Dandelion Salad (Regratova solata)
Wild-food foraging is a very popular activity in Slovenia, and dandelions, the first fresh greens of spring, rank extremely high on the list of foraged foods. My dad always carries a pocket knife and a bag around precisely for this purpose. Our dandelions always end up in a salad with pumpkin seed oil dressing.
In English, the word dandelion comes from the French word 'dent de lion', which means lion's tooth. The name is unsurprising given the rough and jagged shape of the leaves. There are also some very cool stories involving dandelions. For example, according to Greek mythology, the goddess of witchcraft and magic, Hecate, fed Theseus dandelions for thirty days so that he had enough strength for his fight with the minotaur.
Recipe
Ingredients:
500 g fresh dandelions
400 g potatoes
4 eggs
150 g bacon (optional)
3 tbsppumpkin seed oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt, pepper to taste
Tip: when it is not dandelion season, you can replace dandelions with mixed salad leaves.
Instructions:
My husband foraging dandelions for the first time.
Dandelions are best harvested until the blossoms open, after which the leaves become bitter. Pick them at a spot that is not close to the road or fertilized with agricultural chemicals.
Angle your knife down into the soil below the rosette, and sever the crown where it joins the root. Pull the entire rosette from the ground and shake it free of dirt.
Swish the greens around in a deep pan through several changes of water. Chop the dandelions.
Peel the potatoes and cook them for about 25 minutes until they are completely done.
Put eggs into cold water and bring to a boil. Let boil for precisely 8 minutes and then move them into cold water.
In a pan, fry diced bacon until it is crisp (if using bacon).
Slice the potatoes on top of the dandelions. Add pumpkin seed oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and toss.
Slice the egg on top and sprinkle with fried bacon if you are using it. With this the salad is ready to be served.