Lion's Teeth

They have dandelion greens at the supermarket this week, so I bought a bunch. Dandelion greens are only available in the Spring. Cultivated dandelion greens are longer than the ones you find in your garden - these were about 18 inches long. I wasn't sure what to do with dandelion greens - the are known for being full of vitamins and minerals but also for being very bitter. I tasted a few leaves, and they were indeed quite bitter. They did not taste bitter at first, but after a few seconds the bitterness reaches the back of your tongue and becomes quite unpleasant. When I have an unfamiliar ingredient, I first check Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison, which has sections organized by vegetable. Sure enough, the index has an entry for "dandelion greens: salads with".


The picture above is a variant of Dandelion Greens with Garlic Croutons and Hard-Cooked Egg. We did not have any bread with which to make crutons, so we I substituted sunflower seeds. The recipe has you make a vinaigrette, heat it in a small skillet until it sizzles, then pour it over the dandelion greens while tossing them with tongs. The heat of the vinaigrette wilts the greens and takes away some of the bitterness. I was amazed at how good this salad tastes. The garlic and vinegar in the vinagrette perfectly complement the remaining bitterness in the salad. We served this as a main dish salad, with a small bowl of tortellini on the side.

read full post ...