Dandelion greens

Photo: flickr user Laurel Fan

About

In addition to being a familiar lawn ornament, Dandelion greens are also cultivated for use in the kitchen. Though cultivated varities are milder than the wild varieties, it is recommended that only the young, tender leaves be used for consumption, as older leaves tend to be coarse and bitter. Dandelion greens are used in salads, sautéed or steamed. They have a flavor that resembles chicory and endive.

The dandelion is a perennial plant, most often considered a weed.

Information

Other names: cankerwort, priest's crown, Irish daisy

Translations: Pienene Greens, Kiaulpienė Žalieji, Păpădie Verzilor, Maslačak Zeleni, Bồ công anh Greens, Dandelion Zielonych, Paardebloem Groenen, Dandelion ग्रीन्स, Dandelion Verdes, Одуванчик зеленых, Πικραλίδα Πράσινοι, الهندباء الخضر, 민들레 녹색당, Pampeliška zelených, Ngiping leon gulay, 蒲公英绿党, Dent de lleó Verds, Regrat Zelenih, Púpava zelených, Dandelion Verdi, שן הירוקים, Maskros gröna, Маслачак Зелени, ダンデライオングリーンズ, Pissenlit Verts, Löwenzahn, Dandelion Grønne, Løvetann Greens, Diente de león Verdes, Кульбаба зелених, Voikukka Vihreät, Глухарче Зелените

Physical Description

A developing dandelion plant is characterized by a long, thick taproot, a rosette of short leaves, and a single hollow stem bearing a yellow flower, which turns into a round fluffy seed head at maturity.

Colors: yellow, green

Tasting Notes

Flavors: Bitter

Mouthfeel: Crunchy

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: may, june, july, august, september, opctober

Peak: june, july, august, september

Choosing: Fresh with no wilted leaves.

Buying: Gather wild or buy at a farmer's market. Do not gather dandelions from lawns, public trails, roadsides or any chemically-tainted area.

Procuring: With the exception, possibly, of a few localities in the south, the dandelion is at home almost everywhere in the United States, being a familiar weed in meadows and waste places, and especially in lawns.

Preparation and Use

They are an excellent salad ingredient and are often cooked as a side dish. Dried and ground roots are used for noncaffinated, coffee-like beverages, as a flavoring agent in coffee and cocoa, and as an addition to salad dishes. Dandelion wine can be made from the leaves and flower heads. Young, tender leaves are used in salads and soups.

Cleaning: The leaves should be washed thoroughly and dried before using. Discard extraneous leaves and grasses.