I've been picking the backyard dandelion greens (remember: before it flowers!) and using them to fill out spring meals here and there.
The pizza blueprint:
whole wheat crust
pizza sauce
chopped up dandelion greens (not cooked first - please, I have other things to do!)
grated mozzarella
pepperoni
It was delicious.
To be clear, I am picking dandelion mostly out of laziness and defiance. Two blocks away is my beautiful farmer's market with my favorite farmers who grow organic lettuce all winter in their greenhouse and sell it for $1.50 a head. I am not making this up. Anytime you want to come visit me, email me and I will introduce you.
So the real problem I have is that I don't have a very strong motivation for figuring out how to grow greens in my backyard.
The other problem is Uncle Brandon.
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He's actually crazier than he looks.
What an interesting pizza pan you have - are those holes in it?
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of dandelion greens just today - a number of years ago my mother got me picking some and she used the greens in a nice soup - sort of an Italian Wedding soup. They were blooming at the time - I remember it, because she told me she just ate some of the flowers while she was chopping the leaves! She figured it was good for her. But why before they bloom, Margo? Do they get bitter afterward?
Yup, they get more bitter after the blooms come out.
ReplyDeleteThe pizza pan with holes is from my dear college friend. I guess it helps the heat get to the crust? I don't actually know. Part of me wants to acquire a pizza stone.
Great photos; first you made me hungry, then you made me smile :)
ReplyDeleteUncle Brandon looks as though he may be the same kind of uncle as Uncle Greg :-)
ReplyDeleteI haven't thought to try dandelion pizza- nettle topped pizza does make a regular spring appearance here though ( and I do cook the nettles first- usually a big batch that gets made into several different things).
My children's favourite dandelion dish is fritters made from the flowers. Very good, but then most things fried in batter and served with syrup are...
I love dandelion greens. I need to go out and pick some myself.
ReplyDeleteHo ho ho! Love the last picture! I understand you picking wild greens. Cultivating lettuce can be trouble with slugs, heat and drought, etc...I love growing vegetables, but lettuce I've never done well with!
ReplyDeleteWhat a yummy pizza.. Dandelion greens.. never had any? I remember on Beverly Hillbillies , that Granny would cook them..
ReplyDeleteLove your uncles photos.. brought a smile to my face.. Family makes life so fun..
And the kids are adorable, they look like they are really enjoying the pizza..
I agree lettuce is hard to grow.. so much easier to buy from the farmers market.. I grow other stuff, but not lettuce.
Looks like a fun family feast! I've tried eating dandelion greens in the past, but never on pizza! Fabulous idea!
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