Capers are a staple of our culinary tradition. “Classic” capers are nothing more than the flower buds of the plant of the same name. But did you know that dandelions also produce edible buds?
If harvested when they are still very small, dandelion buds can be preserved and consumed in the same way as capers. Below we explain how to do it.
The first thing to do is find some very small dandelion buds . It is not necessary to collect the unopened flowers that are on the upper part of the plant, but rather the closed buds that are closest to the ground.
Dandelions produce not just one flower, but several throughout the season. Even if you harvest all of these secondary buds, the plant will still continue to produce flowers.
Now that you have the dandelion buds , it’s time to pickle them using vinegar and salt. This method will allow us to preserve them for a very long period.
You need: 150 grams of dandelion buds, 150 ml of vinegar, 80 ml of water, 1 tablespoon of salt.
Bring the water, vinegar and salt to the boil, stirring well to dissolve. Place the capers in glass jars, and pour the brine over them.
Close and store in the fridge. Alternatively, process the jars in a water bath for 10 minutes. This last method will allow us to store the jars outside the fridge.