Dandelion with potato, cannellini beans and tahini
getting to know an under-used green....
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The other day, I cheated on kale with dandelion. I had the best of intentions. As I trod the familiar path towards the expansive kale bin, my eyes locked with the spiky, red tipped bunches up above, and, in a moment of abandon, I reached up instead of down. Dandelion came home with me, and I think this is the start of a happy relationship.
Where kale is reliable and affable, dandelion needs a bit more attention. When cooked, it becomes bitter, and while this sharpness can be pleasant, it’s a detail that must be considered when incorporating into a recipe. Its leaves also retain some chew and robustness after cooking, providing a textural element to a dish.
Many dandelion recipes call for a quick braise with garlic, salt, olive oil. Further digging uncovered a recipe for dandelion colcannon on NYT Cooking and then a few Palestinian dishes where it is served with tahini. My recipe this week is something of a mashup between the two.
Starchy potatoes provide a hearty, mellow backdrop, ready to receive the garlicky bitter greens. Creamy cannellini beans are a further counter to the bitterness. The tahini sauce is the knockout punch in this recipe - it is nutty, earthy and bright from the lemon. In this recipe, dandelion’s bitterness is a welcome addition, an antidote to the heft of the potatoes.
Dandelion greens are abundant and tender during the early spring months (late March/early April in the northern hemisphere). There are green leaves and others with deep red stems and veins - they taste the same and can be used interchangeably. And for those who can’t get dandelion, simply substitute with kale, rocket (arugula), chard, collard greens, spinach or silverbeet (Australia).
Dandelion or not, I implore you to try this recipe. It’s so good, I am slightly smug about it.
Dandelion greens are most abundant and tender during the early spring months (late March/early April in the northern hemisphere). There are green leaves and others with deep red stems and veins - they taste the same and can be used interchangeably. And for those who can’t get dandelion, simply substitute with kale, chard, collard greens, spinach or silverbeet (Australia).
Greens are the basis of so many weeknight meals in my house. Here’s a few of my faves from around the web. All NYT Cooking recipes have gift links:
Monday: Spanakorizo with eggs (or without eggs if it’s not on the budget these days). Add some chickpeas for extra density
Tuesday: Charred Bok Choy and cannellini bean salad
Wednesday: Crispy gnocchi with spinach and feta
Thursday: Easy one-pot spinach, feta and dill pasta
Friday: Spinach and chickpea curry with paneer
🥦 My cookbook, Tenderheart is for cooking vegetables, all year round. Pick up your copy here. It is also mostly vegan (or vegan-izable) and gluten-free adaptable.
Dandelion with potato, cannellini beans and tahini
© Hetty Lui McKinnon for To Vegetables, With Love.
Can’t get hold of dandelion greens? See substitutions below.
Serves 4
650g (7 ounces) starchy Potatoes such as russet, or sebago, scrubbed and cut into 2 to 3cm (1-inch) chunks
1/4 cup tahini
1 lemon, halved, or more to serve
salt and black pepper
1 bunch (175g / 6 ounces) dandelion greens, washed (I used red dandelion)
extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 brown / yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 can (400g / 14 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Handful chopped mint, coriander/cilantro or parsley
Substitutions
Dandelion: kale, chard, arugula/rocket, collard greens, spinach or silverbeet (Australia)
Tahini: smooth peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, cashew butter
Onion: leek
Cannellini beans: butter beans, chickpeas
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, 15 to 17 minutes. Drain and then return the potato to the pot.
Meanwhile, place the tahini in a bowl and add 4 tablespoons of water and the juice of half lemon. Season well with salt and black pepper and whisk to combine. The sauce should be thick yet pourable, so if it is too thick, add a splash more water. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more lemon juice if you’d like it brighter.
Slice the dandelion greens, stems and all - you should get about 3 cups.
Heat a large skillet on medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the onion and cook until softened and starting to caramelize, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the dandelion greens, garlic and season with salt and black pepper and toss until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Drizzle the potatoes with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil and season well with salt and black pepper. Using a fork, toss and stir the potatoes, mashing them a little, until you have a very chunky mash. You want a mix of mashed and large chunks of potato.
Transfer the potatoes to a large serving dish, spreading them out across the surface. Top with the cannellini beans and dandelion greens and pour the tahini sauce evenly on top. Season with salt and black pepper, squeeze over the juice of the remaining half lemon, drizzle with olive oil and scatter over the herbs.
Wow, you read my mind! I got dandelion greens in my CSA last week and have been putting off cooking them. Excited to give this a try
Made this tonight (with kale) and it was delightful. Definitely going into the rotation.