Produce Box Report: Dandelion Greens

In our produce box this week, we were very happy to receive a beautiful bunch of dandelion greens. They were promptly drizzled with a little bit of basil oil and devoured.

Dandelions, seen as a noxious weed by some and a source of outdoor entertainment by others (who hasn't made a wish and blown on a puff of dandelion seeds?) are a tasty and healthful salad green packed with vitamins A &C, iron, and more calcium than spinach. They are commonly used as a salad green, but can also be braised, stewed, and sautéed.

When shopping for greens, look for firm, fresh green leaves. Prepare and wash them as you would any salad green - trim the ends off the stems, and rip them up in bite-sized pieces. Dandelion greens will keep for a few days in a crisper drawer. They have a slightly bitter taste that is quite pleasant.

(Image from Whole Foods)

Comments (7)

I'm happy that dandelions are getting such good attention, both in this post and in Dana's meditation on providing.

It might be obvious, but I'd warn readers against picking random dandelions just out and about around the neighborhood, since they might not be safe to eat.

posted by OneWallKitchen on March 17th 2008 at 9:49am
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for those who dislike the bitterness of the greens, cooking helps. But, it's not great for the texture. I found the happiest medium was to heat oil and then pour it on top of the fresh greens to wilt them before dressing. yum.

posted by fugitiverouge on March 17th 2008 at 12:29pm
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I pick them on my on lawn, which is pet and fertilizer free. I serve them with potatoes, which I cook unpeeled and then peel them and cut them to pieces. The dandelions are very popular at this time in Slovenia.

posted by ilafa on March 17th 2008 at 11:43pm
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Dandelions are served with virtually every meal in Greece - sauteed or boiled then drizzled with olive oil, lots and lots of lemon and salt. Delicious.

Their name is Greek is "horta" which translates to weed.

posted by sodapresents on March 18th 2008 at 1:25pm
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I've only ever had them sauteed ... I'll try the heated oil trick next time! (We used to buy them more for our guinea pigs than ourselves....)

posted by reginalynn on March 19th 2008 at 12:31pm
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My grandmother would tell me to remember that if I was stung by a bee that it would help if I could find a dandelion, break the stem, and use the milky white substance that came out to cover the stinger site. She said this would draw out the "poison" of the bee sting. There's a bunch of info on the medicinal qualities of dandelions at:
wildmanstevebrill.com/Plants.Folder/Dandelion.html

The website's article states that, "Unlike most other seeds, dandelionsâ can germinate without long periods of dormancy. To further increase reproductive efficiency, the plant has given up sex: The seeds can develop without cross-fertilization, so a flower can fertilize itself. This lets it foil the gardener by dispersing seeds as early as the day after the flower opens".
Thanks again Dana, Lee

posted by truedharma on March 23rd 2008 at 6:43am
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We have plenty of dandelion growing on our lawn, but because we also have a rabbit that eats it, my fiance refuses to eat it. He sees it as rabbit food. Men!

posted by buda on June 30th 2008 at 6:01pm
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