Cooking Fried White Clover Blossoms

White clover is one of the most earth-friendly table vegetables available. This versatile plant grows abundantly without the use of pesticides, fertilizers or manual labor. It also enriches the soil with nitrates and prevents erosion. By cooking with white clover, you can utilize this common weed's potential as a local, sustainable, organic food source. In my home, white clover is a favorite springtime treat. My toddler helps me collect the flowers and we fry them into a delicious, popcorn-like fritter.

To fry white clover blossoms, simply collect the flowers and remove the stems at the base. Create a dry batter using 75% corn meal and 25% whole-wheat flower. I like to season the batter with garlic powder, red pepper, oregano and a tiny bit of salt. In a relatively deep pan, heat a one-inch thick layer of soybean or coconut oil on a medium-high setting. While you wait for the oil to heat, rinse the white clover blossoms thoroughly under cold water. While they are still wet, coat them heavity in the dry batter.

When the oil begins to crackle and sizzle, toss all the blossoms into the pan. They should quickly turn into crispy, flakey treats. Serve the fried clover blossoms hot after they have cooked evenly. This white clover recipe requires little energy input and no animal products, so you can serve it with a clear conscience. You'll be surprised by how well the sweetness of the clover melds with the savory zest of the batter.

I have seen some wilderness-survival books refer to white clover as a wild edible that is difficult to digest. However, none of my friends or family members have experienced any digestive distress after eating my fried clover blossoms; even when I've eaten dozens of them, I've never experienced any trouble. It's possible that high-heat frying eliminates the compounds that make raw white clover difficult to digest. Alternatively, white clover sensitivity may occur because certain people lack the enzymes to effectively digest them; in this case, it would be a similar condition to lactose intolerance.

My family is hooked on my specific recipe for fried white clover blossoms, but other people may have different preferences. Try drizzling soy sauce or a ligh peanut sauce over your fritters. Young children may enjoy dipping them in ketchup or another sweet sauce. Fried white clover also makes an earth-friendly breakfast-- consider mixing them into omelettes or oatmeal. White clover is far too nutritious and abundant for an earth-friendly cook to ignore. Make clover part of your family's own culinary tradition.