I love cheese and cream as much as the next forager, but I don’t smother my foraged harvest in them. I’d rather showcase the unique flavor of each wild ingredient with the simplest possible preparation. Burdock flower stalks have a lovely flavor, often compared to that of artichokes or cardoons. This recipe for burdock flower stalk fritters is adapted from a recipe that uses artichokes. It really lets the flavor of the burdock shine.
My husband is not a forager, although he appreciates most of what I put on the table. Until now, milkweed has been his favorite wild vegetable, but these fritters may give burdock a leg up in the competition. When I brought home a bundle of burdock flower stalks this afternoon, there was no doubt how we’d be eating them for dinner.
What You’ll Need to Make Burdock Flower Stalk Fritters
- 1 cup peeled, chopped burdock flower stems
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tablespoon minced field garlic (if you substitute regular garlic, use 2 teaspoons)
- 5 Tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 3 Tablespoons grated parmesan or romano cheese
- olive oil
What You’ll Need to Make Burdock Flower Stalk Fritters
Peel the burdock stems and chop them into 2-3 inch lengths. Boil them until they are easily pierced with a fork. Thin stems will take about 10 minutes; thick stems (up to an inch in diameter) may take 20-30 minutes. Once the stems have cooled, roughly chop them into small pieces and set aside.
In a food processor or spice grinder, finely chop your field garlic, then add it to the burdock stems.
Lightly beat the two eggs, then add the burdock and garlic, the breadcrumbs, the grated cheese, and combine well.
Form the dough into small patties, 2-3 inches in diameter and set aside.
Heat your oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the patties, about 3 minutes on each side. After flipping the fritters, press down on each one with your spatula to flatten them slightly. Remove them from the oil when they’re golden brown and place them on a paper towel, which will absorb some of the oil.
These fritters are delicious served warm, with a little hot sauce.
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