To many gardeners, dandelions are nothing but weeds. The perennial, which is also known as lion’s tooth due to its jagged-edged leaves, has many health benefits when eaten. It is rich in zinc, potassium and iron, and contains vitamins A, B complex, C and D. Dandelions are used to promote liver, gallbladder and digestive health; they have a mild diuretic effect, and they stimulate your appetite. Eat dandelions raw or cooked.
Step One
Harvest dandelion leaves from a yard that is free of pesticides and herbicides. Look for dandelions in tall, well-watered, grassy areas. Gather only dandelions from which the bud has not bloomed because young dandelion leaves are less bitter. As soon as the leaves sprout out of the ground they are good for harvesting.
Step Two
Wash the dandelion leaves thoroughly with cold water to remove all sand, dirt and grit.
Step Three
Chop the greens into 1-inch pieces or leave them whole. Place them in a deep pot. Use a similar pot as you would use to cook potatoes.
Step Four
Add enough boiling water to the pot so the leaves can be submerged. Aim to have approximately 1 inch of water over the greens. Use a spoon to keep the leaves under the water. Boil the greens for three minutes.
Step Five
Fish a leaf from the water and taste it. If the taste is too bitter for your liking, cook the greens for another five minutes. Taste another leaf and if it is still bitter, use a fresh pot of water and boil the greens for another three to five minutes. Boiling the greens removes the bitterness. To dilute the bitterness, you can also add dandelion bloom buds to the pot the second time around. The bloom bud is the round, center part of the dandelion plant that grows to turn into the flower.
Step Six
Drain the liquid from the greens. Add salt to the greens according to taste and serve them hot with a dollop of butter. Your cooked dandelion leaves will have a dark green appearance, similar to endive.
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