Sep 3, 2009 1:00 pm US/Pacific
Tony Tantillo: Dandelion Greens
Well, this week's tip is going to be with DANDELION GREENS.
I love dandelion greens. They're bitter, but the flavor to me is something very special when you prepare it right, and you dress it right. The first thing you have to do is select it right, so let's talk about selection shall we?
When you buy them, green from top to bottom just like this; that is so important. The straighter they are the fresher they are; the older they are, the more they're going to bend like this, so you want to make sure that they're nice, fairly straight, free from any yellowing whatsoever.
When you bring them home, in the refrigerator ASAP, but open up the bag so they can breathe.
Want to make a nice salad? Wash them up; don't cook 'em, wash 'em up and clean them up very nicely. Then what you want do is get yourself a pan; get some garlic and olive oil and heat up the garlic and then smash it up. Add some anchovies, I know you may not like anchovies, but add some anchovies in that pan and smash it down so it becomes one with the garlic.
Then put it right on top of the salad of dandelion greens. Add a little bit of fresh tomatoes, salt, pepper, and boom…that is a beautiful salad.
Dandelions with Garlic and Olive Oil
The best dandelion greens are local varieties. They don't last long so don't dally before you enjoy them.
Serves 4
1 pound dandelion greens
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Trim off the roots and the very bottoms of any tough stems. Remove any leaves that are bruised or yellow. Plunge leaves into a sink of cool water. Swish around and drain in a colander. Repeat process.
2. Bring a 4-quart pot of water and a tablespoon of salt to a boil. Add the dandelions and cook 5 minutes. Remove with a skimmer (if you want to save the cooking liquid) or drain in a colander. Gently squeeze out any excess moisture.
3. In the same pot, heat oil and add garlic over medium heat. When the garlic is just turning golden, add the dandelion. Toss well, coating with oil and garlic. Add salt and pepper and toss again.
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