If you like bitter greens, this Dandelion Greens Recipe is for you. Dandelions are abundant now. And FREE.
Dandelion Greens Recipe
It will have you digging in your yard. Do you think dandelions are just for the bees? No way. In fact, you can eat every part of a dandelion, though I only eat the greens, and I prefer them when they are small and young.
I love my greens (kale, collards, dandelions) sauteed with olive oil, garlic, and onions, or with a vinegar-and-sugar type dressing.
When you buy that package of "mixed greens" at the grocery store, take a careful look at it. You'll find baby dandelion leaves in it. And you probably paid $5 for the box, right?
It's simple to dig them up and cook them. The hardest part is washing them. I'll tell you about that a little later.
I like to eat green, leafy vegetables nearly every day, either as a salad or cooked. They are super good for you because they are loaded with Vitamin K and other good vitamins and minerals.
Picking Your Dandelions
I took my special dandelion-digging tool and went out to dig up some. My yard looks better, and we have greens to eat. (Caution: I suggest you don't eat greens from your yard if you use chemicals on it.)
This will help you identify dandelions (even without flowers). Dig, wash, cook.
The bigger leaves are rather tough. Try to dig up your dandelions when they are tiny, if possible. If they are big, you will need to steam them before eating, and I slice them using the chiffonade method before cooking, which means to cut them into long, thin, uniform strips.
How to Wash Dandelion Greens
Washing them is quite a process. Since they are weeds that love to cling to the dirt, you will have lots of dirt, leaves, and other debris mixed in. First, shake off the dirt while you are outside. Put the greens in a bag or a bucket to bring them inside.
Fill your kitchen or laundry sink with cold water and swish the greens around. Let them soak for a while. Swish again. Be sure to use a drain strainer to catch the dirt and debris. Drain the water. Remove as much dirt from the sink as you can.
Leaving the strainer in place, rinse the dandelion leaves individually and put them into a salad spinner. Spin to remove excess water. Leaving them in the salad spinner basket, rinse and spin them again. Now, carefully inspect your greens to make sure they are clean and free of leaves and other unwanted weeds.
Spin Dry the Dandelions
When they are thoroughly clean, spin them "dry." They will still be damp, which is okay if you are going to cook them soon. If you plan to store them, wait until they are dry, wrap them in a paper towel, put the paper towel-wrapped greens in a plastic bag, and store them in the vegetable crisper of your refrigerator for no more than a day or two.
Ingredients
- 4 cups Dandelion greens picked when small and thoroughly washed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions
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Steam the dandelion greens over boiling water for about 5 minutes.
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Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
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Add the chopped onions and sauté until they are transparent (about 5 minutes).
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Add the minced garlic. Stir.
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Add the steamed dandelion greens and continue cooking for about 10 minutes.
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Optional: Stir in about ¼ cup Molasses Honey Vinaigrette.
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Serve hot.
Cook the Dandelion Greens
To cook large dandelion leaves, chiffonade them and steam them for a few minutes. You can skip steaming them if the leaves are still quite small. Then saute the dandelions with olive oil, onions, and garlic. Or saute them with Molasses Honey Vinaigrette. Serve hot.
What You Need
Depending on the size of your dandelions, you will need a vegetable steamer, a knife, a cutting board, a salad spinner, a large sauté pan, and, of course, a dandelion-digging tool like this one.
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Ingredients
- 4 cups Dandelion greens picked when small and thoroughly washed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic minced
Instructions
- Steam the dandelion greens over boiling water for about 5 minutes.
- Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over mediium heat.
- Add the chopped onions and sauté until the onions arre transparent (5 minutes or so).
- Add the minced garlic. Stir.
- Add the steamed dandelion greens and continue cooking for 10 minutes or so.
- Optional: Stir in about ¼ cup Molasses Honey Vinaigrette.
- Serve hot.
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