 12 squash (pumpkin or zucchini) blossoms
* 1 egg, beaten
* 5 Tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
* 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
* Parsley for garnish, optional

Preparation:
Clean the pumpkin or zucchini squash blossoms, removing the stems, if desired, and the small green spikes at the base. Press the hard bulbs to flatten, then separate and extend the petals until the flower shape is visible.
Dip the flowers in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry 6 flowers at a time until crisp and golden; change the oil if necessary between batches. Drain on paper towels.
Serve, garnished with chopped parsley, if desired.
Yield: 6 servings

Strawberry Mousse in Tulip Cups Recipe

Fresh tulip flowers make a stunning container for a light strawberry mousse, perfect for a party. Be sure to read up on edible flowers before you buy your tulips for this dessert.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup boiling water
* 1/4 cup cold water
* 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
* 6 cups (three 1-pint baskets) fresh strawberries
* 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
* 1/3 cup orange juice
* 8 large pesticide-free tulips, rinsed and drained
* 2 Tablespoons meringue powder
* 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup heavy cream

Preparation:
In medium-size heatproof bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar and the boiling water until sugar dissolves; set sugar syrup aside to cool.
In cup, combine cold water and gelatin. Set aside 5 minutes to soften gelatin. Meanwhile, hull and finely dice enough strawberries to measure 4 cups. Refrigerate remaining strawberries.
In 2-quart saucepan, heat diced strawberries and remaining 1/2 cup sugar to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer berries until very soft -- about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice.
Prepare orange-berry sauce: In food processor fitted with chopping blade or blender, process or blend cooked berries until smooth puree forms. Pour 1-1/3 cups strawberry puree into 2-cup measuring cup and stir in orange juice; cover and refrigerate until cold.
Pour remaining strawberry puree into same 2-quart saucepan and stir in softened gelatin; heat over low heat just until gelatin dissolves. Refrigerate strawberry gelatin, stirring often, until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from spoon -- about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare tulip cups: Cut off stems and remove the pistils and stamens from the tulips. Place each tulip cup in a custard cup or muffin-pan cup to keep them upright; set aside.
Add meringue powder to syrup in bowl. With electric mixer on high speed, beat until soft peaks form. Add vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold cooled strawberry gelatin mixture into meringue until well mixed. In small bowl, with electric mixer on high speed and same (no need to wash) beaters, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into strawberry gelatin mixture. Gently spoon strawberry mixture, or mousse, into tulip cups, dividing evenly. Refrigerate until set -- 2 hours or overnight.
Just before serving, sort remaining strawberries and reserve 16 small ones for garnish. Hull and slice remaining berries; divide equally and place in center of each of 8 serving plates. With large spoon, transfer tulip cups onto bed of sliced berries, moving slices around tulip to support cup upright. Pour a thin layer of orange-berry sauce around tulip cup on each plate. Garnish each with 2 berries. Pass remaining sauce. Serve immediately.
Yields: 8 servings

Curried Daylilies Recipe

The daylilies are enhanced not only by the spicy curry sauce but also make good use of carrots, celery, TVP, and nuts. Serve over brown rice or with Indian bread.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
Sauté:
* 1/4 cup sesame oil
* 8 cups daylilies, sliced
* 2 medium-size carrots, sliced
* 4 celery stalks, sliced
* 1 cup texturized vegetable protein (TVP), soaked for 10 minutes in 3/4 cup hot water, drained, soaking water reserved
* 1/2 cup raw cashews or peanuts
Sauce:
* 3/4 cup drained silken tofu
* 1/4 cup dark-colored miso
* 2 tablespoons curry paste
* Juice of 1 lime
* 1 tablespoon kudzu or arrowroot

Preparation:
To make the sauté:
Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add daylilies, carrots, celery, TVP, and cashews or peanuts. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes.
To make the sauce:
In a blender, combine tofu, miso, curry paste, lime, and kudzu or arrowroot. Process until smooth.
Pour the sauce into the skillet and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer the mixture for another 10 minutes.
Serve over brown rice or with Indian bread.
Yield: 6 servings

(This one also had charts for poisonous and edible plants - 1 chart for each - but again, the darn thing wouldn't import properly.)