Dandelions

While fervently waiting for the first market to open and the first spring greens to show up there, many of us could be harvesting a nutritional powerhouse from right outside our back doors. The lowly dandelion, scourge of lawn fanatics everywhere, is about ripe for the picking--at least, for those who don't use herbicides on their yards. Young leaves picked early in the season are tender and mild-flavored--perfect for salads or on sandwiches. Mature leaves tend to be bitter and are best steamed or sauteed with soy sauce or lemon juice and garlic. Either way, dandelion greens are one of the most vitamin-rich foods on the planet, packed with potassium and Vitamins A and D. Use them as soon after picking (or purchasing) as possible; otherwise store them in the fridge with the stem ends in a glass with a bit of water, the entire thing wrapped in plastic, and try to use them within a few days. Incidentally, the dandelion blossom can be eaten in salads as well as the greens and add a lovely touch of color.