 Around
the world, dandelions are held in high esteem both for culinary
and medicinal use. Americans stand out singularly in their
distaste and ill will toward them. Even so, about one in four
American cookbooks contain recipes for dandelions!
No one really knows where dandelions originated. Maybe it was
in Greece or maybe in the Northern Himalayas, where there are
still 75 or more different species. Wherever they originated, most
likely they came to the Americas with the Mayflower and then again
and again over the years in ships carrying immigrants. After
arriving, dandelions spread over the continent quicker than the
colonists. After long colonial and pioneer winters, they were a
blessing and a treasure to all.
Today some families and communities still exalt the dandelion
with annual feasts. Perhaps we should join the parade because
dandelions still pack a wallop of foods values that we're needing
after a long winter of imported fare. According to the U.S.D.A.
Bulletin No. 8, "Composition of Foods", dandelions rank in the top
four green vegetables in overall nutritional value.
So, how do you harvest your first dandelion? First, make sure
that you know what you're looking for; check a field guide, if in
doubt. In early spring, before the flowers open, look for flat
rosettes of the deeply toothed leaves (leaves of young plants will
be reddish brown but will turn green when growth begins.) Find a
safe place to pick, 25-50 feet from a busy street, away from
power line right-of-ways, and far from chemically treated lawns.
Very early in spring, before the leaves have begun to grow, you
can harvest mild-tasting roots; use a sturdy trowel or a spading
fork to dig them; trim, scrub, slice and sauté or stir-fry them. A
little later in spring, before the blossoms open, forage for
greens or greens and roots together.
All you'll need to harvest greens is a little knife and a bag.
Harvest the greens by cutting the leaves off at the crown, where
the leaf rosette meets the top of the taproot. Wash the leaves
under running water, spreading them apart to loosen dirt and the
tiny earth worms and critters that take shelter in the heart.
The little round flower buds are also edible and of delicate
flavor, rich in protein and vitamin A. Use the greens and buds in
salads, soups, sautéed or steamed; simply garnish with a little
olive oil or butter, and lemon juice or vinegar. They nicely round
out "peasant" meals with potatoes, beans, eggs or whole grains.
When the flowers open, this is a signal to leave the dandelion
alone so it can do its work of reproduction. This is done without
the need for pollination; through a process called "apomixis",
special cells in the ovule produce embryos identical to those of
the parent plant. These seed clones and their parachutes form the
"fairy puffs" we see after the flower matures. After the seeds
have blown away and the flower stems have shriveled, you'll notice
new growth beginning again at the center of the leaf rosette.
These are tender and delicious and can be harvested through the
rest of the growing season.
Dandelion Blossom Waffles: http://www.organicannie.com/dandelion_treat.htm |
