| 21 May 2009
The Dandelion! Loved by children, hated by landscapers and ingested by some. That's where I come in. I'm going to give you a quick run down of three of the most common uses for this amazing plant. If you want to get some more background on Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) the wikipedia page has some decent info. If you plan to start eating weeds at least get them from someplace you know has not been treated with chemicals, and please make sure you have the right species. Keep in mind that Dandelions are a diuretic (meaning then make you pee more often) I've never noticed and difference I just thought I would mention it.
Leaves:
Dandelion leaves are best if picked early in the spring before the flower has emerged. The leaves are sweeter and less bitter at this point, if you plan to eat them raw this is the best time to harvest. If you're like me, by the time you get around to harvesting the flowers are open and mocking you like a hundred yellow smiley emoticons. (Don't worry, you'll get the last laugh on those little yellow bastards.) Harvest a ton of leaves! I fill a grocery bag whenever i get them because they cook down a lot. Take your harvest inside and wash it off in a colander to remove and dirt or bugs then boil them for around 10 minutes then drain. Some people recommend changing the water once to remove more of the bitterness but I find this unnecessary. When done the leaves will taste very similar to cooked spinach. I just did a batch today and mixed some of the cooked greens into a batch of chili and it was fantastic.
Flowers:
The flowers of Dandelions make excellent fritters but I would caution you that pretty much anything deep fried tastes great at first. Simply pick the open flowers off the stem and bring them to the kitchen. Harvesting should be done mid-afternoon on a sunny day so that the flowers are all the way open. Heat up enough oil to fry with. I like to make the oil around 2 inches deep. Mix a combination of one part corn meal, one part flour, one egg and enough milk to make it look like pancake batter. Dunk the flowers into the batter and drop into the hot oil. Cook until golden brown on each side (flip as needed) and set them on a paper towel to drain. If sweets are your thing then sprinkle powdered sugar on the fritters while they are still hot. If you want something savory go with garlic salt or Adobo.
Roots:
This is by far the most difficult part of the plant to harvest and the taste doesn't do much for me, but some people love it so I'll mention it anyway. 
Dandelion root has been used to make a tea and as a "coffee substitute" for many years. Based on my experience it is hardly a substitute for coffee. The root of a Dandelion sticks straight down and breaks off easily so you'll have to dig down around the base of the stem to get at it. Collect as many roots as you like, I would recommend about ten roots, each about the size of your little finger, after all you can always get more.
By this point you're probably thinking about stopping in to Starbuck's and dropping $2 for a real cup of joe. Well go right ahead, you'll need the energy because there's plenty left to do!
Scrub the dirt off the roots and throw them in the food processor until then are chopped into pea-sized pieces. Now spread that onto a cookie sheet and bake at 250 degrees for about 2 hours. Keep stirring the roots so they dry and roast evenly. When the roots are roasted (dark and dry) let them cool and treat them like coffee. I made mine in a French press using around 1 tablespoon of root to one cup of water. The flavor is unique... it's bitter and oddly a bit sweet due to a chemical called Inulin. I can see the appeal but I'm not giving up coffee quite yet.
Dandelions are high in vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and calcium and have been used as both food and medicine for hundreds of years. People have claimed that they can cure everything from acid reflux to liver damage to diabetes. I'm not sure about that but I highly recommend you give them a try. Start eating your lawn today!
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