Chinese DayLily

2 cups daylily buds
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1/3 cup almond slivers
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 Tbs. Rice wine vinegar
1 Tbs. Tamari or soy sauce
1 Tbs. Water
2 cups cooked brown rice

Steam daylily buds for 10-15 minutes, until tender. In a wok or heavy skillet, heat the oil over a high heat until very hot. Add the almond slivers, saute until browned. Quickly remove the almonds from the pan, set aside. Turn heat down to medium. Add grated ginger and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add vinegar, tamari, and water. Stir to mix. Toss in daylily buds. Serve over hot rice, topped with sauteed almonds.

Serves 4.

Lilac Sorbet

2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup strong scented, coarsely chopped lilac florets

Pour water into an enamel or stainless steel saucepan. Add sugar and florets, stir well to dissolve sugar. Bring liquid to a boil, turn down heat and simmer for 5 minutes then allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s directions.

Top with candied lilac blossoms.

Serves: 4 to 6

Candied Flowers

Candied flowers is the most common way people tend be exposed to edible flowers. Or perhaps Nasturtium Petals in their salad. So, for my first post it will be a basic, candied Flower recipe.

• 1 cup flowers
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten powdered egg whites work well or
  • 2 tablespoons of milled flax seed with 6 tablespoons of water or
  • 2 cups rosewater
• 2 cups superfine sugar

Use only clean flowers which have not been sprayed with chemicals. Flowers should be as freshly-picked as possible and dry. Small flowers, like violets, should be candied whole. For larger flowers, such as roses, candy the individual petals.

Using a soft painters or small kitchen brush, coat each flower petal with egg white. Dip the flowers in superfine sugar and place them on a rack to dry. If dipping does not coat the flower surfaces thoroughly, sift a little additional sugar over them.

Flowers that work well for this include:
Clover, chrysanthemums, crab apple blossoms, day lilies, daisies, dandelions, elderberry blossoms, freesias, geraniums, gladioluses, lilacs, marigolds, nasturtiums, orange blossoms, pansies, primroses, roses and violets.