The most common of weeds – the dandelion – is a powerhouse of taste and nutrition. All parts of the plant except for the stem are delicious.
Let’s start at the bottom with the roots. Dig the plants and wash the roots thoroughly. Large roots from older plants should be peeled, but younger, smaller roots can be used as is. Many people like the roots raw, chopped and added to a salad. Others prefer to bake them at 375⁰ for about 30 minutes, or boil them for about 20 minutes. They taste best if they are boiled in two changes of water with a pinch of baking soda added to the first. Then chill, slice and add to a salad.
Dandelion roots can also be chopped and added to stir-fries or sautéed alone in olive oil.
For a tasty coffee-like drink, roast the roots in the oven at 250⁰ for about four hours until dry. Grind the dried roots in a coffee or spice grinder, and brew them into a caffeine-free coffee substitute.
Next up from the root is the crown of the plant, the tastiest part, considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. This portion of the plant is located just under the ground. The crown area is about an inch long and consists of the top of the root and the blanched white part of the plant where the leaves are attached. The crown can be eaten raw in a salad or cooked or steamed briefly (3-5 minutes) and eaten as a vegetable or prepared in a mixed vegetable stir-fry. Look for developing buds hidden inside the crown. These treasures can be boiled for a few minutes and served buttered. Dandelion crowns don’t become tough or bitter with age, so they can be harvested throughout the growing season.
Dandelion leaves are next. By the way, the word “dandelion” is derived from the French dent de lion which means “lion’s tooth.” It refers to the jagged leaf edges.
The earliest, youngest leaves before the plant flowers are the best ones for fresh eating in salads. Look for plants growing in rich soil in a shaded area. If you are harvesting dandelion leaves from an area where you don’t really know how much sun or shade they get, search for plants whose leaves are not deeply toothed. These are the ones that get less sun during the day.
Later in the season, leaves from older plants, even those that have sprouted flowers, can be prepared by boiling them in just enough salted water to cover. Some foragers recommend adding the greens when the water is still cold and bringing it to a boil rather than adding them after the water is boiling. If you find they are too bitter for your taste, use two waters as described above for the roots. Note though, that the dandelion’s bitterness has health benefits, so if health is your goal, you might try to develop a taste for bitter.
Moving on up the plant, we come to the flower. Unopened buds found tight to the ground can be eaten raw or are especially tasty as a cooked vegetable when steamed or boiled in a small amount of salted water for a few minutes.
The fully opened flower is the sweetest part of the plant, which may be why my golden retriever eats hundreds of them each spring. To remove flowers from the stalks, twist them off (unless you’re a golden retriever; then just grasp below the flowerhead with your teeth and pop it directly into your mouth.)
Dandelion flowers add color, texture, and an unusual bittersweet flavor to salads. If you don’t enjoy the bitterness, remove the green sepals from under the flowerhead and use only the yellow part of the flower, although some people find the flowers too sweet for a green salad. Perhaps they would be better in a fruit salad.
Flowers can be dropped into pancake, quick bread or biscuit batter to add color and sweetness. They can also be steamed (5 minutes) and served alone or with other vegetables. They have a meaty texture that contrasts with lighter vegetables in a stir-fry dish or casserole. They can be dipped in batter and fried into fritters. The flower is the part of the plant used for dandelion wine.
Once you make use of these delicious free vegetables growing all over the yard, you’ll reconsider before trying to eliminate them with weed killer.
CAUTION: Do not eat dandelion plants from roadsides, from areas that have been treated with synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, or where you suspect dogs may have used the area for a restroom. If you have pollen allergies, consume the flowers with caution at first.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Dandelions are very good for you! Dandelion greens are high in vitamins A, C, E and K, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, beta carotene, calcium, phosphorous, iron, folate, magnesium, potassium, manganese and copper, and are a good source of dietary fiber. Unopened flower buds provide vitamins A and C.
Dandelion Greens
1 lb. young dandelion leaves
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 whole small dried hot chile pepper, seeds removed, crushed
1/4 cup cooking oil
salt and pepper
grated parmesan cheese
Wash dandelion leaves well. Cut into 2-inch pieces. Cook leaves uncovered in small amount of salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. Sauté onion, garlic, and chile pepper in oil. Drain greens; add to onion-garlic mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with grated parmesan cheese.
Serves 4
Dandelion Fritters
Dandelion flowers
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
Olive oil
Optional: maple syrup, honey, powdered sugar, jam, mustard, herbs
Gather fully opened dandelion flowers. Mix egg, milk and flour. Gently warm the olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Grasp each flowerhead by its green base and dip them into the batter, twirling until flower is covered with batter. Drop into skillet, flower side down. Continue dipping and dropping. When lightly browned, turn over to brown other side. Remove from skillet and drain excess oil on paper towel. For a sweet treat, drizzle the fritters with maple syrup, honey, jam, or powdered sugar. For savory fritters try dipping in mustard or adding savory herbs to the batter.
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