Dandelion greens, like all greens, love fat. Their robust bitterness and peppery undertones are muted, to some degree, by the liquid smoothness of unrefined olive oil or – even better – the smokiness of a good quality bacon fat, free of added nitrates and nitrites and produced from hogs raised outdoors and under a vibrant sun. The strong flavor of the greens also pairs well with the sweet spice of toasted mustard seed.

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4 cups

Dandelion Greens Recipe

Bitter dandelion greens are sauteed in grass-fed ghee and bacon fat and topped with toasted mustard seed for a simple, spring-time sidedish.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon whole mustard seed
2 teaspoon ghee
4 ounces bacon (chopped)
1 small shallot (coarsley chopped)
1 pound young dandelion greens (rinsed well and coarsely chopped, if needed)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Instructions

Place a cast iron or stainless steel skillet over a high flame and toss in mustard seeds, toasting gently until they release their fragrance – about two minutes. Transfer mustard seed to a bowl or dish to cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Reduce the heat to medium and spoon one teaspoon butter into the skillet, allowing it to melt until it begins to froth. Add chopped bacon to the butter and fry it until crisped and its fat rendered. Transfer the bacon to the dish holding your toasted mustard seed. Toss chopped shallot into the rendered bacon fat and fry until fragrant and softened, about three minutes.
Stir in dandelion greens into the chopped shallot and bacon fat, and immediately turn off the heat as the greens will wilt in the skillet’s residual heat. Pour in two teaspoons red wine vinegar and continue stirring the greens until wilted to your liking. Transfer to a serving dish and dress with toasted mustard seed and crisped bacon.

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