If you look closely you will see that the dandelion greens are sprouting up everywhere, including in my perennial fruit and vegetable garden. The whole bed needs to be weeded, and what better way to begin than by harvesting the dandelion greens for supper? Eating dandelions may seem foreign to many people, but not me. Growing up in a Greek family means you eat wild dandelion greens every spring. I have vivid memories of my mother and cousin foraging for dandelions when I was a child, and then serving them for dinner. They are definitely an acquired taste, and luckily I have that. The bitterness of the dandelion is a powerful spring tonic for your digestive system, stimulating your liver to detoxify. Which is a really good thing after a long winter of heavy foods.
I remembered to grab my camera on my way out the door yesterday morning so I could show you how I harvest spring dandelion greens. When you are ready to try this yourself, just be sure you pick them in clean and unpolluted areas. That means no digging for dandelion on the side of the road! As tempting as that may be, it is a really bad idea. Which is too bad because dandelions love to grow on the gravelly soft shoulders of roads.
GREEK BOILED DANDELION
If you are ever driving around on a nice spring day and see a woman bent over in a field with a plastic bag in one hand and a knife in the other, odds are it's a Greek woman picking dandelions for supper.
3 lbs young wild dandelion greens
1 Tbsp sea salt
about 2 Tbsp extra virgin Greek olive oil
the juice of about 1 organic lemon
sea salt and pepper to taste
Method: Wash the greens well before cooking and trim any coarse stems. Discard any brown leaves. Soak the dandelion in a clean sink with plenty of water. Any sand or debris will eventually sink to the bottom while the greens float on the surface of the water. Remove the greens from the water and place in a colander to dry.
Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the salt. Carefully submerge the greens in the pot and boil gently for about 20 minutes or until the thickest parts of the stems are tender. Do not overcook. Drain the greens well in a colander over the sink. Really squeeze the liquid out with the back of a spoon. Place greens in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
GREEK BOILED DANDELION
If you are ever driving around on a nice spring day and see a woman bent over in a field with a plastic bag in one hand and a knife in the other, odds are it's a Greek woman picking dandelions for supper.
3 lbs young wild dandelion greens
1 Tbsp sea salt
about 2 Tbsp extra virgin Greek olive oil
the juice of about 1 organic lemon
sea salt and pepper to taste
Method: Wash the greens well before cooking and trim any coarse stems. Discard any brown leaves. Soak the dandelion in a clean sink with plenty of water. Any sand or debris will eventually sink to the bottom while the greens float on the surface of the water. Remove the greens from the water and place in a colander to dry.
Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the salt. Carefully submerge the greens in the pot and boil gently for about 20 minutes or until the thickest parts of the stems are tender. Do not overcook. Drain the greens well in a colander over the sink. Really squeeze the liquid out with the back of a spoon. Place greens in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
