Turn your weeds into salted dandelions good enough to eat

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Foraging for food has a romantic quality to it. But chef Mia Wasilevich says the little weeds people pluck from their gardens are commonplace components of the world’s natural grocery: “They are the everyday greens and unsung heroes that faithfully pop up year after year. They are not the regional or exotic finds. Rather, they are the ‘salt of the earth’ staples.”

Though foraging is, by nature, a hyper-local activity, Wasilevich has suggestions that apply to wherever your hunting and gathering occurs. Her first piece of advice? Seek out an expert in your neck of the woods. “Foraging is very much an oral tradition passed from one person to another. I feel that the connection between two people — teacher-to-student, face-to-face — creates an awareness and sense of responsibility that can’t always be duplicated from learning something online or from a book,” she says. Another important lesson: Don’t take the grandmother. Responsible harvesting ensures there will be plenty of natural greens in the wild for years to come. Try her recipe featuring a common weed in California permaculture (or green, if you’re Wasilevich): the humble dandelion.

SALTED DANDELION AND PLANTAIN, TWO WAYS

At times, wild food, especially greens, can be a little bitter and sometimes tough, depending on the weather conditions and amount of water they have received. For many foragers, the most satisfying thing is to be able to adapt and use what you have. I think this preparation method lets dandelions sing. The technique is nothing new. Many Asian, Mediterranean and other cultures prepare greens in a similar way. I find this to be versatile for dandelion greens and broadleaf plantain leaves. It breaks them down enough to avoid toughness, enables them to absorb flavors, gets rid of a bit of the bitterness and still retains a wonderful texture.

Yield: Makes two servings.

Ingredients

6 cups densely-packed dandelion leaves, washed
2 cups densely-packed broadleaf plantain leaves, washed
1 heaping Tbsp sea salt
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
¼ tsp tamari
¼ tsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp pickled minced ginger
2 Tbsp roughly chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup cooked rice noodles
½ medium jalapeño, thinly sliced

Instructions

Trim off parts of the dandelion and plantain stems that will be too chewy or tough to eat. If the plantain leaves are large, cut them into manageable strips. In a medium bowl, gently massage the leaves with the salt until they shrink and turn darker green in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Then let them sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t crush the leaves and stems while you massage them — the salt, wilting time and blanching will soften them sufficiently.

Rinse the leaves well in cold water. In a medium pot over medium-high heat, bring water to a boil and blanch the greens for 3 to 4 minutes to remove the salt. Shock them in cold water to stop the cooking process and then very gently pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel. Set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a small sautè pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove the garlic from the pan and let cool. In a large bowl, combine the tamari, sesame oil, vinegar, ginger and cilantro and mix well. Fold in the noodles and greens, mixing to coat. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Top with jalapeño slices.

I personally love to make very minimalist dishes with these leaves. My favorite way to eat them is cold, dressed with the tamari, vinegar and oil and topped with the jalapeño.

Photo by Mia Wasilevich.