Spring is the prime time to eat dandelion leaves, as the season progresses the leaves are still edible, but they become more bitter. Dandelion leaves are one of the most nutritious green vegetables with vitamin A and C, magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron etc etc. Reaching back to last week’s Tuesday Eating from your Yard on Chives~fry chives with dandelion greens in hot oil for just a few seconds, so that they become crisp, then sprinkle them with sesame seeds. The fried chives taste like onion rings. Dandelion greens are really very versatile, so most any where you would add wilted greens you can substitute dandelion greens. Sunday I made Thai peanut noodles with dandelion greens and onion greens. The nutritious greens also work well in stir fries, soups and stews or egg casseroles. Kay Young’s book Wild Seasons has recipes for dandelion leaves in eggs and potatoes dishes. My friend Mary Voules-Ketsetzis said in Greece they boil the leaves a bit then cover them in olive oil, lemon and feta~seriously delicious!! Dandelion pesto topped with feta cheese seemed like a good idea, but my attempt was not very good. This should not detour you though from trying to make dandelion pesto, as I am renowned for my inability to make a decent pesto ha! The simplest no fail plan is to throw a couple dandelion leaves in your mixed green salad.
It is important to know the source of your dandelion greens as some foolish folks spray dandelions. They can have been sprayed and not yet show signs when you harvest. I have mine in a raised bed. What is your favorite way to eat dandelion leaves?
– Jill Kuhel
