Ingredients
Cicoria, dandelion greens
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1 pepperoncino [hot dried red pepper], crushed (optional)
A large pot of water for boiling dandelion greens
Directions
o To pick dandelions you have to be able to distinguish which vegetation growing wild in the woods or in one's own backyard are dandelions and which are not. This is quite easy to do as dandelions have a characteristic-shaped leaf. Dandelion greens do not need to be newly-grown for them to be edible.
o To make a side dish with dandelions one can pick older dandelions that have flowered -- of course the flowers and their stems are removed, as are the roots. However, in Canada the older dandelions are only good until the end of May. After May the second crop of dandelions are too bitter to make a good dish.
o After the spring dandelions have been dug out and their roots and flower stems have been cut off, remove any other type of vegetation that might be attached to it.
o Separate the leaves, one by one, making sure there are no flower stems, grass or other types of vegetation attached to them (Do this prior to washing the dandelions, as everything is more visible at this time).
o Wash the dandelion leaves under running water over and over -- 4 or 5 times.
o Soak the dandelion leaves for 10 minutes or so.
o Re-wash the dandelion leaves.
o When one is completely sure the dandelion leaves are clean, drain well.
o Bring a large pot of water to boil.
o Cook the dandelion greens for about 15 to 20 minutes.
o Drain.
o Toss with extra virgin oil.
o Add garlic.
o Add crushed pepperoncino (optional).
o Serve warm as a side dish with eggs or pork chops....
Notes
Gemma Forliano notes that she loves young cicoria in a salad, but she also likes not-so-young cicoria if they're properly cooked. The lady who took the photo (Mary Melfi) had no idea that cicoria were edible after they had flowered. In fact the photographer's mother who grew up in the Molise countryside also believed that older dandelions could not be eaten. However both Mary Melfi and her mother were wrong. The dandelions if they are boiled for 20 minutes actually taste quite good. The bitterness is more or less eliminated. This dish is definitely not for everyone, still it's rather sad that they have such a bad reputation. To think that North Americans think of dandelions as weeds when they could be used to feed the world. Dandelions are very nutritious (high in iron) they're also tasty in a strange sort of way. |
