Braised Dandelion Greens
It’s not that we’ve been going hungry all winter. What with the Farm Store full of juicy carrots, beets, celery root, potatoes, cabbages, and even more storage produce. But we’ve all been craving something fresh and green lately. Imagine our delight, then, when the consequence of firing up the furnace in the greenhouse, and digging a few planting beds, was a fresh crop of dandelion “weeds!” They sprouted up in no time, and we began to discuss if, and when, they might be ready for the pot.
Last night we could wait no longer. Maggie left the house wielding a sharp knife, and returned in less than ten minutes with a big bowl brimful of bright, raggedy greens. I washed them thoroughly, and then dropped them into a pot full of water I had been boiling on the back of the stove for pasta. Three minutes later, I fished the now limp and rich green leaves out of the pot and let them drain in a colander while I sliced a few rounds of lemon for garnish, and finished the rest of the dinner preparations. (The pasta was then cooked in the same water. Was I just imagining it tasted more “vital,” too?)
Five minutes before serving time, a large dollop of fresh, home made butter went into a frying pan, along with several Tablespoons of chopped garlic, and a quick twist of pepper. The dandelion greens followed just long enough to braise for a few minutes. A squeeze of lemon juice, and the sliced lemon garnish finished off the presentation beautifully, and simply.
How did it taste? Surprisingly tender, without the faintest hint of bitterness. Yum!
If you want to follow suit while you wait for your CSA baskets to start arriving, start watching your lawn and garden for medallions of jagged leaves. Don’t wait too long, or they’ll get tough and bitter. Ours were between three and six inches in length.
Bon Appetit!
