Dandelions

**Two_Sheds** · 31-12-2009, 09:37 AM

They should be blanched (grown under a pot in the dark, blanch means 'to whiten') but they are still bitter

**Snadger** · 31-12-2009, 10:29 AM

I think I've seen a 'rouge' or red variety listed somewhere as well.

Of course you CAN dry the roots and use them as a coffee substitute. I've actually tried this and they were reasonably palatable.

As TS says to 'blanche' is to deprive of light and the leaves come up whitened.

Endive, lettuce, seakale, cardoon and chiccory are a few other veg that need blanched to become palatable as well!

**sarraceniac** · 31-12-2009, 10:33 AM

I knew an Italian family who regularly went out picking dandelion leaves for use in salads, and they certainly weren't poor, they liked them. I tried them on a couple of occasions when invited for dinner and yes they are a tad bitter, in the spinach sense. The younger they were the less bitter, the older leaves are a real no-no. I think Two Sheds is right that if you want to eat them older then blanching is effective for warding off some of the bitterness but they definitely need a dressing. An oil and herb vinegar base with added sugar seems to be the norm on the continent where they are still popular. Apparently the Georgians and Victorians used to grow them in neat rows in kitchen gardens as a salad veg. They are described as being grown under a cloche but I suspect a blanching pot is more likely. They are supposed to be mildly diuretic which gives them their old country name of 'pissthebed' although that name nowadays is more widely given to a rampant weed which everybody knows and hates which goes by several names, some of them not printable in public, but around here is called 'sticky buds'.

**Jeanied** · 31-12-2009, 10:59 AM

One of our fellow allotmenteers is Italian - he grows rows of dandelion-like salad leaves (I think that he calls them chicoria). He also grows in an interesting way - lots of earthing up, ridging and trenching.

**Nicos** · 31-12-2009, 11:04 AM

You see them for sale in the markets over here!!!!

The ones I've seen tend to be long narrow leaves. No idea if there are less bitter varieties better for eating though

**Nicos** · 31-12-2009, 11:14 AM

Have a look at these...

Cooks.com - Recipes - How To Cook Dandelions

Dandelions for Dinner! - Healthy Cooking - Care2.com

Dandelion Greens

hmm...having read through a few other pieces, I think I'll give that a go this Spring.
I'm certainly going to collect more nettles for soup- so I'll just need to get organised!!

**sarraceniac** · 31-12-2009, 11:18 AM

Originally posted by Nicos View Post

You see them for sale in the markets over here!!!!

The ones I've seen tend to be long narrow leaves. No idea if there are less bitter varieties better for eating though

I think the long narrow leaves may be from blanching Nicos. As you will know excluding light not only blanches, it forces too. They then are allowed to go greener again with a few days in the light.

**HayleyB** · 31-12-2009, 11:20 AM

We grow dandelions......... unintentionally

They are everywhere, in the drive, the orchard, the lottie area, chooks love them and they are regularly 'harvested' for the laydees in the summer.

**Nicos** · 31-12-2009, 11:22 AM

Originally posted by sarraceniac View Post

I think the long narrow leaves may be from blanching Nicos. As you will know excluding light not only blanches, it forces too. They then are allowed to go greener again with a few days in the light.

A-ha!...logical answer!!

**Flummery** · 31-12-2009, 02:21 PM

My dad grew some one year - deliberately and from bought seed. In the event, he didn't like them! They made gorgeous dandelion wine though!

**gojiberry** · 01-01-2010, 04:44 PM

As General rule the British pallet isn't attuned to bitter tasting food. I grew some Italian chicory last year which supposedly didn't need blanching. I gave loads of it away but nobody wanted a second helping. Not wasting the space this year. Will definitely agree that wine made with the flowers is excellent.

Ian

**Jeanied** · 01-01-2010, 04:56 PM

I'm pretty sure that my Italian friend on the lottie site uses a particular long thin kind of dandelion to grow and I know he doesn't blanch them he just earths them up a little way up the stem!

**stella** · 01-01-2010, 05:15 PM

When we stay in Italy we have loads growing in the field and OH goes out to pick them to put in the salad. We only pick the small baby leaves and once they are mixed in with the other salad leaves and some good oil and some herbs they taste great. Yummm
Never thought of making wine (with the yellow heads I supose) anyone got a recipe.

**solway cropper** · 01-01-2010, 09:12 PM

you'll wet the bed

dandelions are a natural diuretic and have been used as such for thousands of years.

I remember reading on some healthy living website that dandelion salads are very tasty but in my experience you'd have to be desperate. It's possible to eat lots of wild plants but why bother when you can have proper food.

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