Dandelion Green Salad
This is something my grandma made every summer. The greens were foraged out of her big yard. The first bite was shockingly bitter, every after bite a tribute to the beauty of simple flavors.
Years after she passed, and that lovely memory was lost, I had a similar salad in China, with soy sauce replacing the salt and pepper. It made me wonder what came first, the chicken or the egg. Did Marco Polo bring the recipe with him from Italy or take it back when he left the Middle Kingdom?
I came back to it not so long after, when I was looking for Passover recipes. Dandelions are regularly part of a Seder, often being prepared in the same fashion as my grandmothers Sunday salad. It seems what some would call a weed, has brought flavor to feasts the world over.
- 1 lg bunch dandelion greens, torn
- 1/2 tsp coarse ground sea salt
- 1/4 tsp coarse ground black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, squeezed, seeds removed
- 1/4 cup Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- optional - 1/2 tsp Midwestern Garden Radish, instead of salt and pepper
In a large bowl, toss all ingredients together. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour in a cool but not refrigerated spot.
More Simple Salads:
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Shanghai cucumber salad - 拍黃瓜
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Salata Therini - Greek Summer Salad
-
Baked Potato Salad
-
Orange, Fennel and Spinach Salad
Photo Credit: Julie Cecchini
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