Braised Dandelion recipe

[errantember]

Dandelions are going crazy here in Austin, and they make a very good forage food. Dandelions have very deep tap roots, and pull up a lot of minerals from deep in the soil. They are a very early plant in succession, growing where the soil has been seriously damaged. When gathering them around a neighborhood, it's a good idea to be aware of possible lawn chemicals, dog pee, etc. They also taste better and are more nutritious before the flowers form, when the energy is still in the leaves and not the flowers.

I washed mine thoroughly with a high-pressure spritzer, then cooked them with the following recipe (based on the fabulous braised cabbage recipe from The New Best Recipe, modified with my newly discovered food immune reactions in mind.)

1 bowl full of dandelion leaves
1/4 cup beef broth (can substitute chicken or veggie broth)
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tblsp n fresh parsley leaves
2 tblsp olive oil (can use butter instead)

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat for 3 minutes

Add the dandelion leaves, broth, and thyme leaves. Cover and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in the parsley leaves, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

The cooking process reduces, but does not eliminate the pokiness of the leaves.

This would also combine well with the cabbage recipe.