Eating dandelions by the root... what a funny idea you might say!
Few of us, sticking to the pictorial meaning of the thing, would be in a hurry to venture there ^^
The dandelion's root system is quite developed, the largest being able to have roots plunging up to more than a meter underground... hence the expression mentioned above.
But the dandelion is also a gold mine for the cook gardener, because everything is eaten in this plant, from the flower to the root, passing through the leaves. Dandelion is rich in iron, minerals like potassium, manganese, full of vitamins B, C, D and K.
Dandelion roots are similar to salsify, they can be eaten raw or cooked. The taste is slightly bitter, more pronounced raw than cooked. In the past, our grandmothers used it like chicory, to flavor coffee.
Dandelion buds also make excellent condiments in vinegar, like capers, like daisies... Dandelion is known by several names: lion's tooth, mole salad... but did you know that is it its diuretic action that gave it its name?
"Pisse-en-lit", everything is said!
Dandelion also has a digestive action, it promotes the production of bile, a bit like artichokes. Our grandmothers dried them and prepared digestive infusions.
Everyone knows the dandelion salad with bacon bits and poached egg... connoisseurs also appreciate the dandelion flower jelly, otherwise known as cramaillotte... But few have started cooking with the roots of the yellow asteraceae.
For the recipe of the day, I went with the idea of a slightly bitter, lukewarm salad, with hazelnut oil and honey to soften the bitterness of the dandelion root, all topped with a poached egg.
So clearly, given the work that this salad requires, it was more out of curiosity that I tested it: for a small starter, an appetizer, it's very good. You won't fill the stomachs of a whole table unless you pick kilos of dandelions... On the other hand, I really liked its taste which goes well with that of the egg.
1 - gathering :
To make this recipe, you will need to pick wild dandelions, because those sold in supermarkets do not come with the roots.
The opportunity to weed the garden and get a breath of fresh air.
Dandelion roots aren't very big, so you'll need to pick a good basket to get enough for the recipe.
Take a sturdy knife with a sharp, long blade. Take advantage of a day after rain, when the ground is very wet: picking will be greatly facilitated.
Locate your dandelions, take them by the leaves with one hand, then push the knife blade all around by plunging into the earth. Try to go as deep as possible to collect as many roots as possible. Pull firmly and gently to lift the dandelion plant out of the soil. Remove most of the soil by scraping with the knife.
Back home, you will have to clean your harvest. Keep the larger leaves to make pesto or soup. The thinner ones will serve in salads.
Cut the roots flush with the leaves and remove the finest rootlets to keep only the largest. Immerse them in vinegar water and wash several times with plenty of water to remove as much soil as possible.
2 - Ingrédients pour 2 personnes :
1 bowl of dandelion roots
1 small onion
1 tablespoon of hazelnut oil (that of my partner Huilerie Richard)
1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 teaspoon of wine vinegar
30g butter
salt and pepper
2 extra fresh eggs
1 packet of coarse salt
3 - Préparation :
Once the roots have been thoroughly cleaned of the earth, put them in a cloth with coarse salt. Rub vigorously to scrape the skin and remove as much as possible.
Rinse one last time, then heat a pan of salted water.
Cut the roots into cubes, then cook them for 20 minutes. Drain and rinse. Let cool. Book.
Prepare the poached eggs: heat a pan of water with vinegar. Once the water is boiling, lower the heat and keep simmering.
Crack each egg into a glass. Using the tail of a spoon, form a whirlpool in the simmering water. Slide in an egg, continue to maintain the swirl, and cook for 2-3 minutes depending on the size of the egg. The egg must be well wrapped in the white and remain flowing inside.
Take the egg out of the pan and plunge it into ice water to stop the cooking. Trim the filaments around the egg to get a neat egg.
Peel the onion, cut it into cubes.
Melt the butter in a skillet. Quickly fry the diced dandelion roots with the onion. Remove to a salad bowl.
Prepare a vinaigrette with honey, soy, vinegar and hazelnut oil. Add salt and pepper. Pour it over the roots, mix.
Dress your plate: Place a few roots on the plate in a circle. Lay the egg on top.
Just before serving, gently stick the tip of a knife into the egg. Press lightly on it to make a drop of egg yolk bead. Serve.
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