Dandelion Salad (Regratova solata)
Wild-food foraging is a popular activity in Slovenia, and dandelions—the first fresh greens of spring—rank 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 dent de lion, meaning "lion’s tooth." The name is unsurprising, given the rough and jagged shape of the leaves. There are also some fascinating stories involving dandelions. According to Greek mythology, for example, the goddess of witchcraft and magic, Hecate, fed Theseus dandelions for thirty days so he’d have the strength to face the Minotaur.
Recipe
Ingredients:
500 g fresh dandelions
400 g potatoes
4 eggs
150 g bacon (optional)
3 tbsp pumpkin 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 before the blossoms open—after that, the leaves turn bitter. Be sure to pick them away from roadsides and areas treated with agricultural chemicals.
Angle your knife into the soil below the rosette and cut the crown where it joins the root. Pull the entire rosette from the ground and shake off any dirt.
Rinse the greens thoroughly in a deep pan, swishing them through several changes of water. Then chop the dandelions.
Peel the potatoes and cook them in salted water for about 25 minutes, until fully tender.
Put eggs into cold water and bring to a boil. Let boil for precisely 8 minutes and then move them into cold water.
If using bacon, dice it and fry in a pan until crisp.
Slice the cooked potatoes over the chopped dandelions. Add pumpkin seed oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, then toss everything together.
Slice the egg on top and sprinkle with the crispy bacon, if using. The salad is ready to serve.