Capers are a staple of our culinary tradition. “Classic” capers are nothing more than the flower buds of the eponymous plant. But did you know that the dandelion also produces 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 this.
The first thing to do is to find very small dandelion buds. You should not pick the unopened flowers that are on the top of the plant, but just the closed buds that are closer to the ground.
The dandelion does not produce just one flower, but several throughout the season. Even if you harvest all these secondary buds, the plant will still continue to produce flowers.
Now that you have dandelion buds, it is time to pickle them using vinegar and salt. This method will allow us to preserve them for a very long time.
You need: 150 grams of dandelion buds, 150 ml vinegar, 80 ml water, 1 tablespoon salt.
Bring the water, vinegar and salt to a boil, stirring well to dissolve it. Put the capers in glass jars, and pour the brine over them.
Close and store in the refrigerator. Alternatively, process the jars in a water bath for 10 minutes. This last method will allow us to store the jars outside the refrigerator.