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Homegrown: Dandelion Pesto
Put this weed from your lawn onto your plate
by Annie B. Copps
We curse dandelions. We tug them out and they return in what seems like minutes. Ah yes, the invasive and pervasive pox on our carefully manicured lawns--the dandelion. I say, befriend this persistent perennial (especially the first young shoots), and if you don't treat your lawns with harmful chemicals (and I really hope you don't), cook 'em up.
For hundreds, if not thousands, of years, dandelion greens have been known for their medicinal properties, consumed for everything from certain liver problems to eczema and various kidney disorders. They're rich in vitamins A, B, C, and D, plus a wide variety of minerals and other beneficial nutrients.
I first experimented with a traditional tea, but I didn't care for the bitter flavor or the tannic mouth feel. Dandelion wine was fun, but the yeast and the brewing and the bottling was all too much work--and the dandelions were piling up. Instead, these greens need just a few savory friends to coax out their earthy loveliness.
The answer is pesto: the traditional Italian basil-based paste. Most pestos get stirred into cooked pasta, but this version is also very versatile. It's terrific topping a smear of goat cheese on crackers, or spread on sandwiches, or as a layer for pizza with fresh mozzarella.
So mix up a big batch of our dandelion pesto--it's easy. Freeze the extra in small jars or an ice-cube tray, and come winter, you'll long for a front yard dotted with those tenacious "weeds."
RECIPES
Reader Comments
Comment from didi emmons on May 5, 2009
Don't know if you are reading these comments Annie, but this recipe is a fab idea! I will try it, and possibly put it in a cookbook I am writing now about my friend Eva Sommaripa, since many of the recipes are about weeds and foraging. Hope you are well. Didi Emmons
Comment from didi emmons on May 5, 2009
PS - will ask you before I put it in and of course give you and author of recipe credit
Comment from Kimberly Chaires on May 6, 2009
I can't wait to try this!!
Comment from Nancy Errico on May 20, 2009
Here's recipe my family has enjoyed for years from my Sicilian grandmother.
Dandelion and Anchovy Salad
Mash a small glove of garlic with mortar and pestle - drain oil of a can of anchovies over your bowl of dandelion. Add anchovies to garlic and mash - add red wine vinegar and mix thoroughly. According to your taste add more oil to the dandelions (extra virgin of course). Pour red wine vinegar mixture into dandelions and oil and toss!
If you love anchovies and dandelions this is the salad for you!
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