Dandelion Salad

This is Pennsylvania Dutch cooking at its most resourceful. Young dandelion greens picked before the plant flowers, topped with crispy bacon bits, then dressed with a hot, creamy, sweet-sour custard poured piping hot right over the leaves. The heat wilts the greens just enough to tame their bite.

The warm dressing is what makes this salad legendary in Dutch Country. Beaten eggs mixed with vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper get stirred into warmed butter and cream over increasing heat until they thicken into a silky custard. Pour it hot and toss fast.

Timing matters. The dandelion greens should be sitting in a warm bowl, not cold from the fridge. A warm bowl keeps the dressing from seizing up the moment it hits the greens.

Chef Tips

• Pick dandelion greens before the plant flowers. Once those yellow blossoms appear, the leaves turn bitter and tough.
• Wash them like lettuce, in several changes of water. Dandelions grow close to the ground and hold grit in their leaves.
• Stir the dressing constantly as it thickens. Egg-based custard dressings scramble if you let them sit on the heat.
• Serve immediately. This is not a make-ahead salad. The dressing thickens and the greens wilt further as it sits.

Variations

• Use young spinach or arugula if dandelion greens aren’t available, though the flavor won’t be the same.
• Add a handful of chopped hard-boiled eggs on top for a more substantial salad.
• Toss in sliced radishes for crunch and a peppery bite.