EDIBLE PLANTS

Welcome to Edible Plants!

Dandelion

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

The success this plant has had in it's almost worldwide distribution is not only due to it's incredible ability to propogate itself, and grow in the most difficult places, but also because of human encouragement. The dandelion has been valued throughout history for it's culinary and medicinal virtues. There are no shortage of interesting recipes from many nations around the globe. However the dandelions virtues of proliferation and distinct taste are also loathed by many who only see a weed or find the taste too bitter to be palatable. The dandelion's 'weed' status has meant that for most people, planting this to eat is out of the question. It has been noted that if a sterile or seedles form was ever found, it would become extremely popular.

There are many varieties of dandelion which include the rare californian dandelion, the rubber producing russian dandelion and the white japanese dandelion. However the common dandelion Taraxacum officinale is said to be far superior to the rest in taste. It's probably worth noting that the Japanese don't eat their native white dandelion but eat the common dandelion instead. Due to it's culinary popularity the common dandelion has now become a weed in Japan too. Perhaps some tasty Japanese cooking and extra soy sauce would be better than any weedkiller.

Dandelion Health Benefits

Dandelions have long been noted for their health virtues. They are considered edible, nutritious and relatively easy to identify. They have been in use for many centuries dating back to the time of the Romans, who themselves are said to have been introduced to them by the Celts. The dandelion went on to be cultivated in monastic herb gardens and eventually found it's way into modern day health and supplement stores. Recent studies have shown that it has anti cancer properties, is high in vitamin C and pottasium, and is a digestive stimulant, and a useful diuretic.

Here are the results from in depth nutritional analysis of the leaves; 100g of the raw leaves can contain

Note: Blanching the leaves, to improve the taste, (by excluding light from the growing plant), unfortunately also reduces the vitamin and mineral content.

Dandelion's other names

Taraxacum vulgare, Schrank, Leotodon taraxacum, Swine's Snout, pisacan, soffione, Pusteblume, mlecz, dmuchawiec, butter flower, worm rose, Blowball, Canker Wort, Irish Daisy, Lion's Tooth, Puffball, Wild Endive, Chiang Nou Ts'Ao, Chin Tsan Ts'Ao, Common Dandelion, Diente De Leon, Gewone Paardebloem, Hindiba Berri, Huang Hua Ti Ting, Kara Hindiba, Khas Berri, Kou Ju Ts'Ao, Lion's Tooth, Maitiainen, P'O Kung Ying, P'U Kung Ying, Pissenlit, Priest's Crown, Pu Gong Ying, Seiyo-Tanpopo.

Growing Dandelions - Cultivation tips!

They are considered a weed by many and sure enough turn your back in spring and they will be everywhere. Growing them is sometimes too easy, but growing them to give you the biggest tastiest leaves requires a touch more attention.

Blanching - If you cut the leaves off then cover your dandelions with a pot so that no light can get to it, then leave it for a few weeks to a month, you will find a load of tender white blanched dandelion leaves waiting for you to take into the kitchen.

Improving your crop - If you take a prize specimen, ie the dandelion that gives you the biggest fattest tastiest leaves, and site it in a deep soil, manure and water it well and you will end up with a huge plant. Keeping it well watered seems to result in less bitterness. If you keep pinching off the flower heads to stop it going to seed your prize dandelion will be around for quite a while.

Winter Greens - Dandelion leaves can sometimes be found in the winter. They also lose much of there bitterness in the cold months.

Cultivars

Here are some recommended cultivated dandelion varieties, for the real connoisseurs (info from Plants for a future online database)

'Amélioré à Coeur Plein' - A very distinct cultivar, surpassing the wild plant not so much in size as in the very great number of leaves, which form a regular tuft or clump, instead of a plain rosette. It yields a very abundant crop without taking up much ground, and blanches very easily, and indeed, almost naturally.

'Broad Leaved' - The plant has large broad dark green leaves, more deeply lobed along the axis of the leaf than the wild form. The leaves are thick and tender. Plants are semi-erect in habit, and the leaves are easily blanched. In rich soils they can be 60cm wide. Plants do not go to seed as quickly as French types.

'Vert de Montmagny'- This form has large long dark green leaves, well lobed and denticulated. They may be blanched or not. Vigorous and productive plants, they are best sown in early spring or autumn.

Hazards associated with Dandelions.

This plant has been mentioned in some books on poisonous plants but any possible toxins will be of very low concentration and toxicity. There are reports that some people have suffered dermatitis as a result of touching the plant. There are also some recommendations that you should consult a doctor before consuming this plant if you have diabetes, gall bladder problems, take blood thinning drugs (anticoagulents), or take diuretics.

Because the dandelion is often considered a weed, extra care should be taken to make sure any dandelions you have gathered to eat haven't just been sprayed with weedkiller.

Identifying the Dandelion

The dandelion may be confused with catsears (Hypochaeris) hawksbeards (Crepis) and hawksweeds (Hyeracium) as the flower and leaf can appear to be slightly similiar. However the flower stem is the most obvious distinuishing feature on a Dandelion which has a hollow, smooth, single stem for each flower. On similiar species the stem is solid and branched often with hairs or leaflets upon it. Thankfully none of these species are considered poisonous, however always positively identify any plant before use.

Dandelion Recipes

Similiar to Chicory and Endive in taste. The younger whiter leaves and plants tend to be tastier whereas older plants can be unusually bitter and need steeping in water overnight or boiling to be made palatable. Flowers and flower buds can also be used and have been added to salads and used to make wine. The roots have been roasted and ground and used as a coffee substitute, or boiled and roasted as a tasty vegetable.

Recipe from Japan - Chop the scrubbed roots into thin rings. Saute these in vegetable oil, using about one tablespoonfull of oil to one cup of chopped roots. Then add a small amount of water, a little salt then cover the pan. Stew until the roots are soft and most of the moisture and added water have evaporated. Finally add a dash of soy sauce. (from Food For Free by Richard Mabey)

Quick Salad - Roughly chopped leaves, olive oil lemon juice and a trace of garlic, salt and black pepper. (from Food For Free by Richard Mabey)

Prikalida Me Rapania (Dandelion and Radish Salad From Greece) - 30 young dandelion leaves, washed and chopped 1/2 a large cos lettuce, finely shredded 12 red radishes, thinley sliced 4-5 spring onions, thinly sliced 3 large tomatoes halved and thinly sliced 10-12 black olives small bunch watercress, chopped 90 ml (6 table spoons)olive oil juice of 1 lemon 10 ml (2 teaspoons) salt 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon paprika 15ml (1 tablespoon) finely chopped fresh dill or 5 ml (1 teaspoon) dried dillweed Place all ingredients in a large salad bowl and toss well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (from Classic Vegetable Cookery by Arto de Haroutunian)

Salad de Pissenlit - Take a bowl full of young tender dandelion leaves (or blanched dandelion leaves), drizzle a light dressing of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Then garnish with a sprinkling of finely chopped chives, and parsely.

Dandelion Nitsuke - Pick dandelions while the leaves are still tender and before the flowers bloom. 225g (1/2 lb) dandelion greens, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 3 tablespoons shoyu or 1 tablespoon miso, thinned with 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, toasted and chopped, Wash the greens well and chop finely. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet, add the chopped greens and saute over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes. Season with shoyu or thinned miso and simmer until dry. Use sparingly as a garnish with rice. - a traditional remedy for arthiritis. (From the Art of Just Cooking by Lima Ohsawa) Steam the dandelion leaves and mix with roasted sesame seeds that have been seasoned with soy sauce.

Dynamic Detox - This drink is good to detox your system. Because it uses dandelion it will flush the toxins from your system but retain many of the minerals that are often lost during a detox. This is due to the naturally high mineral content of the impressive dandelion. 8 Dandelion leaves, torn into pieces, 1 Cup of boiling water, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons honey, Put the dandelions in a cup and cover with boiling water. Leave to infuse for 4 minutes then lift out the leaves. Stir in the lemon juice and honey and serve. Makes 1 cup

Other Related Plants

Can't find what you're looking for?