Dandelion greens, once strictly a food source for foragers and those devoted to living off the land, have become quite mainstream. Almost every local farmers market will have at least one vendor with dandelions whether field grown or sheltered hoop house denizens. And they’re regularly available at markets that carry many varieties of greens like the Buford Highway Farmers Market.
Paula Guilbeau of Dahlonega’s Heirloom Gardens has been busy sowing 100 feet of an heirloom variety of red dandelion. Thirty days from seed to harvest means she should be bringing dandelions to the Dunwoody Green Market on Wednesdays and the Peachtree Road Farmers Market on Saturdays right about now.
Dandelions will be among the offerings at the market she's opening on her farm with pick up available on Wednesday. For more information, http://heirloomgardens.dahlonega.locallygrown.net.
Dandelions have been in her crop rotation since she started growing for market. Some of her customers use dandelions for juicing. Others enjoy it in salads where they like the bitterness of the tooth-shaped leaves that give the plant its name. The red dandelion variety is particularly attractive with dark red stems and a red cast to the leaves.
Dandelion leaves are definitely on the bitter side although most find them milder than escarole or endive. Aside from juicing and salads, they can be braised or used like other greens in frittatas and quiche. Blanching the greens can reduce the bitterness. Others like them sauteed with garlic or chiles to tame the flavor.
Dandelion was a traditional spring tonic, believed to help cleanse the system and rich in iron.
Store your dandelion in a ventilated plastic bag in the refrigerator for just a few days.
At local farmers markets
Cooking demos:
9 a.m. Saturday, November 23. Chef Ron Eyester of Miller Union, working with dandelions. Morningside Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.morningsidemarket.com
10 a.m. Saturday, November 23. Chef demo by Wollery Back of Table & Main. Peachtree Road Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com
For sale
Vegetables, fruit and nuts: apple cider, apples, arugula, Asian greens, beets, broccoli, broccoli raab, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chard, chestnuts, collards, dandelion, eggplant, endive, escarole, fennel, frisee, garlic, ginger, green beans, herbs, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, okra, onions, pea shoots, pears, peppers, persimmons, popping corn, potatoes, pumpkins, radicchio, radishes, sorrel, spaghetti squash, spinach, spring onions, sweet potatoes, sweet potato greens, tomatoes, turmeric, turnips, winter squash
From local reports
Nick Oltarsh’s Dandelion Salad
Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4
Chef Nick Oltarsh of ONE.midtown suggests turning this entree salad into an appetizer by leaving out the green beans and potatoes. And if you want to use something other than chorizo, he likes chicken-jalapeno sausages as a substitute.
When possible, Oltarsh likes to use a combination of red and green dandelion. If you can’t pick yours up at your local farmers market, the Buford Highway Farmers Market generally carries organic dandelions in both red and green.
1/4 pound green beans, trimmed
1/2 pound very small new potatoes, partially peeled
2 bunches dandelion greens (about 1 pound), well rinsed, chopped and dried
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 shallot, thinly sliced
2 Mexican-style fresh chorizo sausages (about 13 ounces)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 eggs
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
In a medium saucepan, cover green beans with lightly salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium heat and simmer until beans are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from water and drain, reserving cooking water. Put beans into an ice water bath to chill them quickly, then drain and set aside in a large salad bowl.
Add potatoes to cooking water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, allow to cool and add to the green beans.
In a large bowl, toss dandelion with green beans, potatoes, almonds and shallot. Set aside.
In a large skillet, arrange chorizo and cook over medium heat, turning occasionally until sausage is completely cooked, about 5 minutes.
When chorizo is done, slice diagonally into 1-inch pieces and add to greens mixture. Add vinegar and olive oil and toss. Season to taste. Divide salad between 4 serving plates.
While chorizo is grilling, heat a nonstick skillet over low heat. Add eggs one a time, keeping each egg separate. Cook very slowly until white is cooked and yolk is still runny. Do not flip the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Place fried egg on each serving plate and serve immediately.
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