Many parts of the sunflower are edible, including the leaves. The pale green center of the sunflower is similar in texture and appearance to an artichoke. For thousands of years, Native Americans including the Sioux have eaten young, green sunflower buds. This simple recipe uses lightly salted water for a delicate, seasonal preparation of braised sunflower hearts or buds. Be sure to slice away all of the “face” containing the seeds and sap, as these parts of the sunflower have a more piney, resinous flavor. The trimmed sunflower disc should be about ¼ to ⅜ inch thick and no bigger.
Recipe Servings: 4
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 5 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 4 large sunflowers, stems removed (or several unopened, young green sunflowers)
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
- Water
Directions
- If using unopened sunflowers, skip steps two and three.
- Remove the sunflower’s yellow petals, reserving for garnish.
- Trim away the outer dark green areas and the inner small yellow face of the sunflowers with a paring knife, leaving the light green and white center, similar in appearance to artichoke bottoms.
- Place the cleaned sunflowers face-down in a saucepan.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add enough water to the pan to cover the sunflowers.
- Cover and braise flowers over medium-low heat for about 45 minutes, until very tender and lightly browned.
- Remove from the pan and let cool slightly before serving.
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