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  • From: su do <speakingbeareturns@yahoo.com>
  • To: Healthy soil and sustainable growing <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] Dandelion article
  • Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2008 07:22:08 -0700 (PDT)

> Eating Dandelions, a Wish Come True
>
> By Melissa Breyer, Senior Editor, Care2 Green Living
>
> Pity the American dandelion. In countries across the
world the
dandelion is considered a
> delicious vegetable and is consumed with love, and
dandelion has
been used for medicinal
> purposes for centuries. In America, it is most often
cursed as an
irksome weed and is
> pulled, poisoned and otherwise generally maligned.
>
> SIMPLE SOLUTION: Fortunately, dandelions do have a
small and very
allegiant cadre of
> fans here in the States. Along with traditional
eaters, a new group
of greenmarket
> enthusiasts, and those interested in foraging and
wild greens are
taking a shine to
> dandelions. And for good reason. They are delicious,
and hugely healthy.
>
> Nutritionally, dandelion greens and roots are chock
full of
vitamins, minerals and
> antioxidants. They are one of the most nutritionally
dense greens
you can eat. Along with
> the punch of nutrition, they have many medicinal
qualities as well.
They are potassium-
> rich and have a strong diuretic quality, as well as
efficacy as a
blood detoxifier and good
> for the liver. They have long been used to treat
digestive disorders
and to treat arthritis
> and eczema.
>
> Dandelion greens have a reputation for bitterness,
but they are
nicely so, and the
> bitterness is balanced by a lovely spiciness similar
to arugula.
Mature greens can get
> pretty bitter, but this can be tamed by blanching
them.
>
> The time to harvest dandelion greens is early in the
spring, when
they are their youngest
> and before they flower. They can be harvested again
in late fall as
they loose some of their
> bitterness after a frost. Look for young dandelions
growing in rich,
moist soil, making sure
> not to forage close to roads (they can accumulate
pollution) or from
areas that have been
> treated with garden chemicals. For a special treat,
get out early in
spring and look for the
> crown, which is the cluster of new buds that sits
above the taproot.
These are the
> tenderest, sweetest parts of the plant.
>
> Young dandelion greens are tender and delicious
served raw in salads
or sandwiches. If
> you use the greens that have been harvested after
the plant has
flowered, you can blanche
> them in water to remove the bitterness; dump the
bitter water, and
blanche them again.
> You will loose a lot of vitamins this way, but there
are still
plenty of beneficial nutrients
> left. Use sautéed or steamed dandelion greens as
you would any
other greens.
> Dandelion root can by ground and used as a
substitute for coffee,
and dandelion flowers
> can be used in recipes and for garnish.
>



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