Dandelion Salad

Dandelion salad.  Puts a whole new twist on the term "weedeater," doesn't it?

I don't mean to brag, but I'm pretty darn good at growing dandelions. Those little spots of yellow in my lawn do me no harm, and I'm a bit mystified at the all-out war that's been declared on the little flowers. I happen to live in a neighborhood where instead of little yellow flowers, folks like to put up little yellow signs from the local fertilizing company, proudly declaring that their yard has been sprayed with a host of chemicals in dandelion defiance.

My neighbors may have a perfect green lawnscape, but those folks are missing out on the spring delicacy of dandelion salad.

I'll admit my husband was a little shocked that I was planning on eating dandelions. Dandelions are a pretty useful plant, though.  Dandelion wine, dandelion tea, roast the dandelion root and make dandelion coffee. In my mind, a simple dandelion salad is just dipping the pinkie toe into the world of dandelion cuisine. The greens are bitter, similar to arugula or endive, and they are a nutritional powerhouse. You can eat them raw in a salad, sauté them similar to cooked spinach, fold them into eggs - I'm picturing dandelion frittatas.  

Around these parts, you are not going to find dandelion greens in the store, so if you're going to set about harvesting them yourself, a few tips:

1. Never eat dandelion greens from an area that's been sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals. I'd avoid dandelion greens pulled from areas directly next to roadways, as well.

2. I found healthier-looking dandelion greens in shadier areas of my yard, like near the base of shrubs and bushes. Dandelions greens plucked from full sun areas may be more shriveled.

3. A spade is fine to use in dandelion harvesting, but if you want to go for the glory, pick up one of these tools at your local hardware store. It works like a charm, often pulling out dandelions with the root, and is actually pretty fun to use.

I found a fancy dandelion salad recipe in a cooking magazine and improvised with what I had on hand to make a more down-home version. While I was taking the picture, the only thing you can't see is me telling Ben to "just wait, don't touch, hold on, just wait Ben, one minute, Mom wants to take a picture..."

He couldn't wait.

Dandelion Salad
Original recipe here. Remember to wash the dandelion greens thoroughly.  I triple-washed mine and rolled them in a clean dishtowel to dry, keeping them in a fridge for a few hours still wrapped in the towel until I was ready to eat. Worked like a charm. Serves 2 heartily, or 4 sides. 

2 large eggs, at room temperature 
1 bunch dandelion greens (about 1/2 lb.) 
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 
2 slices bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 
4 oz. sliced ham, sliced and roughly chopped 
1/2 medium clove garlic 
1/4 tsp. anchovy paste 
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

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Bring a 1-quart pot of water to a boil over high heat. Gently add the eggs, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 8 minutes. Drain immediately and run under cold water until the eggs have cooled completely. Peel and set aside.

Meanwhile, trim the stems from the dandelion leaves and cut the leaves into bite-size pieces. Wash in cold water and dry by rolling in a clean dishtowel (or spin dry).

In a heavy-duty 10-inch skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the oil over medium heat until shimmering hot. Add the bread and stir with a slotted spoon until the croutons are golden-brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer the croutons to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.

Add the ham to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until browned and starting to crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer ham to the paper-towel-lined plate.

Chop the garlic, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, then smash the garlic to a paste with the side of a chef’s knife and transfer to a large salad bowl. Add anchovy paste and lemon juice. Slowly drizzle in the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil, stirring constantly with the wooden spoon. Add the dandelion leaves to the bowl and toss well. Add the croutons and pancetta and toss again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cut the eggs into wedges and arrange them on the salad. Serve.