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Despite tons of herbicides designed to eliminate it, dandelion reigns indomitable on suburban lawns and byways. That gives a clue as to the prowess of this vegetable and to the reason that the French and others esteem it. The dandelion is Eurasian in origin and today grows wild throughout the temperate world. The dandelion's deeply notched leaves explain its Middle Latin name, dente leo, tooth of the lion.
Health Benefits: Organic dandelion, both root and leaves, is a remarkable bitter tonic for the spleen-pancreas, stomach, kidney, and liver. While greens are cooling, the root is considered cold or very cooling. Dandelion is an effective diuretic (its French nickname piss-en-lit means wet the bed), laxative, and antirheumatic. It stimulates liver function, reduces swelling and inflammation, and improves digestion. Dandelion is antiviral and useful in the treatment of AIDS and herpes. It treats jaundice, cirrhosis, and edema due to high blood pressure, gout, eczema, and acne. It is used to treat (and prevent) breast and lung tumors and for premenstrual bloating. Herbalist Michael Tierra calls it one of the best remedies for the treatment of hepatitis. Dandelion root contains inulin, which lowers blood sugar in diabetics. A cup of dandelion greens provides nearly a day's requirement of vitamin A in the form of antioxidant carotenoid and a third of the daily vitamin C requirement. It contains more calcium than broccoli and is an excellent source of potassium.
Use: Fresh organic or foraged dandelion greens (early spring) with vinaigrette make an excellent salad alone or with other garden greens. If leaves are foraged after the plant blossoms, parboil them to reduce their bitter flavor. From late fall to very early spring, use the bittersweet root as you would a carrot, in stir-fries, soups, or simply sautéed with an onion and garlic. Or use either the root or greens, fresh or dried, in combination with other herbs for medicinal tea. I prefer wild dandelions--greens, crowns, and roots--gathered in the spring before they blossom. The roots and greens are also tasty in the late fall; otherwise, they're mostly bitter. For mild dandelions, pick those protected by shade or partially mulched over by leaves. Gather dandelions before the buds open and use the whole plant. Last fall, I dug up a dandelion taproot, planted in a pot of soil, stored in a dark, cool closet, watered as needed, and enjoyed tender, blanched leaves throughout the winter.
As Homely as a mess of Toads
My season for dandelions begins weeks before the first familiar yellow blossom explodes on the lawn, while the landscape still presents a lifeless monochrome of mud, bark, rock, and dry grass. But the dirt has softened underfoot and the exhalations of soil microbes perfume the air. It's time to harvest the dandelion. I stab down at an angle an inch or so into the cold dirt, trying to sever the root just below its attachment to the leaves to keep the delicate crown, which includes the tiny leaves and tightly folded buds of blossoms to come, intact. Lightly steamed, or sautéed with garlic in a little olive oil, dandelion crowns are to me the most succulent vegetable on Earth. Buttery soft, with a complex, bittersweet flavor, this venerable dish is not, however, likely to rise to popular status. Dandelion crowns are too much work to harvest and clean. Their tap stains the fingers, and they look as homely as a mess of toads on the plate. Peg Boyles.
from Rebecca Wood's The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia
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