The ubiquitous lion's tooth
So there I was last evening, enjoying the bitter greens salad that played Robin to a Batman in the form of a perfectly-grilled rib-eye steak. Combine fresh spinach, endive, and escarole, a little olive oil and wine vinegar, cracked black pepper, and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and you're there.
But then I got to thinking about a similar salad we used to eat at my grandparents' house, only theirs was made from dandelion greens. As a boy I used to help pick the leaves, and it was drummed into my case-hardened skull that they had to be young, tender ones.
One man's weed is ...
My uncles and dad used to make wine from dandelions as well, and what really bothers me is that I never paid enough attention to learn how to do it myself. Thankfully, my friend Dana the master winemaker does know how so we're covered.
Now I know what you're thinking - that the lowly dandelion is nothing more than a noxious weed found everywhere, a bane to those that are lawn-obsessed (c'mon...you know who you are). True enough, yet they are also very tasty. But did you know that the dandelion, whose name is derived from the French dent de lion or lion's tooth, is not even native to North America? I didn't think you did.
Dandelions were introduced to this continent in the mid 1600s by European colonists along the Eastern Seaboard, and amazingly by the late 1800s they had already spread to the far Pacific shore. People throughout the ages regularly consumed it, and shamans and herbalists thought it to have healing properties. Well, they may have been right.
Modern research has shown that the plant is one of the best natural diuretics known and contains more beta-carotene than carrots, more potassium than bananas, more lecithin than soybeans, as much iron as spinach, and a wealth of other essential vitamins and minerals. But perhaps the most important statistic about the dandelion is that it's free and found in great abundance.
Pick 'em young
I remember being told that the best leaves are from young plants in the Spring because they are not overpoweringly bitter. But they can be picked from springtime to the first frost if you harvest them before the plant has flowered. Also, a neat trick is to mow them down, then wait for the young, tender leaves to form again - you don't have to wait long because dandelions grow like ... er ... weeds. Just try not to pick dandelions where chemicals such as weed killers or fertilizers have been sprayed. To serve, wash the young leaves thoroughly and coarsely rip or chop the leaves as you would for any salad green. Choice of dressing is yours.
Believe me, if you enjoy the greens I mentioned above, you will definitely enjoy the humble dandelion, and for absolutely no cost. I was also told that all parts of the plant can be eaten, but as I never ate anything but the leaves I can't vouch for that little tidbit of information. Nevertheless, before you begin a mission to eradicate the dandelions from your Better Homes and Gardens lawn, get even with them by eating them.