Weeds, Take Two

The leftover dandelions were calling to me from the crisper drawer in the fridge, so I decided to sauté what was left, hoping they'd become a little less bitter. Well, I was wrong...so I added chili, garlic, pasta, and Parmesan to try to balance the flavor. It was still bitter, but scattered throughout pasta, the flavor was definitely manageable and actually kind of interesting. Once again, I think dandelions are probably better as a side dish.

And you know, maybe I take back what I said in my earlier post about eating my weedy lawn if I had one...or are there other edible weeds less bitter than dandelions?

Dandelion Pasta
serves 2 (or 4 as a side)

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 cups roughly chopped dandelion greens
1 tsp. hot red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 servings cappellini pasta
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pan, heat some salted water for the pasta.

Meanwhile, in a sauté pan, gently heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, sauté for about 30 seconds, then add the dandelion greens. Cook, stirring regularly, until the greens are wilted and a dark, vibrant green. Add red pepper flakes and sea salt.

When the water's come to a boil, add cappellini and cook no more than 2 minutes (if using dry pasta, less for fresh). Drain, but reserve 1/4 cup of the water.

Add pasta and the reserved water to the greens and sauté until the water reduces. If you'd like, add an additional 1 tbsp. olive oil and toss.

Serve with the freshly grated Parmesan.

And yes, there's some chicken in the dish I photographed. Last-minute protein addition...