Dandelion Greens with a Kick
Dandelion greens are among the most bitter of cooking greens, so they are blanched briefly and then hit hard with garlic, chile, and anchovy to balance them. A squeeze of lemon at the end pulls the whole thing together.
- Prep10 min
- Cook15 min
- Total25 min
- Serves4
AI-generated illustration
Contains:dairyfish
Ingredients
Method
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt and the dandelion greens, and boil for 3 minutes. Blanching leaches out a good share of the bitterness that no amount of seasoning would cover.
- Drain the greens, run cold water over them until they stop steaming, and squeeze them out in handfuls. Chop them roughly.
- Warm the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-low heat, add the sliced garlic and the minced anchovy fillets, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, mashing the anchovy with a spoon until it dissolves into the oil and the garlic turns pale gold.
- Add the red pepper flakes for 20 seconds, then add the squeezed greens and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Raise the heat and toss for 4 to 5 minutes until the greens are hot through and coated in the seasoned oil.
- Off the heat, stir in the fresh lemon juice and scatter the grated Parmesan cheese over the top.
Notes
- Young spring greens are noticeably milder than the big summer bunches; skip the blanching entirely if the leaves are small and pale.
- Do not gather dandelions from lawns or roadsides that may have been sprayed or treated.
