Κυριακή 11 Νοεμβρίου 2012

Recipes with dandelions


                  At my previous post about  Dandelions  , my dearest friend  Anna  has  commented
                                the following comment  about the many recipes of dandelions !
                                                 If you have time please visit her !

Anna9 Νοεμβρίου 2012 8:42 μ.μ.
They are delicious, healthy and good for you! I love dandelions boiled, with a generous drizzle of olive oil... I love them with pureed broad beans... I love them with a light fresh tomato and garlic sauce... I love them with crusty bread and in soup! Dandelions are delicious. I can't get them here, but if I walk round the garden I can always find enough to make a delicious midday snack with! YUMMY!

                                    I asked from her to post about and  she told me that she already done .
                                           So , I have her permission to post the recipes .
                                            I copy and paste exactly  from her  page  A tasty of Italy

Saturday, 14 May 2011


You say "bruscetta" and I say "bruschetta!" (My favourite bruschetta toppings) I think....


I love the food of my native Southern Italy: it smells of the sea, the hills, the countryside and it evokes images of ancient olive trees chasing each other in fields, as they run towards the sea. How many stories would they tell, if only they could talk?
Because of my mother's obsession with food which was fresh and very healthy, I grew up idolizing some of the vegetables she loved, so much so, that I only have to look at an artichoke and  a little window opens. And... behind that window (our curtains had to be closed, when we ate! Eating was a private, family business, at our house!) sits my family... in a quiet corner, up here, in my head. 

Just like in Sleeping Beauty, everything is still and asleep, but, I can tell you... a smell, just a little smell is enough to disclose a universe of voices, laughs, arguments, songs, happiness and sometimes sadness. It's the world of my Italian ME.
 "I only have to look at an artichoke..."
I took this photo in Italy
The food we ate was sometimes simple, but delicious. Other times it required the knowledge and expertise which my nonna had passed on to her daughters.
Not too long ago, someone told me they thought Italian food was "Delicious and spicy"... no spices in our food, really, except black pepper and no herbs, except parsley, basil and celery, which I LOVE!  Origano has to be the least used herb in our culinary tradition. Its pungent taste can spoil many a dish and I really only use it in dishes "Alla Pizzaiola."
Anyway!
I made bruschetta today and I had to force myself not to eat the whole lot, as every single kind tasted delicious! Very few, carefully chosen ingredients to achieve great flavour! Remember, the greatness of Italian food derives from the fact that in a dish you rarely use more than four or five ingredients, cleverly combined. 

Needless to say, the base for bruschetta is sliced ciabatta bread, toasted. Ciabatta, in Italy, unlike the imitation you buy abroad, is a large bread and really looks like a ciabatta! (slipper)
Bruschetta con cicoria ripassata
e salsiccia
(greens and sausage bruschetta topping)
Ingredients:
(Serves 2)
Two or three generous handfuls of
green vegetables
(I used dandelions
can use Swiss Chard or
broccoli instead)
 smallish glug olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
some chilli pepper, sliced
or dried chilli flakes
2 sausages, grilled and sliced
  
This morning I picked dandelion leaves, which I LOVE! I washed and cleaned it, then discarded any tough stems and flower buds I could find. I cooked the vegetable in hot salted water until tender, then drained.
My lovely dandelion leaves (delicious!)
In a frying pan I heated just a couple of little glugs of olive oil and, when hot, I added my garlic and chilli pepper. The smell, as expected, was unbelievable! To this I added my dandelions, stirred to combine the flavours and that was it! GORGEOUS! In Rome, they call this dish "Cicorie Ripassate"
While I did this, my sausages were cooking and browning beautifully under the grill. They smelt really delicious! Once cooked, I sliced the sausages, then arranged my greens on the toasted bread, and  topped with the sausage. Whoever said that Heaven doesn't exist?

My sausage and dandelion topping was very good

Bruschetta Caprese
mozzarella and tomato topping for bruschetta 
Ingredients:
(Serves 2)
1 large mozzarella, sliced
a handful of cherry tomatoes
a nice bunch of fresh basil leaves
olive oil
(as much as you like)
1 garlic glove, chopped
salt
freshly milled black pepper
This is so easy, as you basically have to cut your tomatoes in halves or even quarters, then make a salad, by combining them with olive oil, garlic, basil leaves and salt. Arrange this on your toasted bread, together with slices of lovely, fresh, milky mozzarella. I LOVE MOZZARELLA! Drench with olive oil, some salt and plenty of black pepper. Fresh chilli always welcome, of course! My mouth is watering! HELP!
                                                   (same dish, dressed differently!)
Bruschetta con pure` di ceci
(pureed chick pea bruschetta topping)
Ingredients
(serves 2)
Two big handfuls uncooked chick peas
(or half a can of cooked chick peas)
1 small cup olive oil
bunch of fresh basil
delicious, fiery red chilli slices
(a few!)
2 cloves garlic
Salt
freshly milled black pepper
I cooked my chick peas from scratch, so, last night, I left them in a bowl of water to soak overnight. I knew they would need to soak for a long time, as I noticed that organic chick peas (which is what I bought) are smaller and tougher than the other kind.
This morning I cooked the pulses in salted water and basil. This took over an hour. I had to taste the chick peas to be sure they were really soft, making sure I used a wooden spoon (you only use a wooden spoon, when stirring pulses, or they will stop cooking!) When cooked, they went in a blender with 2 cloves of garlic, olive oil, some of their cooking liquid and a bunch of fresh basil. 


Chick peas cooking. 
They tasted so good... a cross between hummous, which I love, and something I had made up, really!The garlic made it taste just as Mediterranean as I wanted it to taste! I'm sure this is how God felt when he created MAN (slight exaggeration, as usual!)
I topped my bruschetta with the chick peas and some cucumber. It really only needed some olive oil, black pepper and hot red chilli to be as sexy as Sophia Loren, when she was twenty! But this is much cheaper... and you can make it yourself! 

The pureed chick pea topping was reminiscent of a place I really love: Greece!
           The photos are as always amazing and please look the last word : Greece !

    I am  thinking that another wonderful blog  Νέλλη could be make these in a Greek version !
                        The past  week I had quests ,so I tried  to cook some recipes of her !                           

                                           Have a wonderful day !

























15 σχόλια:

  1. Wow, these look good, especially the last with the chickpeas. I am saving these recipes and will take them on my next trip to America, where I will be able to assemble the ingredients!
    --Road to Parnassus

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    1. I am glad that you liked Anna's recipe !
      She cooks lovely and she presents the recipes in a unique way!
      Have a wonderful week !
      Olympia

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  2. Dear Olympia,

    Thank you very much for featuring my blog. Dandelions are one of my favourite vegetables and, when in Italy, I try to eat them it least twice a week. Delicious!

    It's strange seeing one of my posts on someonelse's blog, but I like the fact that you are promoting such a fantastic ingredient!

    Thanks again Olympia. I feel lucky to be able to be writing a comment on your blog. This morning I was involved in what could have been a fatal crash (frontal) with a lorry. So... I love being able to be here and write a blog comment!

    CIAO!

    ANNA (still standing!)

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    1. It is the way to learn more recipes about dandelions !
      Did you see that your recipes liked to all of us ?
      I will try to cook yours !
      Have a nice week !
      Olympia

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  3. Very interesting with dandelions. I've never tried. Have a nice start of the new week.

    Hugs

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    1. My dear Elna
      It is a little hard work for picking and cleaning but
      it is sure that worth it !
      Have a nice start of the week
      Olympia

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  4. Μπράβο Ολυμπία μου!Πού θά πάνε!Θά μάθουν νά τρώνε τά ραδίκια μας!Πολύ μού αρέση η συνταγή τής φίλης!Καλό βράδυ,καί καλή εβδομάδα!(Μάζεψες σήμερα παδίκια?Ζηλεύω!!)

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    1. DIMI μου , νομίζω ότι στις Ευρωπαϊκές χώρες του Νότου , τα γνωρίζουν τα ραδίκια . Μάλλον είναι το ίδιο κλιματολογικό περιβάλλον .Στο βορρά μπορεί να μη φυτρώνουν !Αυτή τη βδομάδα δεν μάζεψα ....
      Καλή σου βδομάδα !

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  5. Hi Olympia,

    Bravissimo!Brilliantly styled and cooked! Can't wait to try the Bruschetta Caprese; so colourful and delicious sounding!

    Have a great week!

    Poppy :)

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    1. Thank you very much, Poppy! Please visit my blog for more lovely Italian recipes!

      CIAO!

      ANNA

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    2. My dear Poppy , I know that in Crete there so many varieties of dandelions and the old people liked very much !I am glad that you have found interesting the Anna's recipes !I also liked the way that she use to present them with memories and lovely stories !
      Have a nice week
      Olympia

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  6. A great recipe Anna,
    Thank you for sharing Olympia.
    Here too we eat the same food. I love chic peas ...in salads and soups.
    Also mixed with fresh dandylion leaves .. cooked with sauted onions , beans or chic peas and pumpkin.. its delicious.
    some garlic and olive oil.. and fresh country bread.
    xxxx val

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    1. My dear Val
      I am impressed !You and Anna know other way for cooking the dandelions !
      I know only the simple way for salad ! I 'll try to cook like you !
      Thank you for your polite comment !
      Have a lovely week !
      Olympia

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  7. Πάρα πολύ ωραία συνταγή..μπράβο που μας την έδειξες..θα επισκεφτώ την Άννα, που αγαπάει και την Ελλάδα!!
    Τελικά τα μόνα ραδίκια που είδα, ήταν εδώ μια και δεν πήγα χτες..
    Καλό βράδυ και καλή εβδομάδα!!!

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    1. Μαρία μου , δεν πειράζει που τα είδες μόνο στη φωτογραφία ! Είμαι σίγουρη ότι κάποια στιγμή θα κάνεις την προσπάθεια και το αποτέλεσμα θα σε αποζημιώσει !
      Καλή σου βδομάδα !
      Ολυμπία

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