Herbs, Herbs, Herbs : The Ultimate Grazing Food

Exuberance is an admirable quality, but not when applied to weeds. Most weeds are useless at best, and downright ugly to boot.

But what about dandelions?

One of the world’s most easily recognized weeds, they grow just about everywhere--in open fields and lawns, along roadways, even in the cracks of sidewalks.

But not everyone thinks of dandelions as a nuisance. Rich in vitamins and minerals, they’ve been a valued source of food and medicine for thousands of years. Grown commercially in California, New Jersey, Texas and Ohio, they turn up in fine restaurants, and gourmet food lovers snap them up quickly at ethnic greengrocers and in the markets that carry them.

Every part of the plant has some benefit. The leaves may be eaten cooked or raw, the flowers fried or made into wine, the roots dried and used as a coffee substitute. The milky juice contains latex, which the Russians used as a rubber substitute during World War II.

Dandelions improve the flow and flavor of milk in cows and offer nectar to hungry honey bees in early spring, when little else is in flower. In Europe, where they are cultivated for food and beverage making, the blossoms are often displayed in floral shows.

Dandelions even help improve the soil by transporting minerals, especially calcium, to the surface, enriching it for the benefit of shallow-rooted plants.

The dandelion originated in the Mediterranean regions of Europe and Asia Minor. A sun-loving species, in the beginning it was probably restricted to a few naturally open areas on mountain slopes, along seashores or in the wake of fires, floods and glaciation. With the advance of civilization, a relationship formed akin to that of a boy and his puppy. As forests were cut down to make way for cities and farmland, the dandelion merrily tailed along.

We have given it many names along the way. The English word dandelion is a corruption of a French nickname dent-de-lion , or “tooth of the lion,” referring to its jagged leaves. Its scientific name, Taraxacum , comes from the Greek taraxos, “disorder,” and akos, “remedy.”

English apothecaries knew the plant as herba urinaria because of its diuretic effect. In less ceremonious circumstances it was referred to as pissabed. The Irish called it heart-fever grass because of its ability to ease heartburn and aid digestion. The names puffball and blow-ball remind the child in us what fun it is to blow the seeds off their stem and watch them drift away on tiny parachutes.

Not so very long ago, thousands of people died each winter from diseases now known to have been caused by vitamin deficiencies. Juice from dandelion roots, which could be obtained year round, was the treatment used by herb doctors. Early European emigrants deliberately introduced this vital part of their culture to the New World and taught Native Americans the value of a tonic tea prepared from the leaves or roots.

While doses of dandelion juice may conjure up images of folk remedies concocted in times past, the reported benefits are supported by modern science. Dandelion greens are an excellent source of vitamins A, B1 (thiamine) and C, protein, riboflavin, niacin, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium and fiber. The flowers are rich in Vitamin B.

Modern markets now supply a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables year round. Deficiency diseases such as scurvy no longer threaten the general population. So what do all those gourmet food buffs want with a common weed?

Well, dandelions are fun and versatile. They just plain taste good, even raw. For example, fresh dandelion leaves make a crisp, tangy salad, either alone or mixed with lettuce. Try a dandelion-and-cream-cheese sandwich.

The leaves may also be boiled or steamed for about five minutes and served hot in cream sauce or with a touch of butter or lemon juice. Be sure to start with enough. Dandelion, like most greens, tends to cook down.

Rinsed, rolled in flour and fried in butter, the flowers taste like mushrooms. You can also dip the blossoms in fritter batter, fry in oil and serve with syrup. Unopened dandelion buds go well in omelets.

Add lightly steamed dandelion hearts to boiled potatoes, or bake potatoes and dandelion hearts together in foil. Simmer them in stews or include some in stir-fries. Peel young roots with a potato peeler, slice thin crosswise and boil until tender, about 20 minutes, in two changes of water (this is to draw out any bitterness; add a dash of baking soda to the first water), then serve with butter and paprika.

For a caffeine-free coffee substitute, chop washed, unpeeled roots into small pieces. Roast in an oven at 180 degrees until medium brown in color and thoroughly dry, about two hours or longer. Grind in a coffee grinder or pulverize the dried roots in a mortar and use like coffee. Use slightly less dandelion root than you would coffee beans to make a brew of about the same strength. Drink it with or without sugar and cream. Store any leftovers in a tightly closed container.

Buy commercially grown dandelions at the market or pick your own for free. The best plants are found in loose soil where no lawn mower has touched them. Dandelions have no poisonous look-alikes, but some words of caution before starting: Be sure the area has not been treated with chemical weed-killers, herbicides or pesticides; also, plants growing next to heavily traveled roads may be contaminated from auto exhausts.

To harvest, choose young plants and cut them with a sharp knife one to two inches below the surface. Be sure to include the pale center, which is the heart; this white crown of unopened buds has the mildest flavor. Or dig up the whole plant, root and all. Clean thoroughly by soaking in enough water to cover. Then rinse well.

Dandelion greens are best in early spring, before the yellow flowers appear. The taste becomes increasingly bitter after the bloom. Gather a second crop in fall, after frost, when new leaves appear. Partially cooked dandelion greens may be frozen for later use.

ELIZABETH SCHNEIDER’S DANDELION-AND-GOAT-CHEESE SALAD (From “Uncommon Fruits and Vegetables”)

1 pound dandelion greens

1/4 pound soft, fresh goat cheese, cubed

1/2 cup diced red onion

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons walnut oil

1/2 teaspoon sugar

4 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts.

Wash greens well. Dry. Cut off stem bases. Cut each stalk into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle with cheese and onions.

In small, nonreactive pan combine vinegar, oil and sugar. Bring to boil. Pour over salad and toss slightly. Sprinkle with walnuts. Makes 4 servings.

DANDELION CASSEROLE

Butter

1/4 cup flour

Salt, pepper

2 cups milk

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Dash dill weed

3 cups chopped fresh dandelion greens

2 cups diced cooked chicken

4 cups thinly sliced unpeeled potatoes

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

Paprika

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and season to taste with salt and pepper. Blend in milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly. Add Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and dill weed. Remove from heat. Stir in dandelion greens and chicken.

Arrange layers of potatoes, onion and dandelion-chicken mixture in buttered 2-quart casserole. Dot top with butter. Season to taste with paprika. Cover and bake at 375 degrees 1 hour. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more or until potatoes are done. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

400 calories; 358 mg sodium; 54 mg cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 52 grams carbohydrates; 16 grams protein; 1.77 grams fiber; 34% calories from fat.

DANDELION FRITTATA

2 cups chopped fresh dandelion greens, washed

3 eggs

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Salt, pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, finely diced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

Steam dandelion greens and set aside.

Mix eggs, cheeses, nutmeg and basil. Stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in non-stick skillet. Add onion, garlic and mushrooms. Saute over medium heat until tender. Add dandelion and mix well.

Pour in egg mixture and lower heat. As frittata begins to set, gently lift edges with spatula to allow cooking of all egg mixture. Continue in this manner until frittata is fully cooked without being dry. Fold in half and slide onto serving platter. Top with additional cheeses, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

402 calories; 609 mg sodium; 223 mg cholesterol; 32 grams fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 23 grams protein; 1 gram fiber; 71% calories from fat.

DANDELION CHOWDER

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cups dandelion greens, washed and chopped

2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans condensed cream of potato soup

2 cups milk

2 teaspoons instant chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Dash ground nutmeg

2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped, optional

Heat butter in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion in melted butter just until translucent. Add dandelion greens, potato soup, milk, instant chicken broth, pepper and nutmeg.

Heat slowly, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with hard-cooked eggs. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

236 calories; 1,790 mg sodium; 32 mg cholesterol; 10 grams fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 1.6 grams fiber; 40% calories from fat.