Like it or not, one of the harbingers of spring in Kansas City is the dogged dandelion. If you’re one of those “meticulous lawn” types, well, this article may not be for you. For the rest of us, those hungry for something fresh—dandelions might just be the first sign of local life and gustatory excitement we get. When harvested young, bittersweet dandelion greens can be delicious.
Let me say first that you should not eat dandelions from areas that have been treated with herbicides. So if you don’t know the provenance of that little mound of toothed greens, move on. I only eat those that occur in my garden, both those that happen naturally, and those that I have planted intentionally. Yes, I grow dandelions— a “cultivated” variety of this pesky weed specifically grown for eating (seeds ordered from growitalian.com). Supposedly, the cultivated ones taste better. In truth, they may be a little milder in flavor, but I mostly enjoy their reliability. Besides, it’s not a weed if I planted it there, which allows this potentially invasive nuisance to live in harmony with my control issues. When I find the occasional random dandelion in the vegetable garden, I dig it up and toss it in with my next soup, salad or batch of braised greens. Problem avoided.
For those who don’t grow or have access to untainted dandelions, they are frequently available in grocery stores, especially natural or health-food stores like Whole Foods. You may notice that the dandelions you find behind the vegetable counter are a little different from those peeking up out of your sidewalk, and there is a slight difference. Although called dandelions, they are technically dandelion chicory (different species, same plant family), and they taste the same as the sweetest—relatively speaking—wild dandelions to come up in the cool weather of spring. The cultivated dandelion chicory is larger leaved, saw-toothed, and comes in both red and white ribbed types. They are interchangeable with wild dandelions for all practical culinary purposes.
The chief obstacle to instantly loving the dandelion is its bitterness. I adore all manner of bitter foods: greens, espresso, Campari, grapefruit, IPA beer, and artichokes, just to name a few. Not everyone shares my appreciation of this taste. Although the American aversion to bitterness in foods has changed considerably over the past two decades, there is still a ways to go before people are fighting for the first dandelions sprouting up in the neighborhood. The best way to adjust to dandelion’s bitter flavor is to balance it with other flavors like smoke, salt, acidity, or sweetness. In the following recipe, their bitterness is paired with rich and salty smoked pork shanks and the earthy caress of new potatoes. This spring when you run across unintended dandelions in your garden do what I do—get your revenge and eat them.
Dandelions Braised with Smoked Pork and New Potatoes
This recipe should be larger than necessary for one meal, because you’ll want to have leftovers, either for the following day or maybe for your freezer. If you don’t have dandelions, feel free to substitute another bitter green, such as any of the members of the chicory/radicchio family or a mixture of any type of greens. Begin by roughly chopping three to four large bunches of dandelion greens including the stems into one-inch pieces. In a large oven-proof pot, heat a generous glug of extra-virgin olive oil. Peel and lightly crush 6-8 cloves of garlic and add them to the oil, lightly browning them on each side. Add a few dried or fresh hot peppers and lightly brown them as well to accentuate their flavor. Add the chopped greens and stir occasionally until the greens are wilted. While the greens wilt, peel about two pounds of new potatoes and add them to the pot—if you have freshly dug new potatoes, there is no need to peel them, just wash them thoroughly. To the pot, add a smoked pork shank or two—one will be enough for three to four servings. (Other smoked meats like smoked sausages or pork chops could be substituted but will take less time to cook and should be added about 45 minutes later in the cooking process). Nestle the potatoes in with the greens around the pork. Add enough stock or water to almost cover the shank. Season the pot lightly with salt, bring to a simmer, and cover. Place the pot in a 350°F oven and cook for about two hours. If you like a less brothy dish, remove the cover for the second hour of cooking. Just remember to occasionally stir the mixture and roll the shank so that nothing dries too much on the surface. At the end of about two hours, taste the liquid, adjusting salt and red pepper if necessary. Remove the meat from the shank bone and discard the bones. Serve a few chunks of the meat with a generous amount of greens and potatoes—the meat is delicious but will seem inconsequential next to the silken dandelion greens and potatoes which have absorbed the smoky unctuousness from pork, a hint of bitterness from the greens and a spark of heat and salt. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil if you feel like you need it, but honestly that’s just gilding the lily, or in this case, the dandelion.
In Your Pantry
Balancing Bitter
Bitterness in food is not necessarily bad, just frequently out of proportion to other flavors. Think of black coffee or cocoa powder and what just a little cream and sugar can do to those—they metamorphose into a comforting morning latte or delicious chocolate ganache. Bitter just needs to be balanced with other flavors like salinity, acidity, smoke, richness, or sweetness. Here are some useful tools to help tweak your next bitter bite.
Maldon Smoked Salt
You may be familiar with the delightful flaky crystals of Maldon sea salt, but there is also a version that has been cold-smoked over hardwood embers. Smoked salt is a great way to bring the warm mellow flavors of the outdoors to a dish when you just don’t want to fire up the grill. Other sources of smoke include smoked meats (bacon!), cheeses, and fish, or liquid smoke.
Pepper Vinegar
A Southern staple, pepper vinegar is a classic accompaniment to down-home comfort food. A generous dash of its bright acidity and punch of heat partners beautifully with bittersweet greens like collards, kale, and dandelion. It’s also great for brightening up a bowl of brown beans or fried potatoes. Known regionally as “pepper sauce,” make your own by pouring boiling hot apple-cider vinegar over any kind of spicy peppers and letting them steep for a day or two.
Roasted Walnut Oil
Those accustomed to dressing salads with olive oil will be intrigued by the warm, nutty nuances of this oil. Loaded with health benefits, walnut oil is a lovely accompaniment to salads with cheeses or sharp flavors that would benefit from additional complexity. Great for adding deeper, richer umami notes to vegetarian or vegan dishes, it will be perfect the next time you want to give your salad a touch of that “je ne sais quois” to keep your guests guessing.