Yes, dandelions. The kind growing in your lawn, the weeds that no one wants. (But weeds are just plants growing where somebody doesn’t want them. And I want them! So, I prefer to think of the dandelions in my garden as a perennial crop!)
Why?
- I come from a long line of dandelion eaters. Every spring at easter time, we’d go find dandelions to make dandelion salad. It’s a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition.
- They are delicious bitter greens, like arugula or mustard greens.
- They are nutritious and full of vitamins. My mother always said they are a spring tonic.
- They are local, seasonal, organic and FREE. Luckily, I have some growing in my garden.
How?
- Pick nice young ones, before they flower. Don’t pick them from the side of the road or from places where dogs frequent.
- Clean them real well.
- You can eat them raw in salads
- Or try PA Dutch Dandelion Salad (recipe from the Pennsylvania Dutch Cookbook by Conestoga Crafts)
Young dandelion greens
4 slices bacon
½ cup cream
2 Tbsp butter
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
4 Tbsp vinegar
½ tsp paprika
black pepper
Wash dandelions and pick over carefully. Rollin cloth and pat dry. Put into a salad bowl and set in a warm place. Cut bacon in small cubes, fry quickly and pour over dandelions. Put butter and cream in a skillet and melt over low heat. Beat eggs, add salt, pepper sugar and vinegar, then mix with the slightly warm cream mixture. Cook over high heat until dressing is quite thick. Pour, very hot, over the dandelions, stir well and serve. Garnish with hard boiled eggs. We usually ate it with mashed potatoes.
Encouraged by the idea of foraging and the wonderful recipes I’ve found on websites, especially Fat of the Land, I am branching out.
Yesterday I braised some dandelion greens in vegetable broth and put them on my pizza.
The next step is the blossoms. I’ve never used them in cooking, but I can’t wait to try dandelion fritters and dandelion bread.
Would you ever give dandelions a try? Let me know if you do!
Hi Karen,
Sure I will try! Do you also have a recipe for nettle?
Let’s have a wild flower and herbs party. Maybe with some homemade mozzarella?
Andrea
[…] one is pretty easy, given we already eat them every year as I described in an earlier post. But I have been exploring other ways to eat […]
[…] but so is the seasonal availability of the foods we forage for. But do you really want to see my dandelion salad recipe […]