Spring 2005 > Dandelion Greens

Dente de Leone -- Cicorino

I love spring’s baby dandelion greens! The name of this familiar weed comes from dente de leone, meaning ‘lion’s tooth’, describing its characteristic jagged-edged, bright green leaves. Dandelion leaves have a bitter, peppery, slightly astringent flavor, and can be cooked or used raw in salads. After a winter of heavy foods, dandelion is considered to be a medicinal plant for its tonic, diuretic and purgative action. It is very nutritious-high in vitamin A, vitamin C and iron, while low in calories, fat and cholesterol. Lucky are those who can dig them right in their backyards!

Selection: Look for crisp, bright green leaves; avoid those with yellowing, browning tips. If picked in the wild, pick the plant before it flowers.

Storage (use this method for all your greens): Cut off the tough bottom stems/roots and wash in several changes of cold water. Swish around to dislodge the sand that always attaches to the greens. Drain and remove as much water as possible by spinning in a salad spinner. Then wrap the greens in one or two sheets of dry paper towel to absorb excess moisture and store in a zip-top plastic bag. Be sure to squeeze out as much air as possible as this will greatly improve the storage life. Refrigerate in the crisper compartment of the refrigerator.

Here are some of my favorite dandelion dishes--enjoy!

Oh, by the way--OO is my quick way of typing olive oil--extra virgin, of course!

Pancotto

This recipe literally means “cooked bread” but is best described as bread soup. It’s the most commonly made peasant soup, which starts with a base of rustic country bread (not sliced loaf or sandwich bread, which would make it gluey and unpleasant), and a combination of local ingredients. In Italy the cook would use bread that has become firm and dry, pane raffermo meaning “firmed up,” a nicer terminology than stale bread. This very simple version represents the southern Italian fondness for edible roots, weeds and leaves.

2 T. OO
1 med. onion, diced
1/4 tsp. hot red pepper flakes
1 lb. dandelion greens, well washed, leaves coarsely chopped
4 thick slices of stale bread, white or whole wheat, torn into bite-size pieces
salt
water
freshly grated, aged sharp pecorino cheese

Heat the OO in a soup pot over med. heat. Add the onion, a little salt and the red pepper flakes and cook until the onions are lightly golden.

Add the greens and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and add the bread. Simmer gently for about 30 min. or until the greens are tender and the bread has absorbed enough liquid to break down into a course puree. Stir well to be sure that the greens cook evenly.

Taste and check seasoning. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of freshly grated tangy sharp pecorino cheese.

N.B. This most simple recipe has as many variations as towns and villages in Italy. Have fun with it and substitute other bitter greens, or add chopped sweet fennel, tomatoes, potatoes, beans and handfuls of chopped fresh herbs. Of course, if you were not poor you could use light meat or chicken broth instead of water.

Cicorino in padella

Dandelions can be prepared in the same way as you would cook spinach or any other leafy green. Since they cook down so much you will need at least one pound of greens for 2 people.

dandelion greens, washed very well and boiled in salted water for about 10 min. until tender. (Save the cooking water as a hot herbal tea.)
OO
garlic clove
1 red hot dried peperoncino (chile pepper)
salt

Heat the OO in a med. sauté pan. Add the garlic and red pepper, cook until the garlic clove and pepper have browned, then discard both. Add the boiled dandelion greens, season with salt and cook, stirring often for about 5-10 min. Serve hot, warm or room temperature with OO and lemon juice. Or serve the cooked greens with cooked beans (cannellini, borlotti, fave), farro, wheat berries or with a slice of drained ricotta cheese.

Insalata di cicorino

Dandelions are wonderful served raw on their own or as an adjunct to a salad. If you find the leaves too bitter for your taste, put the washed leaves in a large bowl covered with cold water for at least 1 hour or even overnight. This removes some of the bitterness.

dandelion greens, picked over and washed very well, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
sweet onion, sliced
bacon or pancetta, coarsely chopped
sugar
prepared Dijon style mustard
OO
red wine vinegar

Place the dandelion greens and onions into a large salad bowl. Cook the bacon/pancetta in a large sauté pan until crisp. Remove the crisp bits with a slotted spoon and add them to the greens. Add a good pinch of sugar and some of the vinegar to the bacon fat remaining in the sauté pan. Stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add OO, wine vinegar, S & P and mustard to taste. Whisk all ingredients together and pour over the greens; serve immediately.

P.S. Add quartered hard boiled eggs to this salad to make a perfect lunch.