Gluten-Free Queen Anne’s Lace Fritters
Hi Friends,
I am still knee deep in the slow (ever so slow) process of moving my wildsteading content away from my blog on my business site wildwisdomwool.com to here on Substack. It is Queen Anne’s Lace season at Mossygoat Farm so today I am choosing to republish this seasonal recipe for Gluten-Free Queen Anne’s Lace Fritters. This is a joy to make and eat, and it is an annual tradition at my house. Hopefully you will enjoy it as well.
Queen Anne’s Lace
Nature’s bounty is all around us and sometimes it just comes down to figuring out how to enjoy it. If you have ever wondered how you can eat Queen Anne’s Lace, then this recipe is for you. It is a delightful treat, and my family was truly surprised at how delicious this is.
This recipe does have a very important warning: although Queen Anne’s Lace is not toxic, do not consume it if you are pregnant or wanting to become pregnant.
Rewilding our taste buds sometimes isn’t easy, and I understand about being “scared” to try wild food. Honestly, my daughter made wild fermented soda once and we were both a little scared of it. I also laughed out loud watching my sister try my Cat’s Ear Jelly. Truth is that I don’t blame anyone for being scared of wild food. Wild food features tastes that we are not familiar with and… they’re weeds! Frying your flower heads takes some of the scariness away because it’s fried. Who doesn’t like fried food?
Queen’s Anne Lace is thought to be the ancestor to all cultivated carrots. It is considered invasive in many parts of the United States and although it is not on Oregon’s noxious weed list, it is considered a class C noxious weed in neighboring Washington. It is EVERYWHERE in my area, and it lines many roads and fields.
You should be careful not to confuse Queen Anne’s Lace with a very poisonous look-alike Poison Hemlock. Queen’s Anne Lace is edible and Poison Hemlock is poisonous, as the name suggests. If you choose to eat Queen Anne’s Lace you need to make sure you absolutely know what it is. This is true for all foraging though. You really shouldn’t just go around eating random things but that goes without saying. One Queen’s Anne Lace giveaway is its smell. It smells like carrot, especially the root. Queen’s Anne Lace also often has a single purple flower in the middle. Also remember that you should not take Queen Anne’s Lace from roadways or any area that may be sprayed. Find a nice field in a park or ask a landowner who has a field of it. I occasionally have people asking me to forage various things on my property and I usually say yes.
When Queen Anne’s Lace goes to seed it resembles a bird’s nest. The sticky seeds are just waiting for an unsuspecting passerby to come along to help spread them.
Queen’s Anne Lace Fritters: Gluten-Free and Paleo versions.
Here are two different recipes for making Queen’s Anne Lace fritters. I have a paleo version and a gluten free version. Everyone in this house slightly preferred the gluten-free version although the paleo version was good as well.
Yield: varies
Gluten-Free Queen Anne’s Lace Fritters
Wild foraged healthy deliciousness.
Prep time: 10 Min Cook time: 15 Min Total time: 25 Min
Ingredients
Queen Anne’s Flower Heads (Optional: leave 6-8” of stem attached to hold while frying)
Oil to fry
1/2 cup Gluten Free Flour Blend
-alternative Paleo Version: 1/2 cup Coconut Flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 eggs
Instructions
Pick your Queen Anne’s Lace flowers. Leave 6-8” of stem to hold onto while frying if desired. Choose smaller and more compact flower heads if possible, for easier eating. Wash and pat dry.
Add 1” of oil to a frying pan and heat oil to between 350-400 degrees.
Combine all dry ingredients in a small bowl.
Lightly whisk eggs in another small bowl.
Using tongs or the stem to hold onto the bottom of the flower or holding onto 6-8” of stem, dip your flower head into the egg mixture flower top down.
Dip your flower, top down, into the flour mixture.
Dip your flower into the hot oil. Fry the gluten-free version for up to one minute and the paleo version for 30 seconds. Fry until the flower becomes crispy and golden brown.
Remove and place on a plate covered with a paper towel to soak up extra grease.
Cool slightly and eat while still warm. Stick the whole flower in your mouth and remove the flowers with your teeth, leaving the green bracts. (They are edible too just tougher)
Recipe Notes:
I don’t personally wash my flowers, but I gently shook them against the counter to shake off any bugs. There are always bugs.
Enjoy! - Kimberly
P.S. You can also find me at Wild Wisdom Wool as well as on IG.